How to Get More (than your co-workers, classmates, and rivals)
Arthur Ashe was a tennis great who came up in the 1960s.
In 1968, as an amateur, Ashe won the US Open at Forest Hills. This event was significant because it was the first year of “Open” era tennis, meaning professionals were also allowed to compete. Previously it had been a tournament strictly for amateur players.
It was also significant because Ashe was black, and at that time he was the only black player of any significance. None of the other black players were good enough to compete.
Jumping back in time more than ten years, Ashe’s second coach was a man named Dr. Robert Johnson. Johnson held a training school, primarily for black tennis players, at his home in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The young men stayed at Johnson’s home and practiced tennis religiously. When they weren’t practicing, as a form of payment, the young men spent time weeding Johnson’s garden, cleaning his dog kennel, and performing other household chores.
Johnson emphasized not only tennis, but manners, discipline, and keeping an even keel. An excerpt from John McPhee’s Levels of the Game, paints a clear picture:
“Since players call their own lines in the early rounds of junior tournaments, [Johnson] insisted that his boys play any opponents’ shots that were out of bounds by two inches or less. ‘We are going into a new world,’ he told them. ‘We don’t want anybody to be accused of cheating. There will be some cheating, but we aren’t going to do it.’ Many years later, he would say reflectively, ‘I wanted them to be prepared for any adversity – not to blow their cool, as they call it now, when things didn’t go right.’”
Johnson was posthumously inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009, and is largely credited for being the support system for breaking down the color barrier in tennis. A product of Johnson’s influence,
“[Ashe] went to every length to attract no attention, to cause no difficulty. Moving in and out of expensive white atmospheres, he used the manners that his father and Dr. Johnson had taught him, and he noticed the manners of the white players, and much of their general behavior, tended to suggest a lower standard. ‘When an experience is new,’ said Ashe, ‘you’re not sure of yourself mentally, but basic politeness got me through.’ Meanwhile, he would look down at his plate and find two steaks there.”
The principles Ashe used to break the color barrier in tennis are principles we can all use to advance in our careers. How do they translate?
Play the shots that are barely out of bounds: If the boss gives you an assignment that will take all weekend, or a team member does poor work and you have to pick up the slack for the good of the team, just do it. Don’t argue about how it is unfair; don’t draw attention to it. The people in the stands probably couldn’t see that the ball was out, but they will see you return the shot for a winner.
Attract no attention, cause no difficulty: Don’t be the person always asking for an exception or a favor. It draws attention in a negative way. Show up early, work hard, don’t look for praise.
The only attention Ashe drew to himself was from his magnificent backhand and artfully placed drop shots. He didn’t call attention to them, just like you don’t need to call attention to your good work. It will be recognized. In the meantime, draw your satisfaction from within, knowing you crushed the backhand (or nailed the report).
Basic politeness will get you through: Don’t get drunk and hug the boss at the holiday party. Say thank you when a manager buys you lunch. Hold the door for a co-worker whose hands are full. This seems like basic kindergarten stuff, but as Ashe observed, the behavior of others will, quite frequently, suggest a lower standard.
Many people learn about historical figures and appreciate what those figures sacrificed to get us where we are today.
Take a lesson from Arthur Ashe. You just might look down and find two steaks on your plate.
