So you think you know your industry??... Meet Efren "Bata" Reyes Jr.

In the world of billiards/pool/snooker, he is known as "The Magician". Efren "Bata" Reyes Jr. has won a ton of worldwide tournaments against the best billiard players of his time. Some say he is one of the best if not THE best that has ever held a cue stick but that is a debate for some other time. 

Known not only for the skill/execution of his shots but for the choice of shots, use of ball english/spin, use of angles, use of cushions, combinations, etc.

Here is a sample of his shots. Notice the awe and amazement from Earl Strickland, the commentators and of course the gallery.

So let me tell you the backstory of this remarkable and very likeable guy. Efren was born in a small barrio north of Manila. He moved to the city at the age of 5 and lived with his uncle who owns a pool hall. 

At that tender age, he helped in the upkeep of the pool hall and from then on, he slept and breathed billiards. It is said that he slept on top of the pool tables after practicing once the pool hall has closed.

Fast forward, he has won tournaments in the Philippines and most of Asia and establishing a name for himself BUT was a relative unknown in the US and Europe.

His "visit" to the US at a later age in his 30s and "hustling" elevated his exposure/name to the point that he has had to resort to using aliases to enter tournaments.

So, what does this have to do with business and the C-Suite you may ask? More so, what's the point of your post?

Fresh eyes and new perspectives/ways of playing the game. Having the same set of balls, pool dimensions, cue sticks, same set of cushions, Efren "Bata" Reyes Jr. has opened a lot of eyes on other ways to play/execute the game. He sees combinations, ball english, banks, angles, etc. that nobody else sees. This unassuming guy from Manila has introduced so many professional pool players, commentators and enthusiasts (themselves playing pool all their lives) alike on shots they have not seen nor thought possible before. 

This is also true in business. You think that you know it all. You think you have experienced it all. You think you know or have seen all the possibilities. But then you find out you are wrong! 

Admittedly, being from Manila, I show some bias and a bit of pride to what Efren has done and is still doing. He is still winning tournaments and still dropping jaws. But the correlation and applicability to business and the C-Suite is undeniable.

It is that time of year when we look at ourselves and examine how we manage our companies for the new year. Is it time for an Efren "Bata" Reyes Jr. to show you a different way?