Reaching out to those in need will be a highlight of your 2020
“Look for the helpers.”
These words are from Mr. Rogers and were repeated by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment CEO Scott O’Neil when I shared the stage with him at the ALSD Conference at MetLife Stadium back in 2013. It was the first industry gathering I was a part of after the Boston Marathon bombing. Scott went off script and was marveling as a parent, executive and a human being about the image of the participants, spectators and staff that ran toward and not away from the people in need at the finish line.
I’ve admittedly been to too many conferences in my career to count. While I can’t recall every buzzword or sales phrase from these events, on that day Scott’s words really spoke to me and never left me.
Seven years later, it is clear to me that there are so many innocent and wonderful people in our industry in need of help. As Thanksgiving approached this year, feeling especially grateful, I reflected on Scott’s “look for the helpers” mindset and decided to be one of the people that ran in to help.
Prior to Thanksgiving week, I posted on LinkedIn an open message for anyone in our industry that finds themselves out of work due to COVID-19 and the impact its had on 2020. I made myself available for 10- to 15-minute Zoom sessions with the goal of listening, sharing in honest conversations and helping chart a path for a new chapter in 2021.
The result was 42 total sessions that began with a colleague in London, then a lot here in North America and ended across the globe with a colleague in Melbourne.
What I learned from this virtual globetrotting experience was the human spirit is alive and well in our industry, even for those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. I was inspired to learn of those who have been out of work for more than six months adding new skills during this time so they can be more of a “Swiss Army knife” executive in their next chapter. Others have used it as a chance to breathe and study future industry trends to “see around the corner’s corner” and understand how they can best fit in the “comeback story of sports.”
While these optimistic vibes were a thread throughout each Zoom session for those that reached out, there was also a very real vulnerability of each in their own way admitting “I need help.” In these moments, I simply offered a magic wand to each person and asked where they most needed help. These asks ranged from a look at their résumé, help with an introduction or just even some industry perspective.
The intent of the day for me was to give back — but in reality, I feel selfish to say, I received a lot more in return. In a year with a lot of professional stress, it felt good to just be good. I learned that as much as we say that we work in the sports industry, that it would really be more appropriate to say we work in the people industry. Our global community of sports is filled with remarkable people all supporting each other.
My hope is Scott’s words to “look for the helpers” combined with my experiences in giving back inspires others to do the same. Regardless of your title, position or industry status; I would ask everyone to take a little time to think back to a moment when you were just starting in this business or your career took an unwanted detour and someone helped you.
It’s your time to be the helper and run toward those that need help.
Dan Migala (Dan@Team4FRONT.com) is the co-founder of 4Front, a sports marketing company with offices in Chicago, Dallas and Denver.
