THE LUCKIEST GUY IN THE WORLD

???“I rate enthusiasm even above professional skill.”

-Edward Appleton

?A few of weeks ago, I received a note that a friend of mine died: Clem Brown: Clement McCune Brown the Third or, “CB3” as we fondly called him. He was 73 years old. I first met Clem as a young “wine consultant” in Washington DC when I began a career in the international wine trade. I never expected to be in any business that involved that “repugnant” excuse for a career: sales. But, honestly, I had nowhere else to go at the time. I needed a job. I had studied hard, graduated with a master’s degree from American University, thinking I would be a Foreign Service Officer, but I just didn’t make the ‘cut.’ As I settled into my role in the wine trade, I began to see that this really might be a worthy career. It was a bit like the Foreign Service in that I traveled to different wine regions of the world; I learned that selling really could be called a profession. It took some time to learn that “contempt before investigation” is not really a good career strategy. Just as I was getting my sea legs in the trade, I met Clem Brown.

You Had Me at ‘Hello’

Clem was born just a few days after me but in widely different locations and circumstances. He was born in the American Hospital in Paris and educated in British private school before graduating from William and Mary. I was born a Jew in white-wasp Oklahoma City. Fortunately, my mother "insisted" that I go to one of the finest schools in the country-Casady-before graduating from Oklahoma University. Clem was one of those people who literally “lit up a room” with his wit, conviviality, and enthusiasm. Fluent in French, he was working for a Bordeaux wine company when we met. “You had me at: ‘hello’” would be the best way to describe how well we hit it off the minute we met. Suddenly, “the lights turned on.” We were inseparable for the next ten years as we created wine lists and sales for the finest restaurants and hotels in DC, then traipsing through the vineyards of Europe to learn the trade. We ‘owned’ the metro DC hospitality business for our company. I can remember so many times double-teaming an innocent, unsuspecting hotel food and beverage director, or restaurant chef as we set up a wine tasting: “Ben! Did you get the “nose” on that Chateau? What a bouquet!” “Oh my God, Clem: “pure poetry in a glass!” The buyer would look at me, and then at Clem...and then back at me: “OK, you two, just send me 25 cases of that and anything else you recommend for the rest of the year.’ Clem remained in the business with a national reputation at Chateau and Estates Wine Company: a real powerhouse in those days. Honestly, he could have run the company. He was that good. But Clem eventually settled with his family in Williamsburg working for a local distributor for the rest of his career, surrounded by admiring friends and family. We lost touch many years ago. See, Clem realized that his family was his priority; his career came second. Me? Just the opposite, and I paid the price until Mickey Mouse gave me a second chance to get a lot of things right-finally. Hey, some of us take a bit longer.

Dad Got It Right

Thoughts of Clem reminded me of my father, who, while he did not have the warmth of a Clem Brown, he did have the enthusiasm and the ability to create relationships. He was the CEO of a chain of men’s clothing stores in Oklahoma: May Brothers. When I was in my 40’s, I asked him his “secrets” of success. He thought for just a few seconds: “Oh, just one and I don’t know if it’s that big of a secret. See, I always considered myself to be the luckiest guy in the world no matter what the situation I was in, and things just happened naturally I guess.”

See, what happened naturally for my dad was how he looked at things. He saw the possibilities instead of the liabilities when he could’ve chosen either one. I also learned from him and Clem that this approach with a growth mindset was as scientific and disciplined as any other practice, and that is the operative word. It’s a practice. Once you take this approach, then you see that you have a mental map to achieving your goals. In fact, opportunities will come at you so fast, you’ll need a big bucket to catch them all. That’s been my experience anyway.

God Within You

Another question I asked dad was why he thought he was so lucky. I asked Clem to tell me his secret as well. Both had the same answer: enthusiasm. “It means: God within you in Greek. In those days I was still a bit na?ve, so I asked each of them how one acquires enthusiasm. “Oh, you don’t acquire it. You either have it or you don’t, and you already have it, Ben,” said my dad. “You probably got it from me.” I got it from your grandfather and that’s the way it’s been with us.” Sometimes the answer to things that appear complex can be quite simple. See, we like to think we have control over many things. Much of what we do organizationally is driven by controls, systems and, of course, people. I have found, however, that the key to the success of much organizational and personal success depends on enthusiasm for some of us, but especially, the kind of attitude that engenders a growth mindset; that one is for all of us. No, this is not some feel good, rah, rah idea to motivate people. At the Walt Disney Company I worked with so many different people in such diverse disciplines and areas of contribution to the company. I rarely encountered a person who was not ‘fired up’ about what they were doing, regardless of the work. Honestly, it was a miracle that they hired me. I was very fortunate. As I think now about my friend Clem, it’s good to remember that life is fleeting. How will your light shine, and will it reflect “God within you?”

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