In a continuing effort to capture the leadership qualities of Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox in this his final year, I want to reference an article written in the May 24, 2010 edition of The Sporting News.
Writer Steve Greenberg captures incredible insights into Cox’s personality by those closest to him. Read the comments listed below and think about how you’re doing in these key disciplines.
- Friendship – “It’s so easy to enjoy the personal moments with Bobby, but then again all moments with him are like that. He’s always the same. He’s always just Coxy.” – Braves President and former General Manager John Schueholz
- Respect – “I don’t know if he actually likes any umpires, but he respects us.” – 25-year major league umpire Dale Scott.
- Admiration – “Everybody in baseball would like to say they’ve played for him.” – Chipper Jones
- Trust – “Bobby was all about loyalty and trust. He trusted all his guys and wasn’t ever afraid to use his lesser-known players in big spots.” – Former pitcher Steve Avery
- Belief – “He believed in us.” – former player and current Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton
- Loyalty – “There was no allegiance to the other side, only to us. We weren’t anybody; we weren’t any good. But we were his guys now. And that meant a whole lot.” – former Brave Dale Murphy on the ’78 Braves
- Intuition – “Bobby’s instincts are second to none.” – former coach (and hopefully future Braves manager) Fredi Gonzalez
- Good Report - “Bobby was right there with any of those managers with legendary reputations.” – St Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa
Leaders, when you look at friendship, respect, admiration, trust, belief, loyalty, intuition, and good reputation, it can be intimidating. However, let’s remember that Cox has spent a lifetime developing these personality traits. Our responsibility is to get better in these areas one day at a time. Tomorrow, as leaders, let’s commit to taking just one step closer toward these goals. Let me know how you’re doing.