10 Empowering Leadership Quotes From Women’s Golf
"Inspiring Greatness."
That's the mantra echoing this week throughout the otherwise quiet fairways of the Westchester Country Club. On a course that has historically hosted many memorable events with the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and many PGA greats, nothing was more historic, more inspiring or more memorable than yesterday.
KPMG's Global Chairman, John Veihmeyer expressed it best when he told us that we were "witnessing history." The course that has hosted 43 Men's PGA Tour Tournaments opened its greens to host the first Women's-The KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
The catalyst for change came from the world's third-ranked pro golfer and KPMG's brand ambassador, Stacy Lewis. Lewis had three aspirations: "a big course, a big purse, and network TV." She enters today's opening round No. 3 in the world rankings and No. 4 on the LPGA's official money list.
Thus far, greatness has already been achieved. The Championship offers a $3.5 million purse-among the highest in women's golf-and will be broadcast on NBC and Golf Channel with a projected reach of 304 million households in 171 countries, the highest demand in the history of the LPGA.
But the inspiration goes beyond the green.
On the 18th hole, KPMG held its inaugural KPMG Women's Leadership Summit, an event that brought together accomplished leaders in business, politics, sports and media. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice keynoted.
As I sat among these luminaries, witnessing history, the inspiration was extraordinary.
Here are 10 of the summit's most memorable leadership quotes to tee up your own inspiration:
"If you consistently worry about a glass ceiling you can't break, you will be your own brake." -Condoleezza Rice
"Leadership is a journey, and you never arrive."-Lynn Good, Duke Energy President and CEO
"Figure out your weakness and don't make it your weakness anymore."-Stacy Lewis, professional golfer
"If everything was given to you, it wouldn't feel as good when you achieve it."-- Annika Sorenstam, retired professional golfer
"If you don't have the right human capital, there is no way to succeed."-John Veihmeyer, KPMG Global Chairman
"Embrace the detours you are on, because great leadership lessons can come from them." -Lynn Good
"We all have the power to influence somebody. . . in five minutes you can change someone's life. If you embrace it, it can be a powerful thing."-Stacy Lewis
"If you want to play, you have to play with boys. If you want to stick around, you have to beat them."-Annika Sorenstam
"How you handle failure determines how successful you will be."-Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame Head Women's Basketball Coach
"Truly remarkable leadership is not just about motivating others to follow, it's about inspiring them to become leaders themselves and setting the stage for even greater opportunities for future generations."-Condoleezza Rice
Whether you lead on the golf course or in the workplace, channel this historical moment to inspire your own greatness. As Stacy Lewis can attest, it takes only a few swings to shatter the glass ceiling.