 OUR TAKE -
Imperfections Define Us
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There is more to life than increasing its speed.
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Gandhi
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Earlier this month, we almost saw the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball. Some say we did but that is not how it will be remembered. Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers was perfect through 8 2/3 innings against the Cleveland Indians. Twenty-six batters up, twenty-six down. Cleveland's Jason Donald came to the plate and hit a sharp grounder into the hole between first and second base. It's an easy play, one professionals execute many times per game.
The first-base umpire Jim Joyce was right there, in perfect position to make the "out" call. But the runner is called safe. After the game, Joyce sees the same replays as everyone else and knows he missed the call. "It was the biggest call of my career," Joyce would say shortly after the game. And he blew it. "I just cost that kid a perfect game," Joyce tearfully said later. He had so blown a call that he will probably be remembered for it as long as there is baseball.
It's hard to be perfect. Ask Armando Galarraga. Ask Jim Joyce, if you need to. But I'm guessing you already know, don't you? It's hard to be perfect, even for a little while. And it's impossible for us to maintain for very long.
But the real story comes in the way everyone has conducted themselves since. Galarraga walked backed to the mound with a pained smile and quietly went back to work, retiring the next batter to win the game. After Jim Joyce saw the replay, he went to Galarraga. They hugged, Joyce cried and admitted he was wrong and told Galarraga how sorry he was. Since they couldn't be perfect, Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce did what we're all supposed to do when imperfection inevitably rears its head. They admitted their mistakes, and they apologized, and they forgave. And then they went back to work.
They have chosen not to let imperfection define them. How can your organization's reaction to imperfections define a better customer relationship? What's your take?
Gary Lemke, Publisher
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