Out of the Park: Connectivity
Over the past week, I've watched something unfold that has very little to do with baseball.
As the heartbreaking news about Venezuela spread, the clubhouse wasn’t consumed by wins and losses. I wrote last week describing players and coaches who were glued to their phones trying to reach family members, sharing updates, reposting ways to help, and waiting for word that loved ones were safe.
When communication was limited, every connection mattered.
At the same time, Kansas City has been transformed by the World Cup. Streets, restaurants, and stadiums have been filled with people from around the world, unified by their shared love of the game.
Sometimes, the smaller moments, like superstar Bobby Witt Jr. stopping to sign autographs for a bunch of kids, make a large impact. A smile, a picture, or even just a few seconds of someone’s time can forge connections that last a lifetime. It’s why I almost always say yes when someone asks me for a photo, even if Bobby is who they really want. Making someone feel seen is always time well spent.
We often think of connection as something that helps us get ahead, but sometimes it has nothing to do with opportunity. It can simply be what carries us through life’s hardest moments, because the best relationships aren’t the ones built when we need them most. They’re the ones that began long before the day we need them arrives.
It’s as true in baseball as it is in business and in life…inside and Out of the Park.
Local flavor
Kansas City has undergone an incredible transformation in recent years, but nothing compares to what we’ve witnessed over the past month with the World Cup taking place.
FIFA’s FanFest downtown changes colors depending on what team is in town. The night we were there, yellow was the shade of the day as Ecuador fans packed the streets. Later, the scene shifted to “Kansas City Stadium”, otherwise known as Arrowhead, where the loudest venue in sports felt more like a South American soccer pitch than the home of the Chiefs. The singing, the flags, the drums, and the passion created an atmosphere unlike anything I’ve experienced there before.
KC has become one of the biggest stories of the World Cup, despite being the smallest host city in North America. Reports show that visitors from 178 countries have attended FanFest, while communities across the metro continue embracing teams from around the globe.
By opening our city to the world, the world has shared its culture, traditions, and pride with us. At a time when everything feels divisive, sports have once again found a way to bring people back together.
Dugout dialogue
This month's Dugout Dialogue is personal.
On Opening Day, we shared Sarah Nauser's letter to the Royals, brought to life through voice cloning. It was one of the most meaningful pieces I've ever been part of.
A few months later when the Royals were in Cincinnati, the roles were reversed. We surprised Sarah with a letter from the players, coaches, and staff whose lives she has touched with her endless optimism and unwavering, courageous spirit. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
Both pieces tell a story that goes far beyond baseball. They demonstrate the power of connection, while raising ALS awareness in the hopes that one day, there is a cure.
I hope you’ll take time to watch them both.
Professionally, connectivity is an equally as powerful. Check out this month’s discussion with Chief of Staff Kansas City’s Casey Wright for his perspective on how to leverage it the right way.
speaking engagements
June was another rewarding month on the speaking calendar, and I'm grateful to MegaKC for inviting me to share my Winning Trust keynote with their team.
As I spoke about trust and connection, every word was translated into Spanish on screens throughout the room. It was a simple, yet powerful, way to make people feel connected through inclusion. MegaKC talked about taking care of its people, but it also demonstrated it by finding a way to ensure every employee could fully participate, regardless what language they spoke.
This week I’m looking forward to moderating a World Cup panel before turning my attention to the Kansas City Area Development Council's Animal Health Summit in late August. The speaking calendar continues to fill for the fall and winter, with a limited number of openings still available during baseball season, too.
If your team is looking to strengthen trust and communication, it’s time we connect. I continue offering complimentary, 15-minute virtual strategy sessions to explore how those conversations can make a difference in your organization.
To inquire about my keynote series, event moderation or custom video content, just click the link below. A member of my team will get back to you right away.
Rounding the bases rewind
Recently on my podcast Rounding the Bases, I was joined by a global authority on supply chain deployment who knows that behind every “overnight success” is usually a shipping delay, a tariff surprise, and a spreadsheet that nobody wants to open.
Dan Krouse’s story began with little more than a briefcase and persistence, but evolved into a four-decade career of turning chaos into competitive advantages. First ascending the ladder of a foremost international corporation, and now, as Founder of Supply Chain Analytics.
He’s on a mission to uncover the margin leaks hiding in plain sight, and help companies build systems that do more than survive disruption…they thrive on it.
If you missed its original release in June, I hope you’ll listen now.
Finally, thank you as always, to each of the guests who shared their time and insights with me on Rounding the Bases this month:
Our schedule is already booked into summer, but we are always looking for interesting guests with standout stories. Would you or someone you know make a great guest on Rounding the Bases?
To discuss sponsorship opportunities, please email my Executive Producer Ashleigh Sterr: ashleigh@joelgoldbergmedia.com.
Keeping the score
In my world, connection is everything.
On a typical night at Kauffman Stadium, I’m watching balls and strikes. But I’m also watching body language in the dugout, quiet conversations in the tunnel, and a hand on a young player’s shoulder after a tough at‑bat. Those little, often invisible moments are where trust is built and teams are made.
Off the field, when I’m on stage as a keynote speaker talking about trust, leadership, and culture, I see the same patterns. The best teams and organizations execute at game time, but they also connect to each other and the purpose they serve.
That’s why a recent interview on my podcast Rounding the Bases stuck with me.
Bill Miller is the CEO of WellSky, the global healthcare IT company. Its a powerhouse that sits at the center of the care continuum, connecting providers and caregivers with communities. He’s grown WellSky from a small, relatively unknown business into a major player that touches millions of lives each year.
The scale of his company’s impact is impressive, but not as much as the theme we kept coming back to: That in a world obsessed with technology and AI, connection still wins.
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