“Does the bear poop in the buckwheat”
During a company golf tournament at an awards trip I was paired with Kevin and we were the lead cart in a shotgun start. As we strapped in the clubs Kevin plopped down in the passenger seat and started a check list of golfing items. The young hotel tourney director yelled for our attention and began his list of do's and don'ts and rules for our outing. Kevin turned around to see who was paired with certain company 'big wigs' who had an affinity for winning these things and made a comment or two I could not understand.
The young man with the clip board was about halfway through his spiel when Kevin turned to me and said. "Uh oh, I got a problem". "What's the matter Kevin?" I asked. To which the Biener, who seemed to be turning a grayish shade replied, "man, my stomach is killing me. I gotta go.” I told Kevin we are about to start, the bathroom in the hotel is a half mile away, can’t he just hold it? To which Kevin reiterated in a voice that was only Kevin's the same demand to relieve himself-- NOW. I told Kevin the best bet was the port-a-potty on the driving range. He said "let’s go". I told him to hold just a second as the young man with the clipboard and boring instructions was finishing up. What we did NOT hear during our conversation about Kevin's bodily function emergency was that the young tourney guy had repeated over and over." Whatever you do-- follow the lead cart to the course!" He then yelled,"let the game begin!"
We did a burn out start leading the troupe of 36 golf carts about 20 yards towards the course then we turned left to the port-a-potty with Kevin now sporting a greenish facial tint, holding his stomach screaming the desires of his intestines. Thirty-five golf carts turned left and followed us to the outhouse with the young man and his clipboard in hot pursuit on foot trying to stop each cart he passed. It was a mess. Carts were trying to turn around in the flowers adorning the manicured cart paths, getting stuck on the concrete parking blocks, and heading off in various directions where they thought they should be going.
As Kevin emerged from the outhouse the young man ran up to him. And as Kevin was adjusting his belt, looked up to, “YOU HAVE RUINED MY TOURNAMENT!" The young man slammed down his clipboard and proceeded to stomp on it... one cannot make these things up... they just happened to Bien. Kevin put his arm around the young man’s narrow shoulders and said, "Hey, listen man, things are OK, we're gonna have fun, that's what this is all about right? Now lets go play golf!" And we did... leaving him standing by the outhouse; we did not win. We did, however, have more fun than anyone else on the course. Kevin was not a great golfer. He left more divots than he ever dug with the backhoes he sold. The finish was in the 19th hole bar where Kevin told the story of his parade to the outhouse several times, louder each time until we were asked to 'hold it down'... which to my memory never happened with the Biener.
When Kevin’s longtime friend and colleague, Tim Brannon, sent me the above story of Biener hijinks on the links, I immediately thought of two things. First, how people would seem to follow him everywhere and second, how many ridiculous Biener stories involve the bathroom.
I remember one year we were headed into a farm show and Biener decided he wanted to use the port-a-potty- but not just any port-a-potty. He wanted to use the one right next to the gate entrance. And better yet, he wanted to continue the animated discussion we were all having on the drive to the show. So he just kept talking though his voice was now coming out the vents of the port-a-potty. The line of show attendees was shuffling by and watching three guys standing around the port-a-potty having a discussion with a fourth one inside.
I can’t say I’m surprised that people followed Kevin on that golf course. People seemed to naturally assume he knew what he was doing and trusted that if they followed him, it was the right thing to do. It’s a rare kind of leadership built on honestly, trustworthiness and results. It wasn’t always easy following Biener’s lead though. He was a very luminous and loud target for folks who didn’t like sharing the spotlight. He had extremely specific opinions and those opinions tended to put a little sunshine on bad behavior and destructive/wasteful practices. He believed in fair play and those that didn’t resented him for it.
In 2011, Kevin launched GleanerCare, an enhanced warranty program designed to give current and prospective customers an increase level of confidence in their purchase. He based the program on some of his previous work with Fendt tractors. The program was a massive undertaking with needed efforts from the parts department, service department, dealers and a whole bunch of other folks that did not report to any of the same folks Kevin reported to. It was an artful dance of courting and persuading people across divisions to work together to get the program off the ground. I was amazed how well it worked and how well Kevin navigated the process. His style of individual encouragement, helping people see their contribution to the bigger picture and masterful experience to know where the booby-traps were, made a project fraught with risk into a model of collaboration.
Like so many things in business these days, the program was coordinated across multiple sites by conference calls. Technically being his boss at the time, he asked me to join the call as we both called in after getting off a flight. We got separated somehow but I heard him on the call, so I figured we’d meet back up after it was done. As expected, the Biener did a great job getting everyone excited and coordinated and he did it with his signature booming voice- -yet this time his voice was different. I had stopped in the restroom to wash my hands and suddenly the voice of the Biener was coming in both ears. One was coming from the phone and the other emanating from the bathroom stall just a few feet away.
Leading from his behind. Just like always.
"You’re Not Getting Any of This Are you Richard" is the story of one remarkable salesman, marketer, leader and friend told by those who worked by his side for years. It’s a collection of raucous accounts, emotional stories and needed lessons to inspire hearts, instruct minds and incite laughter. The book is being released over several digital channels one chapter at a time.