As many of you know, this is Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox’s final year of managing. Over the next several months, there will be several articles written and many words spoken about this incredible leader. As the tributes come in, we should all stop and capture the key learnings we can take from the man who has given Braves fans peace of mind for over two decades.
One recent write-up on Cox appeared in the June 25th edition of the USA Today and focused on the Braves impressive first-half performance. The following are some leadership principles you can gain from Cox in this article.
- Passion – He is in full uniform every game day and in the dugout shortly after lunch. No one beats him to the ballpark. It is also ironic though that with a record 140+ ejections, he also the first to leave park. Just a funny thought.
- Joy – Chipper Jones pointed out how much Cox is laughing this year and that he’s never seen him enjoy the game so much. It appears he’s cherishing every moment.
- Attraction – This is not the physical kind. Cox attracts talent. Reliever Billy Wagner came to Atlanta to specifically “play for the man”.Â
As of this writing, the Braves are 45-32 which is only 1/2 game out of having the best record in the National League. After 29 years of coaching, 4423 wins, 4-times manager of the year (3 NL, 1 AL), 5 Pennants, and 1 World Series,  is there anyone not rooting for him to get another one?
There will probably be much more said about Cox by this writer over the next several months. However, as of today, Leaders you must ask yourself these questions:
- Do you beat everyone to the office?
- Do you bring joy to your workplace that’s contagious?
- Do people want to work for YOU?
If so, enjoy watching Bobby Cox for the next 4-5 months. You may see a little of yourself in him.