MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference
Los Angeles Dodgers’ President Andrew Friedman is known as an analytics guru. The former Bear Stearns analyst and Tampa Bay Rays’ General Manager told us today of the “give and take” that occurs with Manager Dave Roberts when he disagrees with the latter about an in-game decision, often involving the use or non-use of analytics.
Freidman said that the post-game conversations are easier when he turns out to have been wrong, perhaps in situations where Roberts plays a hunch that defies the data. The balancing act is much more precarious for him, however, when he is right and must have the conversation with Roberts in a way that doesn’t second-guess or undermine the skipper. This powerfully underscores the need for analytics folks to be emotionally intelligent and aware of more than themselves and their data.
The panel he shared with Kraft Analytics Group President Jessica Gelman, Seattle Storm star Sue Bird, Philadelphia 76ers’ President Daryl Morey, and FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver also addressed the “intangibles” that make for great competitors and leaders but are almost impossible to quantify. It’s no surprise that Morey and Silver cited emotional intelligence as an imperative in any organization. Silver added that “somebody who’s a problem can affect the entire team.”
