The BIGG Successs Show
The Billionaire and the Batboy: What Warren Buffett Learned from Eddie Bennett
Lessons on understanding your role on your team. Read our show summary at biggsuccess.com.
Welcome to The Big Success Show. Today, we'll discuss the billionaire and the bat boy, what Warren Buffet learned from Eddie Bennett. The Big Success Show with George and Mary Lynn. Buffet and Bennett, huh, Mary Lynn? That sounds like a law firm. Warren Buffet, of course, is a great investor who actually just got, Forbes just said he is now the richest person in the world, passed up Bill Gates. He also, of course, is the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. And in the 2002 Berkshire Hathaway annual report, he told a story about a bat boy. The bat boy was Eddie Bennett, who was 19 years old in 1919. He began his career with the Chicago White Sox, and they went to the World Series that year. And then, Eddie made a move. He went to the Brooklyn Dodgers. He had the Midas touch. They also won their league that year. That meant two in a row for Eddie. But once again, Eddie saw a better opportunity. He joined the Yankees in 1921, and they won their first pennant ever that year. Eddie had a feeling that he was in the right place, so he stayed put. The Yankees won five American league titles in the next seven seasons. That's a pretty good record, isn't it? I'd say. Now, what did all this mean to Eddie? Well, here's what it meant. He made as much during the World Series in each of these years as he made the entire season. So by choosing the right team to associate with, he effectively doubled his income. Eddie became perhaps the best-known bat boy in baseball history. And so today, we'll talk about the lessons that we can learn from Eddie Bennett. And we'll share the one lesson Warren Buffett took away. First, sometimes it pays to switch teams, right? Yes. If you're with a team that doesn't look like a big winner and you see a better one, go for it. Notice he never went with the Cubs. Yes. Wait till next year. Oh, he's now passed. Second, don't have a scarcity mentality. People who think like this can't work with others because they don't think there's enough rewards to share. Eddie shows us that by working with others, we may actually make more money than we could on our own. Third, you don't have to be the star to be a star. Eddie became famous in his own right, written about just like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. And Marilyn, I find it intriguing. Of that famous trio, the first one that we've talked about here at Big Success is Eddie Bennett. There you go. Fourth, every job is important. A supporting role is just as important as the starring role. Eddie knew his place and the importance of what he did. And he knew that if he did a good job in his role, other people would thrive in theirs. And they would all reap the benefits. And fifth, he had a passion for what he did. The fans knew it and the players knew it. And they respected him for the role that he played. It's reported that Eddie and Babe Ruth became good friends because they were both at the top of their game. Coming up, we're going to share what Warren Buffett learned from Eddie. Today, we're talking about the Batboy who taught a billionaire a lesson. And that billionaire, of course, is Warren Buffett. Now, Marilyn, what did Warren Buffett learn from Eddie Bennett? Warren Buffett describes himself as the Batboy for Berkshire. He turns the heavy hitting over to the leaders of the businesses he invests in. He plays a supporting role so they can step up to the plate and hit home runs. And it's a lesson in management and leadership. Give your people the tools they need when they need them and watch them succeed big. Speaking of giving your people tools, share big success with them. Just click on the share this button on our blog today at BigSuccess.com. And that's big with 2G's. That's also where we have a written summary of today's show. And let's get our big quote for the day. Our big quote today comes from one of the two people we talked about, Warren Buffett. Oh, there we go. Warren Buffett said, "To be a winner, work with winners." Otherwise, you risk striking out. That's right. Next time, we'll talk about tips for spotting your big opportunity. Until then, here's to your big success. The Big Success Show at B-I-G-G Success.com. [MUSIC]