The Butler Way

Jay Love — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:20:00 GMT

Any of you who have been reading my various blog posts or perhaps know me personally realize I am quick to share my passions. I guess you can never keep a salesperson at heart in check for long before some sort of evangelism seeps out... Among those passions is my concern for the nonprofit sector and all those who make it so special, hence this blog. A little further down the list is my nearly lifelong love for the game of basketball. My next favorite manner to indulge the basketball passion, after playing the game personally, is watching my beloved Butler University Bulldogs play the game.

How can watching rank right up there with participating in one’s passion? In this case it is the very special manner in which the Bulldogs play and the historical venue it takes place in. Let me take the latter item first, since it is not part of the analogy this blog post is stretching to connect...

Hinkle Fieldhouse is one of those special historical sporting arenas that is nearly as much a part of basketball history, especially in Indiana, as Dr. Naismith's peach basket. Yes, to many it is a cathedral for worshipping the game of basketball. Its reputation was truly lifted by being featured in the award winning movie "Hoosiers". One of my favorite clips provides a glimpse of the venue’s importance. Every time I enter the place special thoughts drift through my mind.

Now back to the former thought regarding the manner of play. The beauty of anything "team" oriented, whether it is in sports or an organization functioning in the nonprofit or business world, is how the parts interact together. They can and should be seamless with everyone pulling together for the good of the team and to reach common goals. What prompted this blog post was an article in a recent Sports Illustrated magazine by Bill Trocchi. Within the article he alludes to "The Butler Way" which is a statement of principles dating back to the namesake for the arena, the legendary Tony Hinkle. They are part of the mission statement of the sports department of the University.

The Butler Way...
demands commitment, denies selfishness, accepts reality, yet seeks improvement everyday while putting the team above self.

I know we strive daily to have our eTapestry division of Blackbaud live up to this mantra. Perhaps it will be meaningful enough to share in some manner with your organization. I can certainly think of a large number of our customers who more than live up to its ideals!

Random Act of Kindness

This particular one actually happened at Hinkle Fieldhouse during halftime of a basketball game over a year ago. My then extremely pregnant daughter Katie was attending the game. When she walked to the restroom a total stranger, probably in his seventies, approached her to ask just how soon the baby would make an appearance. Upon hearing just a few weeks he reached in his pocket and handed her a brand new silver dollar with instructions to start a college fund for that special addition to our family. The smile never left Katie’s face for virtually the entire second half of the game!

Past Blog Follow-Up

One of my past blog posts referred to the power of video in the non-profit world. Just this week Michael Hoffman provided a neat "How To" article on this subject. Here is the link.

The Jay Love Blog : Hinkle

The Butler Way