Leadership Lessons from the DugOut

In today’s competitive environments—whether in youth sports or professional workplaces—leaders must thoughtfully construct their teams with a balance of versatility and deep expertise. In baseball, this often means having a mix of players who can do a bit of everything and those who focus their energy on excelling in one specific role. The same holds true in organizational leadership. High-performing teams typically include both “athletes”—individuals who are agile, adaptable, and capable across a range of tasks—and “specialists,” who offer deep knowledge and mastery in a particular area.

This concept is especially visible in youth baseball. While there’s growing concern about early sports specialization, that’s not the kind of specialization I’m referring to. Instead, I’m talking about team roles. Some players can effectively move between positions, contributing on the field, at the plate, and sometimes even on the mound. Others, however, focus entirely on one skill set—like pitching. In baseball, we call these players “POs,” or Pitcher Only. They don’t bat or play other positions. Pitching requires so much physical preparation, recovery, and mental focus that it makes sense for some players to devote their full attention to it.

This approach carries directly into the workplace. Early in my professional career, I found myself drawn to what I called “athletes”—team members who could do multiple things well. These individuals were resourceful, curious, and flexible, and could be deployed in a variety of roles. Especially in fast-paced or evolving organizations, these team members were incredibly valuable. They could step in where needed, quickly learn new skills, and bring a wide-angle lens to the team’s goals.

But as my leadership experience grew, I came to better appreciate the value of specialists. These are the team members who focus deeply in one area—such as instructional design, data analysis, or workshop facilitation—and elevate the overall performance of the team through their technical depth and precision. Their expertise ensures quality, drives innovation, and often becomes a critical backbone of the organization’s success. In many cases, trying to spread these individuals too thin or pull them into unrelated tasks would reduce their impact.

The key insight is that successful leaders recognize the need for both. Versatile contributors add flexibility and resilience to a team, while specialists bring focus and excellence. One is not inherently better than the other; the value comes from how each complements the other. Just like in baseball, where a utility player and a starting pitcher may have very different responsibilities but equal importance, the workplace thrives when we build teams with the right mix. As leaders, it’s our job to identify and develop both types of talent—those who can wear many hats and those who are deeply invested in one. When we strike the right balance, we create teams that are not only well-rounded, but also built for sustained success