I was out at a golf range several years ago hacking at some golf balls. Down about four or five hitting boxes from me was a father and daughter hitting golf balls together.

I assume the daughter was just learning the game because her father was continually correcting her swing, in a positive tone. After each time she would swing at a ball he would say “follow through.”

As I listened to her father constantly encourage his daughter to “follow through,” it reminded me of a conversation I had with my boss when I was the Athletic Director in Canyon, Texas.

In golf, how well you follow through reflects how good of a golf shot it was. The same concept applies to people, finish what you started by following through and keeping your word.

On this occasion, a parent called my office to follow up on an email he had sent to me the week prior about some concerns he had about his child’s coach. He was upset that I had not reached out to him regarding his concerns.

This parent had influence in the community, was opinionated and very persistent. In this particular phone call, this parent expressed his issues to me very pointedly and even offered sound evidence to support them. He had some valid points that deserved my attention.

I politely listened, acted as if I was taking notes, and then thanked him for calling. I assured him that I would call him back after I had a conversation with the coach. I promised to follow through with him, but due to my inexperience, I viewed it as a non-issue.

Well, I did have a conversation with the coach, sort of. I sent the coach a short email instead of talking to him directly as I promised the parent I would.

A few days later, I sent an email back to the parent saying that his concerns had been expressed to the coach and that I appreciated him contacting me.

I did not call the parent back as promised.

About a week later my boss came knocking on my office door. He had received a phone call from this very same parent, as well as phone calls from two concerned school board members. They were curious about my lack of concern over this issue.

The parent was livid that I sent an email back to him and did not call him as promised. He felt as if I had blown his concerns off, which I did, so he took his concerns to the next level. I explained to my boss what I had done, and his response was simple and dead on.

He said, “Howey, why would you not follow through on this? You have got to follow through when you are dealing with people. You need to keep your word. Now, I am having to take phone calls from a mad parent and school board members because you didn’t do your job.”

Nothing is more embarrassing than your boss having to do the job you were hired to do.

Regardless of how insignificant the matter may be to you, always try to keep your spoken word by following through. I have discovered that if you don’t, those empty words tend to come back around, possibly through your boss and a few school board members like it did for me.

You tell someone that you will check in on them – follow through.

You tell someone that you are going to take them out for lunch to get caught up – follow through.

You tell someone that you will support their cause – follow through.

You tell someone that you will pray for them – follow through.

You tell someone that you will “look into it” and get back with them – follow through.

You tell someone that you will swing by and see them next time you are in the area – follow through.

You tell someone that you can keep a secret – follow through.

You tell someone that you won’t bring it up again – follow through.

You tell someone that you will have them over for a cookout – follow through.

You tell someone you will pay the money back – follow through.

Just like Lieutenant Dan told Forrest Gump, “Well, I told you that if you were ever a shrimp boat captain, that I’d I would be your first mate, well here I am, I am a man of my word.”

Lieutenant Dan followed through.

There are days I look in the mirror and I see the man I am supposed to be. Then there are other days when I don’t recognize the chump staring back at me at all.

I have found it to be true that you turn into what you do, not what you say you will do. In order for me to be a complete person, I need to improve my follow through by keeping my word to myself and others.

***

Todd Howey is a columnist for BrownwoodNews.com whose articles will appear on Fridays.