Great Commentary From Scott McKain

Shared with me this week was great insight from our World Series of Sales speaker, Scott McKain. His commentary is below... What will you do to make a difference in your compensation this year?

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Unbelievable as it may sound, the new season for Major League Baseball begins this coming Sunday night. It is one of the undeniable rites of Spring - and if you have endured this year's Winter in the Midwest or East, I have no doubt you're ready for the change of Seasons!

Yet, baseball also provides a highly instructive metaphor for something every business - and individual - should be examining. And . . .while I try to avoid the over-use of sports analogies . . . consider these statistics from last year's season: In the Toronto Blue Jays infield, the shortstop position was often filled by John McDonald. Named in a 2007 poll as "Most Popular Blue Jay" - defeating their pitching ace, Roy Halladay, in the voting - this past year's season, McDonald had a batting average of .258.

(If you're not a baseball fan, a batting average of .250 would mean, on average, you got 2.5 hits for every 10 times to bat to that point in the season. A .300 average would, naturally, mean that you safely hit the ball 3 times per 10 times to the plate.)

Over at third base for the Blue Jays, for much of the 2009 season was a fellow Hoosier, Scott Rolen. During his stint with the Jays, (Rolen was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on July 31st.), Rolen's batting average was .305 - about 50 points higher than McDonald's.

How did that small difference translate into compensation? What does one-half of one hit more -- every TEN times at bat -- mean in terms of pay for performance?

McDonald makes a lot of money - his contract is about $1.5 million per season.

But, Rolen's modestly better production means a LOT bigger paycheck. His contract was for $11 MILLION per year!

Here's the point: When you play the game at a high level, being a "little bit" better means exponential improvements in returns!

You do not have to be twice as good as your competition to earn double the results.

Finding small points of distinction will make an enormous difference for you and your organization. Remember - Enterprise Rent-A-Car is renting the IDENTICAL vehicles as their competitor. Doing what could be viewed as a "little thing" - picking up the customer, rather than requiring them come to the rental location - created the nation's largest rental car company.

What small action could you take that could make you the "little bit" better to earn huge rewards?

MJN

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