A couple of weeks ago Tiger Woods won his fifth Masters tournament and subsequently his 15th major win. This was Tiger’s first major win since the U.S. Open in 2008 and his last Master’s victory in 2005, some fourteen years ago. Just two years ago, however, Tiger’s back pain made walking difficult and returning to competitive golf seemed a distant memory.
Tiger Woods’ golf career has been a roller coaster, to say the least. The multiple back and knee surgeries coupled with his personal problems had many pundits believing that Tiger would never win again. His come back is remarkable in lieu of what he has overcome; however, Tiger’s true transformation is his outlook on life. A transformation that is perhaps even more notable than his golf comeback.
it is safe to say that during Tiger’s early years on the tour, he was cold, distant, and aloof. Now, after multiple physical and personal problems, Tiger is a changed person. It is obvious that he is grateful that he can play again, compete, and win! Tiger is happy to be in his own skin right now and it shows. He is a changed man.
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal focused on the changes in Carlos Brito, head of AB in the U.S. AB has been driven by 10 years of declining sales and market share, coupled with a heavy debt load from the acquisition of other breweries including SABMiller.
But Brito has transformed his management style: once an advocate of zero-based budgeting, cost-cutting, and headcount reduction, Brito is now transformed. A true numbers cruncher, Brito has reduced the quantity and length of meetings; he has eliminated non-marketing people at the meetings, and he has increased the number of women in the company.
The article goes on to state that Carlos has freed up his time to take crash courses in AI and robotics, while focusing on new ventures like the Keurig machines for cocktails that the company is reviewing. Carlos goes on consumer safaris, shadows millennial shoppers overseas and visits other consumer companies including Starbucks and Harry’s to gather pertinent information, and he has even spent time learning about the coming Blockchain robotics and applications. Brito has all done this while shuffling his senior leadership team and increasing the number of marketers. His hope is that these changes will slow the decline of Bud and Bud Light while pushing new brands and products like hard seltzers, cold-brew coffee, and canned cocktails.
Assuming he remains in the leadership role, Brito’s legacy will be chronicled at AB, but that is yet to be determined. Tiger’s legacy is already written regardless of how he performs going forward. Tiger’s legacy will not be what he accomplished but what he did not accomplish. That begs the question: will Carlos Brito’s legacy be similar to Tiger’s? Will Carlos be remembered for what he did versus what he did not do?
The greatest accomplishment is the not fact that one never fails, the greatest accomplishment comes in rising after the fall.
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