I’m sure it’s across all businesses but you don’t get much of a chance to read in the newspapers about the manager/leader of a business who decides to leave for the same reason that Hargrove reached. Sports figures, by nature of daily exposure, get the ink and also the speculation by their fans that “it’s time.” Most players stayed with the ball too long. Think of Willie Mays as a Met, Warren Spahn as a Giant, Hank Aaron as a Brewer, Harmon Killebrew as a Royal. Barry Bonds as a Balloon comes to mind, too.

Barry Sanders is the one that most closely resembles what Hargrove did and he never looked back.

For those manager/leaders that return to it later after they left, it’s usually not a case of redemption. Instead, it’s more akin to watching an old-timer’s game where the play on the field is observed by always looking back. Earl Weaver, Bud Grant, even Teddy Roosevelt made comeback attempts and who remembers? If Hargrove comes back, I hope he’s reincarnated as Jim Leyland.

As a sales development expert and author of a sales book based on Baseball, I have professed for years that the single most important element is the desire for success sales. When the desire isn’t there, one won’t do the things they don’t want to do, despite the importance of those things.

I have forwarded this article to Mike Hargrove by way of an emissary. I hope he gets it and I hope he finds some measure of satisfaction in knowing that at least one person appreciates his courage to do the right thing.

Michael, I appreciate your perspective. Thanks for commenting.

Seth Godin has called it The Dip in his recent rather slight and rather odd book. He suggests that the most successful people know when to quit.

Maybe we all face those questions of commitment. We certainly have. When is it time to quit in the face of adversity? When is it time to fight that adversity?

The current manager of the Detroit Tigers, Jim Leyland, left baseball a few years ago saying much the same things that Mike Hargrove has said. He knew when to quit, for sure, but he also knew when to come back. Under Leyland, the Tigers have had great success and he is clearly having a great time once again.

We may see Mr. Hargrove again on the baseball stage. I sure hope so.

And, I hope you send your article to Mike Hargrove, Phillip. There is likely a good friendship there - and one he might need right now.