How to Throw (& Catch) Well

My last post was about the importance of Making a Good Throw. Essentially, the point was that the only good throw is one that the person you are throwing to can catch. As leaders, pastors, parents…we often “throw” a vision, a directive, or an idea to our team or kids in a way that cannot be caught, much the same way that my boys used to throw me a football or baseball when we played catch.

We’ve got to make sure we throw in a way that the person(s) we are throwing to can catch it.

But how do you do that?  Here’s a few pointers that might apply to any given situation:

1. Understand the game plan. In football, the wide receiver runs a certain pattern before receiving the ball.  It’s part of the game plan.  The quarterback has to understand where that player is on the field and throw it to that spot.  In the same way, it’s important that as leaders or parents, we understand where our team or kids are at.  That goes back to relationship.  Making an investment in real & authentic relationships as part of our game plan helps us understand where our people are at, or where they are headed.
2. Throw appropriately. In baseball, where & how the ball is thrown is dependent on the situation.  The outfielder can throw it to different bases depending on where the runners are going.  The 2nd baseman makes a hard throw home or a soft clip to the shortstop depending on the situation.  In the same way, we’ve got to present our ideas, directives or vision in an appropriate way to the one receiving it.  Is it time for firmness or gentle persuasion?  Inviting ideas or communicating an already chosen path?  Punishment or discipline?
3. Trust that the catch will be made. Once we’ve done our part, we have to trust that what we’ve thrown will be caught.  When a quarterback releases the ball, there’s nothing more that he can do to control the situation.  If the ball is not caught, he must go back and draw up a new play for moving the ball down the field.  It’s not quite that cut & dry in leadership or parenting, but it’s similar in the sense that we must “let go” of what we are throwing and have high “expectations” of the one receiving.  If they don’t get what we’re throwing there way, we go back and try again.

And that leads me to the second part of this post… Catching well.

Most of us find ourselves on the receiving end of directives & vision (if you’re reading this, I’m kind of assuming your not at home “receiving” from your parents, so I won’t address that part!).  It’s important to know how to “catch” well, also. Here’s a few pointers for when you’re on the receiving end:

1. Don’t expect perfection. Quarterbacks make bad throws sometimes.  Occasionally they don’t time them very well.  And once in awhile they throw it to the other team.  Our leaders are no more perfect than we are.  We shouldn’t expect them to be.
2. Adjust to the throw. Most of the time the ball is not in the perfect location.  A receiver has to slow down, speed up, reach low or jump high.  What he can’t do is not make an effort.  He must adjust as well as possible and make every attempt to make the catch.  In our lives, we must do the same.  Seek clarification.  Try and understand the reasoning behind the throw.  Don’t undermine if you don’t understand or disagree.  Encourage those around you to participate in the play.
3. Work hard after you make the catch. A baseball player catches the ball and makes the tag or throws the ball to another player.  Once we understand the directive, embrace the vision or grasp the idea, it’s time to do something with it.  Be proactive in our response.  Work hard.  And if you don’t know what the next step it, ask.

Playing catch with my boys is a lot of fun.  It’s a lot more fun now that they understand the process a little big better. The same is true of my interactions with those I work and live with.  Throwing and catching well can make all the difference in moving the ball down the field.