Relief Pitching

Whenever the words "relief pitcher" are uttered I have little doubt the image that pops into the heads of most of us is that of a single player coming out of the bullpen in the late innings of a tight baseball contest. The starting pitcher has the held the opposing team in-check for as long as he can, but now their hitters are beginning to get to him and, as a result, about to take the lead and ultimately the game. Hence, the manager calls in the relief pitcher to stop the growing threat and bring their team home to another victory. It is no small assignment and never is the pressure small. Yet this is what the relief pitcher does.


Organizations, even the best of them, are no different than any of the professional baseball teams we enjoy these days. They, too begin initiatives or various outreach efforts with the best of intentions to win in terms of generating profits, increasing visibility, raising membership or achieving other high-profile goals. Winning to them is no small thing either. This is why more and more strive to hire the best and most effective communicators they can to create and spearhead their drives and compile as many "wins" as possible. A key part of doing this is being able to assess an outreach effort in midstream and recognize when changes are needed.


This may not occur on the baseball field, but it is relief pitching all the same. In the case of non-baseball organizations, however, it is not uncommon for those communicators who begin initiatives to be the same ones who make those needed adjustments when things are not going as well as hoped or expected. Communication professionals are both starters and relief pitchers. They have to be. Because communication itself is such a fluid act with an array of unknown variables part of the mix, their responsibilities require that one have the professional judgment and ability to fill both roles and do so with confidence.