Remembering Whitey Ford

"No one likes to hear it because it's dull, but the reason you win or lose is darn near always the same - pitching."  

--Earl Weaver, Manager, Baltimore Orioles (Baseball Hall of Fame, 1996)

Nineteen sixty-one was an excellent year for Major League Baseball.

It was baseball's first expansion since the American League entered the major leagues. The Los Angeles Angels played their first season in the American League while the Washington Senators moved to Minnesota, and the Twins played their first primary league season.

The New York Yankees (109 wins) and Detroit Tigers (101 wins) put on an exciting race for the AL pennant, with Detroit holding the lead for more than half of the season. However, the Yankees fought back and eventually won the pennant on the momentum of a three-game sweep of Detroit during the first weekend of September at Yankee Stadium. 

On 1 October, Yankee Roger Maris became the first person with sixty-one home runs in one season, dueling with a teammate, Mickey Mantle, who hit 54. 

New York went on to win the World Series defeating the Cincinnati Reds four games to one.    

A bygone era

Major League Baseball players head to spring training this month, hoping for a safe season inside a global pandemic. But, as teams gather in Florida and Arizona, we pause to remember Yankees' Hall-of-Fame pitcher Edward Charles (Whitey) Ford, who passed in October of last year at 91.

Ford has been called the best starting pitcher in the long history of the New York Yankees, a six-time World Series champion, and one of the best left-handers of all time. But, according to sportswriters who covered the team, Ford relied on pinpoint control, mound presence, and maybe a slight trick or two. All within a slim five-foot-ten frame.

He finished his career with 236-106 and a 2.75 ERA. Contributing to Ford's stature were 10 All-Star teams, the Cy Young Award, and World Series MVP in 1961. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1974.  

Big day in Vehicle City

The news of Ford's passing recalled a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with the great pitcher in that magical summer of '61.  

Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford, New York Yankees.
(C) Associated Press

The unlikely encounter occurred during a grand opening celebration of The Yankee Stadium Store, a discount chain at the Northwest Shopping Center at the corner of Clio and Pierson Roads in Flint, Michigan. Whitey Ford was there along with All-Star teammate and catcher Elston Howard, the first African American player on the Yankees roster. 

First baseman Norm Cash, who would become the American League's batting champion that year with a .361 average, and pitcher Frank Lary, a two-time All-Star known as the "Yankee Killer" for his success against the Bronx Bombers, represented Detroit.

Veteran Tigers' broadcaster Van Patrick, succeeded in the 1960s by George Kell and Ernie Harwell, served as master of ceremonies.

In the presence of greatness

The special guests, standing on a constructed platform in front of the new Yankee Stadium Store, attracted quite a crowd, according to the book, "Remember Flint, Michigan." The city and its surrounding areas, located just over an hour northwest of Detroit, was a solid fan base with the Tigers broadcasts available on WTRX Flint, WKMH Detroit, and eventually a long-run on WJR Detroit.

At twelve years of age and against great odds, my goal was to maneuver from the back to the front to get as many autographs as possible. Unfortunately, I hadn't counted on everyone wanting to do the same. Taking advantage of a small frame, I worked my way forward, reaching the platform, only to be crushed by the crowd.  

That was my first lesson about the perils of cutting in line.

I almost passed out on a hot day and separated from my friends. Whitey Ford noticed, came over to where I was leaning, and in an act of compassion, lifted me onto the platform where I could breathe fresh air. 

There I was, standing in the presence of Elston Howard, Norm Cash, Frank Lary, and Whitey Ford--each with their own career achievements.

The last thing I remember before leaving the platform was a someday Hall of Fame pitcher offering to autograph my baseball. Whitey Ford's signature faded, but sixty years later, the memory of his kindness has only deepened in my mind.    

___________________________

In 2020 it was reported that in one 42-day span alone, five Hall of Fame members passed away: New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver; Lou Brock and ace pitcher Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Joe Morgan; and New York Yankees left-hander Whitey Ford. Detroit Tigers slugger Al Kaline died in April, and knuckleballer Phil Niekro passed at the end of December. (The Wall Street Journal)  

Strategist.com

© Bredholt & Co.  

 

 

The Core Idea

"Human history is, in essence, a history of ideas."

--H. G. Wells

Geologists estimate that 3,200 miles beneath our feet lies a "Solid Inner Core" of the Earth made up of iron whose diameter is 70% the size of the moon. (Red)     

There are three other layers of the Earth:  

-A "Liquid Outer Core" the size of Mars. (Gold)

-A "Mantle" 1,800 miles thick composed of different kinds of rock making up 84% of the Earth's total volume. (Olive)

-The layer closest to the surface is called the "Crust," also composed of rock representing 1% of the Earth's volume. (Gray)

(C) NASA

If you cut the Earth in half, like an apple, you would see the solid Inner Core, Liquid Outer Core, mantle, and Crust.  

With a surface as hot as the sun, the Solid Inner Core is a source of creativity, energy, and selective destruction. Spinning faster than the Earth itself, it leads, not follows, even though it is hidden from view.    

What's a core idea?

Big and small organizations that consistently accomplish their aims do so with a simple idea that shapes and drives the enterprise.     

Take UPS, for example.  

Founded in 1907 as American Messenger Company by two teenage boys, James Casey, and Claude Ryan, with a $100 loan, the business prospered by providing the best service at the lowest rates. Because cars were scarce, reliable and courteous teenagers were hired to deliver telegraph messages, pharmacy orders, and groceries to homes around the Seattle, Washington, area on foot and bicycles.

That was the core idea.

More than a century later, Atlanta-based UPS partnered with FEDEX in the U.S. to ship 2.9 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to mitigate against COVID-19. That may have been the most critical pharmacy delivery of all time.      

As it lives and breathes

Clarity on a business or nonprofit concept comes from a critical mass of employees making the idea come alive. Those same individuals are also stewards of the organization's spirit and aspirations. Having "culture carriers" throughout the system is an informal way of socializing new associates and advancing institutional knowledge.  

Trusted individuals who lead by example often produce better HR outcomes than formal mentoring and development programs. Healthy working relationships, clear expectations, and comprehensible goals also underpin the successful execution of strategy.  

The research also notes that the core and identity have an interdependent relationship. Combined, they are central and enduring, distinguishing the enterprise from its peers. (Albert and Whetten, 1985)  For identity to be clear, the core must be clear, especially as it is reinterpreted and reimagined for an emerging workplace and world.  

It's the serious qualities of a firm, such as wisdom and good judgment, that resist bad change and accept good change. Anything goes wrong if there is an absence of honesty and moral courage in an organization's leadership.   

Rethinking the core

"... no humanly constructed core idea or business endures forever in its original form."

The data in consulting libraries show that organizations often fail to take advantage of the full potential of their primary business. If you do not get enough of what it already makes, the next move is to abandon the core and chase after someone else's ideas.     

Eventually, someone holds up a mirror and discovers those borrowed ideas don't fit. Management only sees the error of its ways in retrospect. Unfortunately, it's too late for some, while others are fortunate to get another chance.

Writing in Scientific American, Claude J. Allgre and Stephen H. Schneider remind us that the Earth and its atmosphere are continuously altered. "Plate tectonics shift the continents, raise mountains, and move the ocean floor. Constant change has characterized Earth since its beginning some 4.5 billion years ago." 

Similarly, no humanly constructed core idea or business endures forever in its original form.  

Why?  

Over time, the assumptions on which the organization has been built (environment, mission, capabilities) and is being run no longer fit reality. ("Theory of the Business" by Peter F. Drucker)

As a management practice, UPS periodically updated its assumptions, building on a stable core with a disruptive edge. From bicycles to drones and back to bicycles. Delivering messages to managing sophisticated supply chains. Over 5,000 independently owned UPS Stores are franchised by the corporate parent in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada.

The company has existed for 114 years but has resisted the aging process by maintaining its original values of reliability, high ethical standards, and close customer relationships.

Is this a good time to revisit your assumptions and where the core business should go?

Management writer Dr. Chris Zook, who studies core structures, offers strategic questions--

1. How do you know when your core needs to change in some fundamental way?

2. How do you determine what the new core should be?

3. How do you measure the vitality that remains--is the energy exhausted, or does it still have legs?

4. How profitable are your customers, and how loyal are you?  

Remaking commerce

Makeovers have a high failure rate —some say as high as 70% (McKinsey & Company)—because businesses tend to travel great distances seeking success in unfamiliar territory (Microsoft and Nokia). Those in the 30% who succeed stay close to home (Disney and Pixar).  

What do they discover?

Hidden assets.

"The real question," says Dr. Zook, "is how to open management's eyes to the hidden assets in its market. How to mine the treasure that's within their reach."    

Planning ahead

Coronavirus is doing something to your employees and customers. The full impact remains to be seen. In the meantime, here are additional questions to consider as you think about the future--

o     What's your core idea and business?

o     What's worth keeping in the core?
o     What needs changing or remaking?

o     Are current customers aging out?

o     Where will you find new customers? 

Strategist.com 

© Bredholt & Co.

·       

2020 Vision

"I try to find the good in every day with what we have been handed although it's sometimes hard to do."

--Rebecca J. Kurzon, M.D. 

As the last page of the current calendar is on display, how should we assess the unimaginable year 2020? A period in which a deadly global virus continues attacking vulnerable populations and those who are undisciplined in their social behavior.   

Yes, Covid-19 fatigue is setting in with social distancing, wearing a mask in public (often below the nose), and hand-washing practiced less than nine months ago. In addition, the weather becomes a factor in some locations forcing individuals inside with less exposure to sunshine and fresh air.  

How to assess?

Perhaps with the distance, we'll see the past twelve months as an epochal moment when businesses, governments, and educational institutions discovered they weren't in control. That collective arrogance, what Jim Collins calls "a hubris born of success," came up against an uncontrollable force destabilizing our social and economic structures.

Essayist Eric Weiner observed, "The pandemic has made a mockery of our grand plans. Graduations, weddings, job prospects--poof, gone, rolling back down the hill like Sisyphus's boulder."    

Thankfully there was help when we needed it. So our attention moved away from captains of industry and celebrities to the doctors, nurses, EMT personnel, grocery clerks, truck drivers, and delivery workers that kept society functioning during the early days of the pandemic--and still do. 

An undesirable appointment

There are two types of appointments. First, you initiate by calling your doctor or dentist. Or scheduling your car or truck to be serviced. This is a routine of life.  

The other is like meeting up with someone or something not previously planned. For example, think of the loss of employment or a death in the family.

On 13 March 2020, U.S. President Donald J. Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency. Other leaders issued similar declarations for their respective countries.  

Was that type of action something new? No. Former President, Barack Obama, used that same presidential authority for the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009.  

Covid-19 is an appointment not of our choosing.

A paradoxical season

Consider the following:

o  An economic turnaround is underway. The total U.S. nonfarm payroll rose by 245,000 in November, and the unemployment rate dropped to 6.7 percent from a record high of 14.7 percent in April of this year. However, the pace of improvement in the labor markets has moderated in recent months. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, notable job gains occurred in transportation and warehousing, professional and business services, and health care. 

Employment declined in government and retail trade.  

o  Industry experts say that restaurants, hotels, and airlines are years away from a full recovery. The National Restaurant Association estimates 100,000 restaurants closing this year. Dining and travel depend heavily on capacity and consumers' confidence in their safety.

o  The Wall Street Journal reported that with new cases rising again, more livelihoods will likely be damaged. The losses are most acute among service-sector businesses--significantly smaller ones. Many have failed, and more will follow in the next several months. Jobs won't be there for millions when the upsurge ends. 

o  The U.S. housing market is literally on fire as home sales rose to a 14-year high in October. This trend is driven by low mortgage rates and an abrupt lifestyle shift.

o  Targeted, not blanketed lockdowns may be the directive of choice for government officials over the next several months to avoid further disruption and damage to the economy.  

Medical updates

It's one thing to die from a disease, an accident, or old age.  However, it's another thing to be scared to death.  Follow the recommended precautions and pay attention to reliable sources of information about Covid-19. 

o  A vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna could be available within weeks or months instead of years. Yet its success depends on how many are willing to be vaccinated. For example, in the 2018-2019 flu season, 62 percent of children six months to 17 years got the flu shot. Among adults, 45 percent got vaccines. (USA Facts) Will those percentages improve for the coronavirus vaccine?  

Vaccinations, not vaccines, save lives. 

o  The likelihood that a coronavirus infection will prove fatal has dropped by nearly a third since April due to improved treatment, researchers at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation reported. In the United States, COVID-19 now kills about 0.6% of people infected with the virus, compared with around 0.9% early in the pandemic, stated IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray.

While strained at times for help and equipment, doctors and medical staff are more knowledgeable about coronavirus and treatments, including the use of blood thinners and oxygen support. Hospital stays are shorter, which is good news. (Reuters)

o It's one thing to die from a disease, an accident, or old age. However, it's another thing to be scared to death. So follow the recommended precautions and pay attention to reliable sources of information about Covid-19. 

Education

o  Remote learning for children, teens, and college students is uneven regarding quality and results. The average student could begin the next school year having lost as much as a third of the expected progress from the previous year in reading and half of the anticipated improvement in math, according to a working paper from NWEA, a nonprofit organization, and scholars at Brown University and the University of Virginia.

It's a burden for middle and lower-income households to supervise their kids' online education.    

The rich are different.

o  Are we all in this together? In the spring of this year, New York City's population decreased by around five percent, with residents leaving the wealthier zip codes of Manhattan. (The New York Times)  Higher-income households have more resources to manage residential options, online schooling, and home offices. 

Increasing resolve

So how do we endure the unendurable? How do we find certainty in an uncertain universe? How do we define normal if we crave a return to normal? What does courage look like today? 

It's essential to ask the right questions, as there are no easy answers.

How we see something, including our self-awareness, determines how we're likely to respond to the coronavirus.

During our annual eye exam in November, I asked Dr. Kurzon (quoted above) how she was doing. A consummate professional, my ophthalmologist responded not with some tired refrain but with optimism and realism--"I try to find the good ... it's sometimes hard to do."   

 

Dr. Kurzon's words are encouraging. They remind us that while infection can be contagious, so can compassion and decency.

The instructor explained to a young leadership class, "Every conquest prepares us for the next conflict, endowing us with all necessary equipment."

May that wisdom prove true in the unwanted appointment with Covid-19.  

Strategist.com

© Bredholt & Co.

The State of Charitable Giving

 "If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one."

--Mother Teresa

In 2019, American individuals, bequests, foundations, and corporations gave an estimated $450 billion to various religious and charitable causes. According to Giving USA, the giving level ranks among the highest years ever for philanthropic contributions.  

The 4.2% increase in donations (2.4% adjusted for inflation) over 2018's $431 billion, measured in current dollars, makes the 2019 report the highest dollar total to date.

"In 2019, the growth in total giving was driven by an increase in giving by individuals, which remains by far the biggest source of giving," said Amir Pasic, Ph.D., and the Eugene R. Tempel Dean of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.  

Una Osili, Ph.D., associate dean, summed it up this way, "We saw solid, broad-based growth in almost all aspects of charitable giving, and especially in giving by individuals due to a substantial increase in the S&P 500 and personal income.

"While giving trends vary by donors' income and wealth, since the Great Recession, we have seen giving become more concentrated toward the top end of the income and wealth spectrum," Dr. Osili added.

Where did the money come from?

• Individuals--69% or $309 billion.
• Foundations--17% or $75 billion.
• Bequests--10% or $43 billion.
• Corporations--5% or $21 billion.

Where did the money go?

The top five recipients of charitable gifts in 2019--

1. Religion:  $128 billion.

2. Education:  $64 billion.

3. Human Services:  $55 billion.

4. Foundations:  $53 billion.

5. Health:  $41 billion.

The power of generosity

The 2019 report highlights the practices of generous givers who believe in a worthy cause and support it with their time and contributions.  

Research from the University of California, Davis, confirms that generosity begets generosity. It spreads and transfers even with several degrees of separation. Individuals who are affected by your generosity will likely be inclined to be generous toward others for a significant period.

Additionally, scientific evidence suggests that generous people often experience gratitude as a lasting state of being. People who remain mindfully thankful, rather than choose it as a temporary state of mind, have been proven to engage in healthier behaviors, have a more robust immune system, are more able to relax, and have decreased disease rates. (Harvard School of Health; Midland Health)

Emerging patterns

Pre-Covid 

o Giving is increasing because of large gifts from wealthy donors through private foundations and donor-advised funds. Unfortunately, as a result, smaller and mid-level donors are slowly disappearing across the broad range of all organizations. That's unfortunate, as the loss of middle-class philanthropy would be devastating to smaller charities.  

o In recent years, the number of donors declined by 4.5% and donations under $250 by 4.4%, while donations between $250 and $1,000 also dropped. On the other hand, charitable revenues for grants of at least $1,000 increased by 2.6%. Currently, total philanthropic giving accounts for approximately 2% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a figure that has remained relatively stable since 1984.  

o A person's attendance at a house of worship is the best indicator of overall charitable giving. Those who frequently attend worship (three to four times per month, at least) are at a minimum three times more generous than those who attend less frequently or not at all. (The Lake Institute)

o People who stop itemizing won't necessarily stop giving. However, at the margins, economists expect tax code changes to reduce donations from where they would otherwise be or to alter where and how they are contributed.

Post-Covid 

o More than half of charitable organizations in the U.S. expect to raise less money in 2020 than in 2019, and an equal percentage believe the same for 2021. However, 3 out of 10 human services charities said they expected to raise more funds in 2020 than in 2019. (Association of Fundraising Professionals)

o The challenge confronting all fundraisers during COVID-19 is being unable to meet face-to-face with donors and prospects.  

"It's much easier for our frontline people to have a Zoom call with someone they know really well than it is to qualify a new prospect for fundraising purposes," noted Steven Bayer, associate vice president for university development at Duke. However, Bayer said that maintaining contact with loyal donors and attracting new ones are the basics that cannot be neglected.

What principles transcend time?

It's essential to continually revisit the motivations for giving. Why do people give?

Here are three reasons offered by Clif Christopher, founder and president of Horizons Stewardship Co--

1. A belief in the mission. People want to be part of something that changes lives. Nonprofits and churches have only one thing to sell — changed lives. The best way to raise money is to simply do your job — and communicate the results.  

2. Regard for staff leadership. The donor's regard for those who lead the organization ranks high on most donor surveys. When they have confidence in those individuals to perform, the gifts follow. When they don't, the donations go elsewhere.

3. Financial stability of the institution. People don't give to sinking ships. Instead, they donate to ships that are sailing strongly and appear to be on track to reach their destination. More than ever, they are holding nonprofits accountable for the prudent use of funds and seeking solid performance with the funds already allocated. 

First things

"There is one general rule that is the most important for charitable organizations, nonprofits, and colleges to follow--don't stop fundraising," says Mike Geiger, CEO of AFP. "Those that continue to raise funds--even increase their fundraising--will do the best," Geiger emphasized.

Studies show that stewardship is the best step forward toward receiving the next gift. So, don't abandon ethics; express appreciation for every donation, regardless of its size. 

Donors want to hear from the organizations they trust.  

Do donors hear from you?

Sources:  Charitable giving and distribution totals for 2019 are from Giving USA. 

Additional information comes from Candid, Donor Trends, and NonProfit Sources.

Strategist.com   

© Bredholt & Co. 

Flying in Remote Formation

"Geese in the rear of the formation honk to encourage those up front to up their speed. It is important that honking from behind be seen as encouraging. Otherwise, it is just - well - honking."

--Dr. Robert McNeish

Looking for signs of change?  

The American Expedition Forum reminds us that the flight of Canadian geese at certain times of the year is a sure sign the seasons have changed.

Much has been written about the Canada goose, the largest in the world, with specimens averaging between five and 14 pounds. Some geese weigh over 20 pounds. Full-grown Canada geese measure 30 to 40 inches in length and have a wingspan between 50 and 75 inches, or about four to six feet.  

They congregate into large groups for their migrations, maybe 30 to 100 in a group. Their loud honking, a form of airborne communication, gets our attention even if we're indoors.   

Geese flying in V formation. 
(C) Susan Huppi

Always a sight to behold, a perfect V formation of geese, or skein, can provide 71% more flying range than if they were flying on their own, according to studies published on Quora.com.    

Imagine each bird in line flying a little higher than the goose in front of it. Some speculate that this formation allows the lead goose to break the headwind, making it possible for the birds behind to "draft." In addition, shifting positions during their flight will enable geese to take turns breaking the wind and reducing fatigue, according to those who study this species of the Anatidae family.

Canada geese fly at an average speed of about 40 miles per hour when migrating but can go up to 70 miles per hour if they catch a strong tailwind. Migrations have been recorded as long as 2,000 to 3,000 miles with distances of up to 1,500 miles in a single day with good weather.

And yes, you may see some Canadian geese flying in different directions. The Cornell Lab says there are increasing numbers of resident Canada geese across North America. These birds do not migrate but are simply gaggles of geese seen as nuisances in some communities and lake areas.  

Just ask anyone with a dock.  

 

A remote season

Books and workshops have been produced, showing management how much can be learned from Canada geese and applied to business. However, most literature on that topic was written before this global pandemic.  

Do any of those original lessons still apply to the increased use of video technology and social distancing?

And how are virtual organizations supposed to fly in formation?

Here is our Covid-19 version of the "Lessons of Geese," initially published in 1972 by Dr. McNeish--

1.   The importance of knowing the organization's purpose and goals. It's hard to accomplish anything in-person or remotely if you're unsure of the enterprise's purpose (why?) and goals (outcomes). So those two pillars are worth continually communicating. 

2.   The importance of individuals and teamwork.   Work is a balancing act with the task of determining the form. Sometimes a single individual is all that's needed to perform an assignment.

Teams struggle when there's little or no recognition of the people who comprise them. Geese strengthen, not weaken, their individual identity when flying in formation.  

There are benefits to staying together. Like the goose, you may feel the drag when flying out of formation. Therefore, learn to take advantage of the lifting power of your teammates in person or online, whether nearby or halfway around the world.  

3.   The importance of sharing and remaining still.   When a goose tires of flying, it drops back into formation, and another goose flies to the point. This sharing of responsibility is impressive. Relieving someone of a difficult task is an issue of health and well-being, personally and corporately.  

At other times singularly and quietly toughing out a difficult duty is a character-building exercise. 

4.   The importance of empathy and understanding. A recent study by the University of Chicago shows the pandemic affects mental health, especially among young adults. Staying alert to colleagues who face discouragement and fatigue is everyone's responsibility.  

Being alone or having children in school while working can only go on so long before causing a severe strain on an associate's well-being. How many Zoom calls can anyone take?  

If a goose gets sick, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to the ground to help and protect it. Standing by each other in uncertain times may save someone's job--or life.  

And in taking care of others, don't forget to take care of yourself.

5.    The importance of coaching and encouragement. Employees sometimes need specific help with their jobs. Ask directly what, if any, assistance is required? How can we help each other with current commitments and deadlines?    

Encouragement should also focus on growth and development, not just addressing one's feelings during stressful situations. 

In one accord

The late Albert Schweitzer told this story about geese--

A flock of wild geese had settled to rest on a pond.  One of the flock had been captured by a gardener, who had clipped its wings before releasing it.  When the geese started to resume their flight, this one tried frantically, but vainly, to lift itself into the air.  

The others, observing his struggles, flew about in obvious efforts to encourage him; but it was no use.

Thereupon, the entire flock settled back on the pond and waited, even though the urge to go on was strong within them.  For several days they waited until the damaged feathers had grown sufficiently to permit the goose to fly.

Meanwhile, the unethical gardener, having been converted by the ethical geese, gladly watched as they finally rose together, and all resumed their long flight. 

Strategist.com

© Bredholt & Co.

 

 

Never Golf Alone

"You swing your best when you have the fewest things to think about."

--Bobby Jones (First person to achieve golf's Grand Slam in a single year--1930.)

You can take the game of golf a long way in life. At least that's the message I often repeat to our grandsons, Lucas and Brody, when they visit during the summer in Michigan. So last year, I signed them up for lessons to work on the fundamentals of the game.         

Golf is also filled with lessons for life and business if we know where to look. Here are five that come to mind:

1.   Guided experience. Sometimes we cut a unique path on our own, but it helps to have someone show the way for most. In golf, that person was Bob Smith. He combines a low handicap with a gift for teaching. (Bob eventually became a college professor.)  

He knows how the game is played etiquette, too.    

In the spring of 1961, my parents bought me a set of essential clubs for beginners and a Scottish-plaid golf bag at Montgomery Ward in Owosso, Michigan. As soon as the snow melted, Bob and I were teeing up at Corunna Hills Golf Course for my first game.  

After nine holes and 99 strokes, I thought the worst was behind me. That was wishful thinking. I need much practice and an improved mindset to continue playing this game. 

Nevertheless, Bob Smith opened a door that remains ajar. 

2.   Framing the day.  As I walk out the door each Monday morning for a golf outing with our neighbors, my wife Chris says--"Make a hole-in-one today."  

Beginning any day with a clear goal increases the likelihood of completing something.  

Successful people manage themselves by having purpose and clarity in their lives. They know that if everything is necessary, nothing is essential. Their day is fashioned, so it's productive in the right areas. Being focused is a good way for leadership to minimize distractions and stay on task. 

3.   Timely coaching. Just as Bob Smith was a morale-booster in the early days, so are golfing partners John Shoup and Duane Pierce presently.

In fine-drawn ways, they remind me that managing one's attitude is critical for doing well. Ultimately we play against ourselves--and less against others.   

Russ Bredholt hole-in-one. Number nine, Red Course, par 3, 124 yards.
Hickory Ridge Golf Course, Galesburg, Michigan.
24 August 2020 (C)

Both witnessed our hole-in-one and knew what to do. First, see if the ball is in the cup. Then, take a picture for the record. And confirm that the golf ball, a Pinnacle, was mine. 

It was.  

On the way home, we celebrated by having lunch at Scooters Malt Shoppe. Guess who paid?

4.   A game of character. Golf is popular, someone said, because you can name your own score. Between the tee box and the final putt, each amateur golfer is on their own. Keeping track of your score becomes a matter of personal responsibility.  

Using fuzzy math is unnecessary. If tempted--don't yield. It's not worth it in life or sports. Unless you're on the PGA tour or playing tournament golf at your club, no one except you cares about your final score.
     
5.    Don't give up.   According to the National Golf Foundation, about 3 million golfers quit each year, and a similar number begins. So when I picked up my golf ball from the cup on the ninth hole of the Red Course at Hickory Ridge, I was relieved I hadn't stopped playing the game.

Just a few good drives, chips, or putts, strategically placed, were enough to keep me coming back one more time.  

The same is true in organizational life. A few good days, properly placed, can help us make progress, even amid a pandemic.  

Don't give up on yourself, your recreation, or the business. There's more to be gained by persevering than quitting, regardless of your lot in life.  

Strategist.com

© Bredholt & Co. 

       



   

   

50 Years

Chris Bredholt 

The Wife of Noble Character

An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels. 

The heart of her husband trusts in her, 

and he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

She seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

She is like the ships of the merchant;

she brings her food from afar.

She rises while it is yet night

and provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens.

She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong.

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

She opens her hands to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid of snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

She makes bed coverings for herself;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates

when he sits among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchant.

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

"Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Give her the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.

--Proverbs 31 (ESV)

Strategist.com

©  Bredholt & Co.