Stories travel further than the moment
Leadership is often measured by results, decisions, and authority.
But there is another test: What stays with people after they spend time with you?
Last week, my wife, Amy, and I were paired with a man named Joe at the Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco.
Joe is a fixture there. He knows the course, its history, and many of the people who play it.
Early in the round, Amy and I walked ahead while Joe followed in his cart. When he fell behind, I wondered what had delayed him.
A few minutes later, he pulled up beside us, smiling.
He had found a golf ball and written us a personal note on it.
I have played a lot of golf. No one had ever done that before.
It was a small gesture, but it made us feel seen.
Later, Joe told us he is a Vietnam veteran and has outlived members of his family. The people he plays golf with are his family now, he said.
A few holes later, I saw what he meant.
Three boys on a nearby fairway called out, “Hey, Joe!”
Joe asked how they were doing in school.
They laughed and reminded him that it was summertime. Then they stopped to watch him hit.
“Good shot, Joe,” one of them called. “That’s a tough lie.”
The exchange lasted less than a minute, but it revealed the relationships Joe had built over time.
Those boys did not stop because he held a title.
They stopped because he had taken an interest in them.
He knew them. He remembered them. He encouraged them.
They returned his care freely.
That is one of the clearest forms of leadership.
Joe had no formal authority on the course, yet his influence was everywhere: in the people who greeted him, the boys who stopped to encourage him, and the strangers he made feel welcome.
His impact continued long after the round ended.
I kept thinking about the note on the golf ball. I kept thinking about the family he had created around him. I kept thinking about how much of a person’s life can be revealed through a few ordinary moments.
That is the power of experience—and of storytelling.
The people we let into our lives give us stories that can shape how we think, lead, and treat others for years. When we take the time to share those stories, their influence can travel even further.
Storytelling is an important part of my advisory work. A good story does more than communicate an idea. It helps someone see differently. It turns an experience into a lesson that can be remembered and passed on.
The strongest leadership stories are not always about major decisions, dramatic turnarounds, or public achievements.
Sometimes they begin with a handwritten note on a golf ball.
Three Pebbles
Leadership lives in the stories people carry forward. Our influence is reflected in what others remember, repeat, and pass on.
Culture is built through ordinary interactions. Small choices determine whether people feel valued or simply managed.
Attention creates lasting influence. Remembering a detail, following up, or noticing someone can turn a brief moment into a story they never forget.
The challenge
This week, notice someone whose contribution is easy to take for granted.
Remember their name. Ask one more question. Follow up on something personal. Let someone’s story into your life.
The moment may feel small to you.
It may influence them—or you—for years.
Reflection
What stories do people carry forward after spending time with you?
-Joe Morgan
