As the NCAA tournament wraps up and the baseball season is in full swing, we’re sharing lessons learned by some farm equipment leaders from their sports-playing “glory days.” These stories were received in response to a blog by Mike Lessiter, who reflected on the ways youth and high school athletics teaches us much about character, perseverance and team play — all of which make a winning combination for any business.

We’re sharing a sampling of what we learned in this new spring season series. If you’ve got your own story to add, feel free to use the comment box below.

Teamwork, Culture & Hustle – All 3 Needed to Succeed in Business

Teamwork and culture are synonymous on any team I played on or coached. I played quarterback in high school and ran track. I was small but fast and had the benefit of playing with good players. 

I coached both our boys in Mustang basketball. The youngest had 13 kids on his team that all got along. We weren't very tall but we could run anyone to death and lost only 4 games from 4th grade to the end of sophomore year.

I guess I would add hustle to teamwork and culture. These are all attributes that have been consistent to me and my team members in sports, family and business. I haven't seen many successful teams, businesses, or families that don’t exude these three.

—Skip Klinefelter, Owner, Linco Precision LLC, El Paso, Ill.

A Coach’s Motivation Lessons

I participated in high school sports and entered the coaching field at the end of my playing days. 

If there’s anything I took from playing and coaching it’s the lesson that success requires people that have a competitive streak. There are a lot of cliches out there about winning, but the bottom line is you want people that want to come out on top.

For success in sales, service, and parts, you need your people to be on the same page. In coaching, however, you learn early on that individuals are motivated differently. While one staff member reacts to a more direct approach, another member may need a softer tender approach. To get the most out of your staff, one needs to motivate them on an individual basis.

Finally, a mentor once told me when I was coaching was that if you listen to the fans long enough you will end up sitting with them. So be yourself, always look for ways to improve as well as learn from the best in the business.

—Mark Foster, retired owner of Birkey’s Farm Store, Williamsport, Ind.

Winners Find a Way to Win

Sports analogies are huge in our company as Torgerson's loves to win and we’re not only externally competitive but internally as well. Many of us played high school or college sports and the work ethic and teamwork aspects really stick out to me. 

Winners find a way to win whether that is putting together a great team, great "game plan” or simply outworking the competition. Although we have hundreds of miles between our locations we still work as a team throughout the complex. 

—Chaney Bowen, Region Director, Torgerson’s, Lewistown, Mont.

Seeing ‘the Game’ Clearly

Playing team sports is an important part of being a good business owner and leader. Having played soccer, the captain role and team member roles are all part of being a leader in the business world while also being a team player to and with all levels of your organization.

The traits and skills I find from many years ago are being able to visually survey many different areas of the business to get a good read of the land/field/business all in one picture like the game being played on a field. And then, anticipating the movement of the ball and other players that are essential to making good business decisions.

—Paul J. Licata, President, BDi Machinery Sales, Inc., Macungie, Pa.

Related Content:

• Read Part 2 and Part 3 of "Business Lessons & Winning Strategies Learned from the 'Glory Days'"
• Read Mike Lessiter's original blog at Farm-Equipment.com