There are so many things can be accomplished on the golf course. For centuries it has served as a great place to sell, network, spend time with friends, or just take in the day.
Golf is a hobby to many, they play the game passionately and with high expectations even though for many it is played only sporadically. These high expectations combined with passion can also yield immense frustration as golf is an incredibly difficult game for even the most avid player. However, it often takes only a single great shot to makes all the pain and adversity entirely worthwhile. Ultimately it is what will keep you coming back to the links for years to come.
Leadership can be the same way. Those who are most active at it are often doing it out of passion and a desire to improve (self or others). This desire to change, inspire, and impassion can deliver amazing results one day only to bring dismal results the next. Nevertheless, when leadership and passion are a part of your DNA, quitting is never an option. So the choice becomes to persevere and to be a life long learner.
The lessons in leadership can come from many places. The classroom, conferences, the office, or from friends and family. I have learned from all of those places. I have also learned some lessons about leadership from my friends who are avid golfers. The following seven are the most impactful ones so far.
1. Sometimes you have to “Grip and Rip”
When it comes to leadership, sometimes we need to take some risks and go big. The safe shot to the landing area may keep you in play, but if it is going to take an eagle to achieve success, laying it up isn’t going to cut it. When these times come, you need to know it in your gut and then you need to grip it and rip it!
2. Other times it is best to “Lay Up”
Leadership is often about balance. And above we talk about going after it, but a strong leader does realize that there are times where the lay up is the best shot. When the risk/reward equation does not show a benefit in going “Pin Seeking” you need to realize that the center of the green/fairway is a good place to be, and Par is a good score (all the time).
3. The majority is in between your ears
A big part of being a leader is instinct. When you get on the course, put away the gizmos and gadgets and focus on the game. You cannot fix your swing on the course, that is what the practice range is for. In leadership, when you are in the middle of the fire, you need to react based on your experience and your gut. It is certainly not the time to “Do More Research.”
4. “Drive for Show and Putt for Dough”
As a leader, do not get wrapped up in the idea that the little things don’t count. Talk to all of the PGA professionals that have missed 2 foot putts costing them tournaments and money. That is where the “Putt for dough” phrase comes from. You see amateurs at the range all of the time banging drives, but never practicing their short game (chipping/putting) When you do the little things right, many of the bigger things become more clear and fall into place. While good driving and good putting help you to play a better overall game; if you are going to choose one or the other, make sure you are doing the little things right.
5. Recovery is a big part of Success
Failure is a part of any strong leaders CV. If not, you either aren’t really leading or you haven’t been doing it long enough. On the golf course, bad shots happen. The question is are you going to hit another bad shot because you are busy thinking about the shot before? In leadership it is the same, you have to quickly learn from your failure and put it behind you. If not, the mistakes become exponential and as a leader it can cost you dearly.
6. The ups and downs are “Common”
Many golfers can tell you about their low rounds and their hole in ones. These are the up moments. In leadership this is when the cards fall in place and success follows. Golf is a tough game and you can have your best and worst days in succession. Some days the ball bounces your way and other days it bounces into the water. This lesson transcends within leadership that results are never a guarantee, and sometimes a little luck can make a big difference! You have to learn to take in the bad with the good.
7. Improvement and Mastery are not the same thing!
Neither golf nor leadership can be mastered. We can make strides in self improvement through practice, action, and experience, however the idea of becoming a master is futile. Seek the former and ignore the latter. When you hit the pinnacle (not the brand of ball) in either golf or leadership there is always further to go if you so choose to continue the journey.
In Conclusion
- So grab your Driver and go for it, unless of course laying up is a better option.
- Be sure to use your brain, but not over think it because leadership is in your heart as much as your mind.
- Keep your vision big, but focus on the little things so they don’t become a nuisance
- When you hit a bad shot, don’t mess up the next 3 while dwelling on it because ups and downs are part of leadership.
All the success,
Peter Mclees, Leadership Trainer and Coach
petercmclees@gmail.com
Mobile: 323-854-1713
Smart Development specializes in helping managers coach employees so they can and will contribute in greater ways to key organizational imperatives.
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