{"id":329,"date":"2013-04-26T21:02:47","date_gmt":"2013-04-26T21:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scqa.hult.edu\/en\/news\/hult-labs\/2013\/april\/the-statistics-of-grit-how-a-baseball-debate-applies-to-the-real-world\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T11:01:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T11:01:04","slug":"the-statistics-of-grit-how-a-baseball-applies-to-the-real-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-statistics-of-grit-how-a-baseball-applies-to-the-real-world\/","title":{"rendered":"The Statistics of Grit: How a Baseball Applies to the Real World"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spring is here, and for many of us, that means the joyful return of baseball. For me, there\u2019s nothing better than a pleasant day at the ballpark, enjoying peanuts and Cracker Jacks, watching America\u2019s pastime. But recently, thanks to my brother, I found myself thinking how the recent debate over evaluating player performance in baseball is also applicable to what organizations want from our Hult graduates. Just stay with me.<\/p>\n

For those who don\u2019t know, the debate over how to properly value an individual baseball player\u2019s contributions to his team\u2019s overall success has been raging for several years. In 2003, the book (and later movie) \u201cMoneyball\u201d<\/a> was published, and promptly upended traditional thinking about how players are supposed to perform. \u201cMoneyball\u201d ushered in new ways to measure player performance based on complex statistical formulas, and overall introduced the concept of \u201cadded value\u201d to the baseball diamond. (Here\u2019s a good article<\/a> that summarizes the current debate.)<\/p>\n

The debate can sometimes break down along emotional lines. Some value a player\u2019s \u201cgrit,\u201d \u201cchemistry\u201d and \u201cdetermination,\u201d while others focus purely on cold, hard numbers. But this conflict is not limited to baseball \u2013 companies can have trouble with this balance as well. Do you manage purely by numbers and data, or is there something to having a co-worker who makes everyone feel good and keeps morale up, even though they might not be a top performer? What is the right balance to strike?<\/p>\n

One writer attempted to quantify<\/a> \u201cgrit\u201d in baseball terms \u2013 i.e., lots of getting on base, not a lot of power, good fielding \u2013 otherwise known as \u201cthe little things.\u201d Coincidentally, my brother started a fantasy baseball league this year based on his and his friends\u2019 definition of \u201cgrit\u201d \u2013 where walks, hits, stolen bases and runs give you points, but extra base hits and home runs take away points.<\/p>\n

I am obviously a baseball fan, so I couldn\u2019t resist the concept. I joined the league, picked my players, and then started to notice something interesting. The players who did \u201cthe little things\u201d \u2013 even getting on base a couple of times through walks and not hits \u2013 often had just as many points as star players who hit a lot of home runs. Though the rules told me this would happen, I was surprised to see its effect on my thinking. Even though I knew instinctively that a home run is better than a single or a walk, I started rooting for my players to just get a single.<\/p>\n

Noticing this change in my behavior made me think, because this is not that different from what we\u2019ve been hearing from employers on what they want from MBAs. Employers know that hitting home runs in the workplace is hard. So they don\u2019t want newly minted employees to try and hit home runs right away. They want employees who can \u201cdo the little things\u201d: show up every day, play hard, get on base once or twice, and be a positive contributor without needing to be the star. But that requires a certain level of self-awareness. Employers don\u2019t expect new employees to be perfect, but they do expect them to perform, and to understand their strengths and weaknesses more deeply.<\/p>\n

For those of you trying to get jobs, it may take a certain mental adjustment to shift away from the mentality that you need to be the star performer right out of the gate, to one where the goal is to work hard to \u201cget on base a couple times during the game.\u201d Later, when you have more experience under your belt, you can start focusing on swinging for the fences and hitting some home runs. Even a player who wins a \u201cMost Valuable Player\u201d award doesn\u2019t start out at the top of his game when he first picks up a bat or a glove. He works hard at improving and building his skill set, and hopefully, over time, improves his skills.<\/p>\n

The debate over how to properly evaluate a player\u2019s performance in baseball may rage on<\/a>, but as for me, I have a newfound appreciation for \u201cgrit,\u201d on the field and in the workplace. And as for the organizations that hire MBA graduates? If they can more accurately value their newest employees\u2019 contributions, taking into account more than just the numbers, they just might be surprised at what they find.<\/p>\n

Adam Carstens is Director of Research at Hult International Business School, and a member of the Hult Labs team. Unfortunately, he’s a Mariners fan.<\/em><\/p>\n

Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business from Hult<\/a>. To learn more, take a look at our blog The privilege and responsibility of being part of the global generation<\/a>, or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business<\/a>. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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