Watching Kenny Perry and Angel Cabrera in the playoffs at the Masters was not only exciting, but inspiring. Both men showed grace and sportsmanship.
Having been two strokes in the lead for the last two holes, Perry bogied them to go into a playoff with Cabrera and Campbell. Campbell was eliminated after the first hole. Cabrera won the tournament on the second hole.
Perry showed class. He immediately congratulated his opponent and was gracious in his defeat. He also owned his mistakes, telling the television interviewer what his faults had been.
Leadership is about grace under pressure. It is the ability to stay calm when missteps or mistakes occur. Cabrera displayed this quality when hitting from behind a tree in the playoff.
The ability to keep going with composure and a positive attitude are important. Being able to play well no matter where the ball lies distinguishes champions.
We may not be playing for the prestige of the green jacket, but we can (l)earn a lot by following these examples.