Welcome to the NACUBO 2009 Annual Meeting

Taming the Green Monster examines pressing issues—the things that loom over us.

At Fenway Park, it’s the real Green Monster; the 37 foot wall in left field.

In your office, it’s something else. Maybe not as visually intimidating, but nevertheless still daunting.

Baseball is a great metaphor for the business office. Projects are done in teams as well as individually. There are practices and there are those moments when it counts the most. It involves both strategy and execution.

Sometimes strategy requires you to step out of your normal position and see things from a much broader perspective. When you’re standing on the pitcher’s mound every day, you have the important task of facing down your most immediate challenge, the batter. As crucial as your role is in that moment, you still have to be mindful of the situations going on around you. And with much of the action happening behind you, you can’t always see things clearly. You have to rely on others to keep the entire field in focus.

Think of the NACUBO Annual Meeting as an All-star game where you gather experts from other teams to help you conquer your green monster. You have the opportunity to be both the pitcher and the catcher, and see the entire field before and behind you. And it’s that kind of insight that wins games.