A good baseball umpire is one whom nobody notices. His job is to labor in the background and make accurate calls amid pressure situations that occur in fractions of a second. He is expected to know the rule book and must desire to make fair and authoritative calls at all times.
Major League Baseball Umpire Jim Joyce had the misfortune of being more than merely noticed last month. He was brought to the forefront after his split-second call at first base between base runner Jason Donald and first baseman Miguel Cabrera cost Detroit Tigers Pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game.
This was no ordinary blown call. It wasn't the sixth inning. This was a two-out, top-of-the-ninth climax. If an accurate call is made, then the game is over and history is made for just the 18th time since 1900. The perfect game becomes Galarraga's legacy and crowning achievement, something for which he will always be remembered. It goes without saying that the city of Detroit could probably use a feel-good story of triumph these days, too.
Only that's not what happened. Joyce missed the call. According to several reports, the ump tearfully spoke with the media after the game and admitted he made a mistake: "I just cost the kid a perfect game," Joyce said. "I thought [Donald] beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw until I saw the replay. It was the biggest call of my career."
Making a claim decision might not require the same speed as a call in baseball. There might not be tens of thousands of people watching. Video cameras aren't trained on your every move, with commentators and analysts taking full advantage of instant replay and slow motion to point out your mistakes. However, that doesn't mean an umpire's job description—knowing the rule book and making fair, accurate decisions—is foreign to claim adjusters. There are plenty of people watching, including public adjusters, plaintiffs' lawyers, and, of course, your claim supervisor and policyholder.
Baseball is a game, first and foremost. Adjusting claims is not. Dealing with those involved in auto accidents, home fires, or the destruction of their businesses elevates the role and importance of the claim adjuster beyond just baseball umpire. Adjusters allow those in crisis to feel hope, to experience recovery.
All claim professionals will have a Jim Joyce moment during their careers. It is likely that most will have several. How we overcome those bad moments can come down to training, effort, and recommitment to the profession. It means admitting wrong and learning from mistakes, not blaming someone else or trying to hide it.
The next day, Joyce had the tough task of rotating to home plate umpire. Apparently, Detroit's manager sent Galarraga out to give Joyce the lineup card, at which moment Joyce patted him on the back, drawing applause from the Tiger fans. One can imagine a much worse scenario.
While most expect perfection from those with whom they work, it simply doesn't happen 100 percent of the time. The way in which you recover from a blunder often says a lot more about your character and work ethic. Just ask Jim Joyce.
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