Chicago Cubs are looking for a new team identity from their next manager

Chicago Cubs: Epstein fights technology for teamwork

Epstein and business leaders across the nation are all facing the same time-killing, ankle-biting, personnel-sucking, attention-grabbing crisis called the ‘personal cell phone’.  It’s right there on top of most desks during business hours and will get called or messaged during the work day, often several times.

These personal digital interruptions cause regular staff to disappear from the workplace and reappear outside with the office smokers. Imagine if that happened during practice on the field? How do you tell players to stay off their devices during practice but then gripe that they are on them right ‘after’ practice, instead of having a beer?

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It seems Epstein is more a victim of technology than lack of teamwork. When Epstein came to the Cubs from the Boston Red Sox in 2011, technology had not come as far as it has today.

The Red Sox teams during Epstein’s tenure were more “Brady Bunch” teammates. Although a large organization, the Sox did most things together and that sense of teamwork was evident from practices to games to championships.

Today, many teams have learned how to bridge that technology divide and turn their clubs into “teams” with the type of ‘team-focus’ Epstein is calling for. We’ve seen real teamwork this year in the St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers.  Let’s not forget our friends in Boston who won the World Series last year; the world already had the iOS 11.1 at that time. If these teams can ‘get over their phones’, why can’t the Cubs?

When Epstein came to Chicago organization it took almost four years to build that type of team spirit or identity before the Cubs were ready for their appearance on the big stage in 2016.  Now Epstein wants the Cubs to ‘come together’ and is expecting the new manager to put an emphasis on it. Will a new manager be able to pull that off in a single season? What type of teamwork is Epstein calling for?

Chicago Cubs: Can teamwork rescue the Cubs?

Anyone who watched Epstein’s press conference came away from it sure about one thing: he spent a lot of time trying not to black-ball former manager Joe Maddon’s technique or coaching style. Epstein spent many minutes tripping over himself to be polite to Maddon’s legacy, which truth be told, is substantial.

However, fans know if the guy was perfect, he would still have the job. Epstein tried his best to deflect any negative deductions by reporters that Maddon hadn’t performed to the Cubs-standard, while focusing on the things a new manager would have to do.  Epstein talked more about how he saw his new teamwork focus being implemented during the recent season-ending press conference:

“I think it’s important for this group that we find time to work as a team; that we find time to assemble as a team; find ways to deliver messages to the team so that there can be a greater sense of team identity and purpose for this group, I think that’s something we need,” Epstein explained.

Of course this does make it sound like the Cubs were a bit disorganized in getting information to players and being generally organized as a team.  Epstein is hoping that building that unity of effort will help foster teamwork.

Making formations to get the word out? Assemble and train together? It may sound a little militaristic but Epstein won’t mind if it gets the job done.

Epstein’s current focus: finding a general to lead the North(siders).