INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Instead of waiting for others to make decisions, make those decisions yourself. Toss aside your hesitation and be straightforward about your demands and desires, thereby setting the pace of each interaction. Instead of asking permission to do something, state your plans without asking for confirmation. Even if things would end up the same way regardless of whether you made the first move, stating your expectations first will allow you to claim the more powerful position in the interaction. To demand respect, you need to be willing to give it. The other party's time is just as valuable as yours, and you need to demonstrate your understanding of that key fact. Stick to the golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. You wouldn't like it if someone was running late to a meeting and didn't warn you in advance, nor would you like it if you did someone a favor and he or she didn't offer so much as a single “thank you.” If someone who demonstrates this sort of behavior would lose your confidence, you'll probably lose someone else's confidence if you act like this. Good communication is absolutely essential if you want to become powerful. Don't put people in the position of having to guess or worry about what will happen. Instead, provide them with all the details you would want to know if your positions were reversed. For instance, if you're researching something for someone and have told him or her that you expect to have an answer by Tuesday afternoon, you need to contact that person by or before Tuesday afternoon. Even if you don't have the answer, you need to drop that person a line and let him or her know that you haven't forgotten and still intend to follow through. Good communication leaves little room for error or misunderstanding. When you explain something, do so in the least confusing way possible. Make sure that all of the important details are ironed out before dropping the matter.  Detailed communication is important if you want to avoid later mishaps and meltdowns. Everyone needs to be on the same page. Even if things go wrong, previously maintaining clear communication will reduce the amount of finger-pointing that results from the misfortune since no one can claim that they simply “didn't know.” In business, in particular, you should also communicate in writing as often as possible so that the details can be readily referenced and reviewed later on. Try not to wait for someone to ask before completing tasks or favors. If you can anticipate an upcoming need before it becomes urgent, you will demonstrate a high degree of capability.  Of course, there are times when you will need to wait for instructions before acting. If you have a new job, for example, it'll take time before you know everything well enough to act on your own. The main thing you need to avoid is forcing people to ask you for something repetitively. No matter how well you complete the task, the person receiving the results will probably feel frustrated if he or she needed to remind you multiple times. Looking busy and distracted won't make you look as powerful as you might think, so don't be distracted when you're talking with someone. Make sure that each person you talk with has your complete and undivided attention.  In particular, you should stop obsessing over texts, calls, and e-mails at the expense of the people in front of you. Technology can keep you in constant contact with others, and that's a good thing, but you can't rely on it. You need to react to the whole being—mentally and emotionally—when dealing with others, and that requires attention and authenticity. If people dread the thought of working with you, they'll likely reject the notion of working for you. Learn to accept ideas from other people and let yourself learn from them. When conflict comes up, handle it fairly instead of lashing out in a petty fashion. Instead of fixating on others' faults, help them work through it. Similarly, when someone points out your own faults, accept the criticism graciously and learn to improve from it. Even though you should have a positive reputation with everyone who crosses your path, you should pay special attention to the relationships you have with people already in positions of power. In fact, you should actively seek people in positions of power. Making connections with the right people will make it easier to put yourself on the right path. Conflict is inevitable, so there's not real point in running away from it. Handle things as rationally and calmly as possible, but don't be afraid of expressing anger, either. In terms of power, anger is at least better than regret or sadness. There is always a place for forgiveness and understanding. That being said, people generally won't seek forgiveness if you're too busy doing the apologizing and regretting for them. Allowing yourself to express anger doesn't mean you need to be merciless, but it does mean you'll need to demonstrate that you can't be pushed around. You really should try to get along with most people, but at the same time, you can't please everyone. Don't be afraid of going against the grain and getting on someone's bad side. If you're always tailoring yourself to fit someone else's expectations, you'll never gain any power or standing for yourself. In general, being straightforward without pulling any punches will rub some people the wrong way, but you can't let that knowledge stop you from acting how you need to act. Be tactful, open-minded, and willing to compromise as needed. When push comes to shove, though, don't be afraid of stepping on some toes to get things done the right way.

SUMMARY: Set expectations. Treat people with professional courtesy. Keep people informed. Be clear. Anticipate needs and demands. Engage yourself. Work well with others. Network effectively. Show anger when appropriate. Don't be afraid of making enemies.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Hold the tip of your mitt against the ground. Follow the ball as you attack it. If the ball takes a hard bounce, you can move your glove up to stop it. Keep your glove at an incline and use the heal of your wrist to stop the ball. Practice this by having someone roll or hit some balls directly at you. When the mitt is held flat on the ground, balls can roll up your arm. When the glove is held straight off the ground, it’ll block balls rather than catch them. Shortstops need to be mobile. Anticipating balls and getting to them quickly is crucial. Practice shuffling to the side to get to balls not hit right at you. Hold your glove down and use your feet to get yourself into position. Add a small hop to your routine. As soon as the bat hits the ball, hop so you can get your feet moving. Catching balls in the center of your body should only be done if you don’t have time to move. Keep your arm near your side. Align your arm and mitt with the ball’s path after getting into position. This prevents your muscles from tensing, so you’ll make less errors. Even when a ball is hit to your opposite side, you won’t cross over yourself. You’ll plant your back leg ahead of you and make a backhanded catch. Once the ball is in your glove, pull your arm up into your chest. This secures the ball and readies it for a throw. Rushing means you try to transition the ball to a throw before you’ve secured it, so it pops out of your glove. When the ball is centered, your body will feel balanced so you’ll be less likely to make an errant throw. When a ball is hit hard, you won’t have time to get into position. You should anticipate where the ball will go and step towards it. Plant your dominant foot ahead of you. Aim to have the ball land between your thumb and pointer finger, then push your glove against the ball to catch it. Moving too early for a ball gives the batter an indication of what pitch is coming. Instead, stay in place. Watch the pitcher deliver the ball. When the batter is about to swing, move to where you need to be. Keep the batter guessing so he doesn’t get a hit.

SUMMARY:
Keep your mitt low to field ground balls. Work on your footwork. Field balls on the mitt side of your body. Bring fielded balls up your chest. Backhand catch balls you can’t get in front of. Pay attention to the pitcher to avoid tipping off the batter.