introspectiveH

Have you ever watched a sporting event, either live or on T.V., with fellow fans and noticed that everyone agrees when a bad call is made? How come something that is so obvious to everyone around you, is so elusive to the referee? Here is a guy that is paid to make tough, professional judgment calls, yet he can't even make obvious ones. You and your friends are just casual sports fans, but you have no problem making the right call every time. So what is the deal anyway?

In my early to mid twenties, I was an avid softball player. I was the team manager and I can't even count how many times I got into heated arguments with the umpires over ridiculously bad calls. It was very clear to me why people always said that referees and umpires needed glasses. I wrote the trend off as the continuing progression of hiring dumb asses to officiate sporting events.

One summer I really got tired of the nonsense and decided to become an umpire myself. I knew that I couldn't change the whole league, but at least there would be one competent person out on the field making calls. So I signed up, read the book, took the test, purchased my twin pocket polyester gym teacher shorts, slipped on my knee-high, three-striped socks, and was ready to roll. It was going to be a new revolution of competent game calling. Hell, I thought I may just go pro one day and find even myself behind the plate of a world series game.

The first game, the head umpire told me to call the field because the most senior ump should be behind the plate. "Ha…ok, whatever gramps, just start the damn game". That was about the last cocky words that came out of my mouth. The very first pitch of the game was hit straight back up the middle. I got in the way of the fielder and got cussed out immediately. Not only did I interfere with the play, but after the dust settled, everyone looked at me to make the correct call at first base. Was he out or was he safe? "Ummmm….yeah….uhhhhh…..Safe?", I squeaked timidly. Cussing ensued immediately. After the first play, I was already an incompetent asshole that needed new glasses. I didn't know how this could have happened. I knew that I was a very observant person. What was the deal here? As I looked at the hitting team, they sat in the dugout snickering as if they were 6 year old kids who just got away with stealing banana flavored laffy taffy at the quickie mart. Dammit! I already made a bad call. Everyone knew it but me. CRAP!. Not only did I get in the short stop's way, but I robbed him out of a well played ball for an out.

I tried to calm my nerves as the polyester started to make me sweat like I was running a 5K in the Sahara desert (yeah, like I have really ever ran a 5K). I thought I would just chalk that first one up to beginner's jitters. I had a great plan; I would just make the call up on the next close one. Yeah, that didn't work out so well either. The next "close" call that I tried to make up ended up being so obviously wrong that I thought they may just ban me from ever officiating again.

After the game, the senior ump just came up to me and patted me on the back. He told me that I did good for my first time on the field and that I just needed to keep my head up. All of the sudden, this incompetent old man, was a glorious sage full of wisdom. I sucked and everyone knew it, but he knew that if he stated the obvious, I probably would have never came back.

I continued to umpire that summer, and yes, I got a lot better. But guess what… I continued to make bad calls. Sometimes I knew it immediately after I made the call, but that was the price I had to pay for making quick decisions. I learned that hesitation was far worse than making the wrong call. Not only did hesitation show uncertainty, but it showed weakness to both teams. Once my weakness was out for everyone to see, I would be ridiculed and cussed for the rest of the game. I decided that if I made a bad decision, it was better to be confident about it than to admit a mistake. Well, what do you know? I had now become an incompetent asshole umpire that needed coke bottle glasses, just like the rest of the sorry bunch. Even I, super-referee-to-be, was not exempt. My power and my pride stood in the way of making a real difference. I call this the Referee Syndrome.

Most managers suffer from Referee Syndrome. This is the person in charge of making decisions that has to make quick, questionable calls that are sometimes obviously wrong to others. However, because of their own pride, they will never admit or correct their mistakes. This causes an overall loss of respect by those who their decisions affect the most.

A lot of people go into management wanting to be different, and to do the right thing. They plan to be that person who changes the world and turns traditional management style upside down. However, there is something about the pressure and spontaneity of real time situations, issues, and pressures that can cause temporary lapses of judgment.

If you have a manager who suffers from Referee Syndrome, try to be patient and understanding. After all, it may not be as easy on the other side as it seems. Somewhere deep down, they may be a good person who, at one time, set out to change the world.

If you are a manager, challenge yourself to admit and learn from mistakes. You will be surprised how your people will understand and relate to your realization of actually being human. If you don't, you may just end up being the arrogant prick who needs new glasses and a knock upside the melon. While you are worried about your power and pride, some people are actually concerned with the game itself. After all, what's more important, your vanity or the players? I still haven't met a single person who watches sports for the referees. A good officiated game is one in which the officials go totally unnoticed.

-ewH

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