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How Leaders Lead with David Novak

#34: Part 1: Fred Ridley, Augusta National Golf Club Chairman—Preserve Tradition and Drive Innovation

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

David Novak Leadership

Entrepreneurship, Business, Management

4.8596 Ratings

🗓️ 13 April 2021

⏱️ 44 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today’s guest is Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, and the man behind the Masters. Fred has so much love and respect for the game of golf, and he’s quite a player himself – he won the 1975 US Amateur and competed in a few Masters tournaments. But after a successful career as a commercial lawyer and overseeing the Masters Championship Committee for ten years, Fred took over as Chairman in 2017. It’s never easy to step into a high-profile role, especially when it comes with the responsibility of a legendary brand and event like the Masters. But he’s up for the challenge, leading with a smart eye for detail and a big heart for people. And he’s shaping an incredible vision for the future of Augusta National while upholding the history and tradition that makes it so special. You’re going to learn so much about how he balances those two things – and how every decision he makes is really all about the people around him, not just the processes of the organization.  In part one of this two-part conversation, you’ll learn:  The mentality that helped Fred become the surprise champion of the 1975 US Amateur What Fred learned about leadership after a controversial ruling involving Tiger Woods The inspiring story behind launching the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (and how it can inspire you to launch a new initiative) One key trait of any worthwhile community involvement effort Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go  Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to How Leaders Lead where every week you get to listen in while I interview some of the very best leaders in the world.

0:10.2

I break down the key learning so that by the end of the episode, you'll have something simple you can apply as you develop into a better leader.

0:17.9

That's what this podcast is all about.

0:20.7

This past weekend, I had the opportunity

0:22.6

to attend the most exciting and most anticipated golf tournament in the world. The 2021 Masters

0:29.4

held at the renowned Augusta National Golf Club. Believe me, I've never seen a place more beautiful.

0:36.8

The birds were chirping, the azaleas were blooming, and this course was in magnificent shape,

0:43.0

and the players were just put to the test.

0:46.2

It was so much fun watching Hideki Matsuyama become the first male Japanese player to win a major

0:52.8

and the coveted green jacket.

0:55.0

It was also so exciting watching Japan's 17-year-old Subasa Kachitani win the Augusta

1:02.0

National Women's Amateur in a playoff the weekend before. What a great couple of weeks for Japan

1:09.0

and the whole golf community.

1:17.3

So it's obviously the perfect time to sit down with Fred Ridley, the chairman of Augusta National Golf Club.

1:18.4

Now, when we talk about Augusta National and the Masters, of course, the famous line is that

1:24.1

it's a tradition unlike any other.

1:26.9

And that's so true. And let me tell you, Fred has a ton of

1:30.7

respect for Augusta's unique tradition and historical guiding values. But he also has an incredible

1:36.8

vision for its future, leading efforts to elevate the women's game, serve the community,

1:42.0

and invest in communications infrastructure, just to name

1:45.9

a few of the things that this man is doing. The great leaders I know understand how to preserve

1:51.8

tradition and drive bold innovation that takes the organization into the future. That's a balance that

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