Three Lessons

June, of course, is traditionally the month of weddings, graduations—and graduation addresses. If you are like me, you have given a few wedding toasts, but never a graduation speech, and you don’t know what you might say if you were asked.

If you are asked to say a few words and you need an anecdote, feel free to use any of the three I’ve typed up below. I’ve attached a lesson to each one. Hey, what are friends for?

It happened in suburban Phoenix in March 1982, at the first game of Cactus League spring training. The San Francisco Giants were hosting the Chicago Cubs in Scottsdale Stadium, located immediately to the east of Osborn Hospital.

Midway through the game, a helicopter appeared on the right-field horizon. Flying low, it headed toward the stadium and flew directly over the infield. When it landed across the street, the crowd suddenly became silent, recognizing that it was a flying ambulance.

A minute later, a second helicopter appeared, following the same route as the first. The crowd became even more somber. There clearly had been a bad accident.

The second helicopter couldn’t land, however; the landing pad was already occupied. It hovered noisily over third base, not 50 feet above the ground, as every fan, player, coach, and umpire turned their eyes to it.

Except for the young runner on third base. With the infielders distracted, he stole home.

Lesson for graduates: Be alert to unexpected opportunities.

In 1995, I was selected to head the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development, in part because I had been recommended by Glen Taylor, the Minnesota business leader I most admire and the subject of this month’s cover story.

A few months into the job, he was kind enough to meet me for lunch. He was the relatively new owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and I asked him if it was “fun” to own the team. He surprised me with a long, thoughtful answer that I have repeated often, although these quotes are only approximate.

“Yes,” he said, “this year it has become fun.” In 1994, he explained, he had not taken full possession of the team, so he had worked primarily with a management group selected by the previous owners.