Over the years, I’ve heard many positive stories about the John Deere culture but this new one stood out for me. The company sponsors a prestigious Golf Classic Pro-Am but instead of the CEO serving as one of the players, he chose one of their employees to represent the company — and he served as her caddie. On the day of the Classic, he even wore a hat emblazoned with “CADDIE” so there was no confusion as to his role.
On LinkedIn, Chairman John May wrote: “I feel more at home on my farm than I do on the golf course,” so he opted to ask for submissions from employees as to why they should have the slot. It was a win-win for everyone: an employee was able to play, the move generated internal goodwill and external publicity, and May was able to remain in a role in which he felt more comfortable.
Think about this episode the next time you find yourself with a leadership perk. Is the opportunity something that others would relish and you would dread, and if so, could you leverage it in a different way to benefit others in your organization? Or is there a non-traditional way you could show your support and involvement (such as being a caddie instead of a golfer)?
Having a CEO humble enough to carry the golf clubs instead of swinging them is a hole-in-one for the culture.
