You Only Get So Many At-Bats: Moneyball and Subcontractors

Recently saw Moneyball. Very good movie, and what it shows is the value of equations and data analysis as to what really matters.

Not all are predictors of success. Some are less tied to the true factors that will lead to success. In old-line businesses like baseball and  construction, the “scouts” and the “old timers” want to control the workflows in ways to protect their “turf.” Understood—but times change, money is on the table and the confusion still reigns.

Moneyball is about data management, and in the construction industry we still lack correct data management schemas to make this an orderly and profitable business for the ones that figure it out, like the A’s did then (20 in a row!).

What I liked about the movie is that the A’s didn’t have to win the World Series but got so much value out of the best they had to work with, and that is similar to a subcontracting firm with limited resources competing in our marketplaces.

The truly heroic act is the connection point with the field in a way to inspire them project to project.

As we in say in bidding, “You only get so many at-bats, let’s make the most of them!”