Cornerstone – Kansas City is dedicated to supporting our client companies and helping their businesses succeed through human capital, aka people. Throughout our engagements, we strive to help others succeed and thrive. Lisa Bruemmer, Director of Client Services offers hope for the future of business. I had the opportunity and privilege of watching my daughter compete in both her Regional and State High School Golf Tournaments. It was an amazing experience. There were girls and moms everywhere….. I was thrilled at the number of girls competing and the number of moms supporting.
Competitive sport is such an outstanding laboratory of life and golf is an exceptional teacher.
While the girls competed against each other, I noticed they also helped each other. I saw a girl hit an errant shot and land in straw pile. As she struggled to get footing and was trying to figure out how to play her lie, a player in her foursome from a different team shouted to her that she “gets relief from ground under repair so be sure to take advantage of the drop.”
On an extremely windy day with gusts upward of 20 mph, on an extremely challenging course, (Dub’s Dread for fellow golfers reading), the girls started their state competition.
Off the first tee, one player in my daughter’s group couldn’t locate her ball. Everyone…parents, players and passersby were looking for the ball….there is a five minute “lost ball” rule but only another player in the group can “call it” resulting in a penalty stroke to the player with the lost ball.
After 16 minutes we found the ball – no player would call time and penalize their competitor. There was camaraderie and support and a spirit of ‘we’re all in this together’ woven throughout the entire competition.
And this got me thinking…
Why don’t we see this more in business? With pay inequity, ageism, racism, and any other “ism”, have we simply lost focus on doing things right, with integrity and helping others to do the same to succeed?
I was reminded that part of being the best is doing our best and assisting others in doing the same. These girls were applying integrity, support, honesty, and joy to their game and they all received the benefit…and I did too.
They reminded me that there is never a “penalty” for helping someone else. If these golfers are the future of women in business, I’m convinced it is a very bright future indeed.