It Ain’t Over, Till It’s Over

From the cover of Sports Illustrated to the sports pages of newspapers, from radio and TV golf analysts to golf fans in office break rooms, the majority predicted Tiger Woods was back. He regained his No. 1 ranking and posted six wins in his last 20 events. He was on track to win his fifth green jacket at The Masters in Augusta. But on Sunday afternoon, April 14, it was not to be. Adam Scott became the first Australian winner of the tournament.

“It ain’t over till it’s over!” – to quote Yogi Berra, the former New York Yankees catcher who had a knack for stating the obvious in a way that made it memorable.

And so it is in the hotel business with Hotel Equities. We don’t assume success; we work to make it happen every day. We start by taking care of our associates, knowing that if we take care of them, they will take care of our guests and our investors will ultimately benefit. We set clear expectations, provide training, inspect what we expect, reward excellence and celebrate success. We keep at it every day in order to exceed the expectations of every guest but ultimately “it ain’t over” until they decide to return.

You Need Persistence to Win

March Madness has dominated the national consciousness of college basketball fans for the past few weeks. I marvel at the lessons one can draw from the games: Cinderella teams put forth extraordinary efforts and surprised us while some former champions disappointed. As a life-long sports fan, I enjoy using sports analogies to teach business principles.

Coming into the tournament, expectations run high. Compare that to the optimism one feels on the first day of a new job, at the start of a new contract, or the opening of a new hotel. In each instance, the team, or the company or the person sets a goal for success. How do they make the goal a reality?

It takes persistence to win the game and persistence to accomplish our goals in business. Just like a top basketball team, the company and its associates have talent, experience and good coaching. But it takes persistence to stick to the plan and reach the goal.

Winston Churchill once called persistence the most important leadership trait. In front of an audience of graduating college seniors, he delivered his commencement address in five words, “Never quit, never ever quit.” It is said that when he left the stage, one could have heard a pin drop. It’s a powerful message for all of us.