What Have You “Observed by Watching”?
I have always been a baseball fan for as long as I can remember. There is something about the game, and its players which has always captivated me. From the time I was a boy, I would read books on baseball and baseball players. That helped me learn the history of the game, things that happened in the game, long before I was born.
One book I read in my youth was a book on the life of Yankee catcher Yogi Berra. Yogi, in addition to being a Hall of Fame player, and consistent winner in his years with the Yankees, was also famous for his “use of the English language.” Yogi as a youngster did not like school, (playing baseball was far more important to him), so he was not the greatest of students. There were many things Yogi said during his career, (or was alleged to have said), that have become mainstreams of American culture. While not always spoken in the most correct form of the English language, these “Yogi-isms” often delivered powerful messages.
One such quote attributed to Yogi when he was asked how he prepared for games against opponents, especially those who had to bat against the pitchers he was catching, is that he “Observed by Watching.” While on its surface, it may seem like an obvious thing to do, there is a message in Yogi’s quote that is help to all of us, no matter what it is we do in our life.
In Yogi’s line of work, his watching would be looking at the tendencies and habits of the teams his Yankee teams played against. What type of pitches did each player on the other team seem to hit best against? What pitches were more difficult for them to hit? How were their feet pointed in certain at bats? What message may that give as to their intent for that at bat? There were hundreds of little clues Yogi could pick up on in terms of getting an edge on his opponents.
While pretty much all my readers and certainly my job search coaching clients would not benefit from reading the batting stance of a major league hitter, there are clues for them to “observe” in the type of work they do. What are the skillsets being sought by the companies that hire people in the professions of which they are a part? Do they have those skills, and if not, what path do they need to take to obtain them? What appear to be the needs and demands of the customers that use the products or services from the businesses they support? How can they best support those customers?
Using my own profession of career coaching as an example, I know I must be prepared to help my clients in many ways. What is the client’s mindset on the types of job roles they want to pursue next? If they are not clear on that, what assessment tools may I be able to provide them to start getting some thoughts to move them in the right direction? What frustrations may they be facing in the interview process? How surprised are they that they may have to go through multiple (say 3 to 5 rounds) of interviews, before it is decided they are truly a candidate for the job role offer? If they are surprised, additionally are they aware of the important points that they need to stress and bring out in each round of interviewing? What is their understanding of the nuances of the follow-up they need to do in the job search process, with those they meet early in the process, those that they have worked with before who may become leads or references to new opportunities and how to be persistent in connecting with others that can be of help to them in their search?
As one can see, Yogi was right. There is a lot to observe in our day to day lives that allow for us to pick up clues and tendencies that will help us succeed. Those items may not be used immediately. It may take days, weeks, months or sometime years before they become of value to us. However, choosing to be aware of what is happening in the world around you, observing it, and filing away the key points learned for future reference, is a valuable skill to have, and may make you an MVP in the fields of life that you are part of that help others with whom you are meant to connect and serve.
