Page 203 - Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

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CHAPTER 12
DETERMINATION
Everyone loves a story about the hero who is willing to pursue his or her
goals even against the toughest of odds. Playing professional sports is among
the most difficult pursuits. One of the hardest of these is the PGA tour. Thou-
sands try to make it, but few have the stamina, the game, and the mental will
to succeed. LEADER AS STORYTELLER 181
Tom Kite, a noted golfer and a student of Harvey Penick, was a success-
ful amateur. When he announced to his father that he was going to turn pro,
his father was not pleased.
“Tom,” he said, “for every 100 men who try the tour, 99 will fail.”
“Dad,” Tom replied, “I sure feel sorry for those other 99 because I intend
to make it.” 4
And make it he did. At one point in his career, Kite was the biggest money
winner of all time. He later became captain of the Ryder Cup, the first of Har-
vey Penick’s students to do so. (Ben Crenshaw was the second.) Money aside,
it is Kite’s gritty determination that illuminates this story.
Another sort of determination can be found in quarterback Tom Brady. At
each stage of his football career, he has overcome obstacles that would have
felled a lesser quarterback. In his senior season, he seemed to be overshad-
owed by a younger, flashier player; despite some ups and downs, he perse-
vered and led Michigan to an overtime victory in the Orange Bowl. In the
pros, he was in the shadow of a $100 million quarterback; it did not appear
that he would ever play until an injury felled Drew Bledsoe. And despite being
a second-year quarterback with negligible playing time, Brady led the team to
the Super Bowl, a game in which he was selected as Most Valuable Player. At
every step, Brady persevered—sometimes against injury; other times against
experience (Bledsoe) or inexperience (his own). His determination, coupled
with his hard work and vocal team spirit, drove him forward.
One more example of determination is the career of Robert Redford. He
could have been content to be a glamorous movie star—he had the looks and
the box office appeal. Instead, he chose to extend himself as an actor and
selected the roles he would play with that in mind. He also migrated to direct-
ing. Offscreen, he devoted his energies to environmental causes, freedom of
speech, and, of course, the Sundance Institute, where artists can pursue their
visions temporarily free of commercial pressures.

REFLECTION
This type of story is a voyage of self-discovery for the teller. The outcome is
the leader’s self-knowledge, i.e., “what I learned about myself and what I hope
others will learn from this.” Katherine Graham’s autobiography, Personal
Story, is such a case. Graham was shy and introverted and took to reflection