When you hear the word benchwarmer it has a negative connotation. You picture these athletes sitting on the bench game after game, hardly ever getting to play, and never hearing their name announced overhead like the players in the starting line-up. The Dictionary of American Slang (n.d.) defines the word benchwarmer as a person that is not among the most active and important member of an enterprise, like a substitute athlete that rarely plays.
Being a benchwarmer is not a negative thing, but can be a positive way to become more successful in life and reaching your goals while helping others reach theirs.
The sporting world is not the only place where benchwarmers are working hard and preparing for that opportunity to shine. As people go through life most are benchwarmers. A small percentage are the stars of the game or CEO of the company. There have been many professional athlete benchwarmers who have become more successful than those who started out on top because they had to overcome many more obstacles.
In an article written by Ajay Pangarkar (2012) he tells about the Cinderella story of a New York Knicks point guard, Jeremy Lin who was an aspiring professional athlete. He knew he wanted to play basketball so he spent time on the bench studying how others played and how the game itself was played. He had a philosophy to continually improve and get better, not only for his current role but for any job that was asked of him. He not only watched but practiced every aspect of the game.
www.splitsecondbasketball.com
www.splitsecondbasketball.com
He felt it was very important to 'stay fresh'-meaning don't just be satisfied with what you know but seek those things that you do not know. Then figure out how those things you have learned can add value to your life (Pangarkar, 2012). Like Lin we have to be ready to show those values to others in order to benefit from all of our hard work. In his case it was to become a starting player on a professional basketball team which was his workplace.
It is no different than other workplaces in that it is important that you become a valuable part of the team, showing your worth and all that you have to contribute. This will enable you to help your organization reach their goals while you reach yours(Pangarkar, 2012). This 23-year-old Harvard grad of Taiwanese parentage, Jeremy Lin, has been inspiring millions of young people in the United States and all over the world to pursue their dreams the way he has. He shares with young people how it is important to "explore your opportunities, your dreams and find something you are passionate about and just go after it"
(Linspiration beats out linsanity, 2012).
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abcnews.go.com
The question that you need to answer is "Are you going to stay a third-string benchwarmer or are you going to be ready for that opportunity to shine and make a difference to your organization (Pangarkar, 2012)? As Phyllis Tharenou (2001) showed in her recent studies that if proper training is given to employees it not only increases their skill level but increases their wages and opportunities for career advancement as well. It is also very important to note that the level of participation in training programs depends on their motivation. This motivation in some cases is achieved through expectation. People expect that when that put in the effort and participate in a training program, it will result in them receiving higher skill levels, increased knowledge and more ability. They are hoping this will lead to a positive outcome for themselves and the organization.
Most bench players do not feel like they are taking a back seat. They realize how important it is to know your role and always be readyto go. In the case of professional basketball, there are many longtime backups that are making millions of dollars in their back up role. The coach uses them for specific purposes and it is not for them to question those reasons but be ready and willing to take one for the team if necessary. Scott Hastings and other longtime NBA bench warmers outlasted perhaps more talented players by doing the little things on and off the court. (Halley, 2004). The idea thatno job is too small is one that is important to uphold in our everyday lives as well as in the workplace in order for us to take pride in everything we do.
Watching and learning along the way, anything that will make you better at what you do. Hopefully it is something you love and are passionate about and one day the opportunity will come along and it will be your time to shine. Will you be ready to jump off that bench when that time comes?
References
Benchwarmer. (n.d.). The Dictionary of American Slang. Retrieved September 15, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/benchwarmer
Halley, J. (2004, Aug 24). Bench players don't feel they're taking a back seat ; the Detroit pistons' success this past season and team USA's recent woes have put the spotlight on the necessity of role players. With higher salaries and better training habits, more of these backups are playing longer, in all sports, especially in the NBA. USA TODAY Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/408928429?accountid=32521
Linspiration beats out linsanity. (2012, Feb 21). China Post Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/922256261?accountid=32521
Pangarkar, A. M. (2012). A resource to remember-you! Training & Development, 39(2), 37. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1015033718?accountid=32521
Tharenou, P. (2001). The relationship of training motivation to participation in training and development. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 74, 599-621. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/199346060?accountid=32521
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