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MASTER THE BASICS OF THE GAME Hole #1 • Par 4 Player: Directions: Circle “Yes” or “No” for each question.. MASTER THE BASICS OF THE GAMEHole #1 • Par 4 Player: Directions: Record your “s

Leadership Lessons from Life Series

Copyright © 2006, Peter Garber

All rights reserved Any reproduction of this material in any media without written permission of the publisher is a violation of existing copyright laws Published by:

Cover design by Eileen Klockars

Productions services by PerfectType

Editorial services by Suzanne Bay

or simply taken for granted Even the most complicatedleadership theory has as its source something we were taught

when we were young The Leadership Lessons from Life series

is designed to remind us of this wisdom and help us apply it toour efforts to become better, more-effective leaders

Each book in the series is devoted to exploring what welearn from significant people or events in our lives as it relates

to our professional endeavors Even the most challengingleadership and management situations can be changed for thebetter as a result of insights coming from unexpected sources

As you read each book, you will have a new appreciation forthis simple wisdom and find new ways to apply the funda-mental principles to your professional life and responsibilities.Good luck in your never-ending learning journey May

this Leadership Lessons from Life series make the experience

valuable and enjoyable

Can you learn to be a good leader by playing golf? Believe it ornot, you can! There are fundamentals and rules in bothendeavors that must be followed if you expect to ever keep upwith the competition, let alone beat it There are also right andwrong ways to perform a particular activity that can make thedifference between winning and losing Leaders and golfersmust have perseverance and patience if they are to achievesuccess Some golfers and managers never learn the importance

of those virtues, however

In golf and in business, you have good days and you havebad days There are times when the ball just won’t drop in thecup, no matter what you do! And there are some customerswho will never be satisfied, no matter how long you work at it.What makes the difference between playing the bestround of golf you have ever had in your life and playing theworst? Similarly, what makes the difference in businessbetween satisfying the requirements of the customer and losingtheir business? Leadership Lessons from the Game of Golf

explores these differences and what you can do about them

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Leadership Lessons from the Game of Golf

The Course

This unique golf course consists of eighteen holes, each onedevoted to a principle of management Like any other 18-holecourse, there are a number of obstacles and hazards designed

to trip you up or throw you off your game Play the course

by circling “Yes” or “No” after each question or statement.Don’t be too easy on yourself as you answer each question

Be as honest as you can Then use the scoring key on the pagethat follows each hole to determine the number of strokes you took to play the hole A final scorecard is included afterthe 18th hole so that you can evaluate your overall per-formance and compare it to “par” for the course Good luckand hit ’em straight!

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so much fun Once you learn the fundamentals of the game,however, it all comes down to practice, practice, and morepractice You can be sure that today’s tournament championsspent hours alone at the beginning of their careers trying toremember to keep their head down and to follow through withtheir swing.

There are known best practices, techniques, and cedures in every game or field of endeavor Analyze theperformance of great leaders and you will undoubtedly learnthat they attribute their initial success to mastering thefundamentals Failure to learn the basics before we immerseourselves in the game is usually the reason why we havereturned products, unhappy customers, missed putts, lostballs, red ink, and yes, embarrassingly high golf scores

pro-The basics of every game are always easier to learn in thebeginning, before we make mistakes and go looking in thewrong places for the root cause of the mistake And let’s face it:Bad habits are extremely difficult to break Besides, they justget in the way of the game

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MASTER THE BASICS OF THE GAME

Hole #1 • Par 4

Player:

Directions: Circle “Yes” or “No” for each question.

And don’t be too easy on yourself Be as truthful as you can.

Are you presently striving to master the basics of

the “game” at work?

YES NO

Do you often rely on “gimmicks” to improve

your performance, rather than master the basics?

YES NO

Do your solutions to problems ever fail to

address the real root cause of the problem?

YES NO

Do you commit the resources necessary to

learn to do the job correctly the first time?

YES NO

Scoring key on back

7

MASTER THE BASICS OF THE GAME

Hole #1 • Par 4

Player:

Directions: Record your “score” for each question in the space provided.

Are you presently striving to master the basics of

the “game” at work?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Do you tend to rely on “gimmicks” to improve

your performance, rather than master the basics?

YES = 2 strokes NO = 1 stroke _

S C O R E

Do your solutions to problems ever fail to

address the real root cause of the problem?

YES = 2 strokes NO = 1 stroke _

S C O R E

Do you commit the resources necessary to

learn to do the job correctly the first time?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

TOTAL NUMBER OF STROKES _

Continuing the learning process is not as easy as it sounds.When you are first learning how to play golf, it’s always easier

to learn the proper technique when the club pro is standingthere ready to correct your mistakes than it is when you are out

on the course competing with other players Being able todrive a ball 300 yards on the practice tee will ultimately nothelp you if you forget everything you learned when you go outand play the game for real Similarly, teaching everyone in yourorganization the latest management techniques will not show

up on the bottom line unless every individual takes what waslearned back to the factory floor or the customer servicedepartment and puts it into practice Make it a habit to masterthe right way of doing things, and then do things the right wayeach time you take the metaphorical swing

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CONTINUE THE LEARNING PROCESS

Hole #2 • Par 3

Player:

Directions: Circle “Yes” or “No” for each question.

And don’t be too easy on yourself Be as truthful as you can.

Do you believe there is nothing more you can

learn about your job?

YES NO

Do you continue to learn new things about your

job and your field?

YES NO

Do you apply each and every lesson you have

learned to improve your performance?

YES NO

Scoring key on back

11

CONTINUE THE LEARNING PROCESS

Hole #2 • Par 3

Player:

Directions: Record your “score” for each question in the space provided.

Do you believe there is nothing more you can

learn about your job?*

YES = 2 strokes NO = 1 stroke _

S C O R E

Do you continue to learn new things about your

job and your field?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Do you apply each and every lesson you have

learned to improve your performance?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

*If you answered “NO” to the first question, take

one (1) additional stroke off your score for this hole.

TOTAL NUMBER OF STROKES _

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“creative” when it comes to how many strokes they record for

a specific hole It is just as important in business as it is in golf

to be honest with yourself about how you’re doing Keepingscore allows you to measure your performance from one day tothe next, week to week, year to year If you do not take anaccurate reading, you might be misleading yourself about yourlevel of performance and fail to pick up on critical problemsthat can ultimately cause you to lose customers Measuringand trying to improve their game is what keeps golfers comingback for more

What would it be like if we took this performance urement tool away from a golfer? Let’s say that immediatelyafter each shot, you blindfold the golfer and lead him or her totheir next shot They have no idea how well or how poorly theyhit the ball, and no way of getting feedback about theirperformance How much enjoyment do you think the golferwould be deriving from the game under these circumstances?Feedback on performance has to be immediate if it is to

meas-be useful Finding out a year later how well you played theseventeenth hole one afternoon last summer didn’t help you

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play the eighteenth hole better The score has to be accurate,and it has to be immediately accessible if you want to use it toimprove your game.

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KEEP ACCURATE SCORE

Hole #3 • Par 4

Player:

Directions: Circle “Yes” or “No” for each question.

And don’t be too easy on yourself Be as truthful as you can.

When it comes to measuring your performance

at work, do you keep accurate score?

YES NO

Do you give others immediate feedback on

their performance?

YES NO

Do you use measurement tools to improve

your own performance?

YES NO

Do you use measurement tools to help others

improve their performance?

YES NO

Scoring key on back

15

KEEP ACCURATE SCORE

Hole #3 • Par 4

Player:

Directions: Record your “score” for each question in the space provided.

When it comes to measuring your performance

at work, do you keep accurate score?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

Do you use measurement tools to improve

your own performance?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Do you use measurement tools to help others

improve their performance?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

TOTAL NUMBER OF STROKES _

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is what the game is all about.

Why can’t some of the same factors that make golf somuch fun be introduced in the workplace? A day at work willnever compare to an afternoon at Pebble Beach, but some ofthe same principles can be applied People set their own goals

in golf and motivate themselves to achieve them Wouldn’twork be a lot more fun if we could do the same thing? Mostgolfers have a continuous-improvement plan—a goal or ascore they would like to beat, or a fault they would like tocorrect It is this drive for continuous improvement that keepseven the most frustrated golfer counting the days to theweekend to play another round

In the world of work, each person needs to have this samedesire to continuously improve In business as in golf, whenthe desire is gone, so is the drive or motivation to do your best.You might not quit the game (at least not yet), but it’s not

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likely that you’ll be a full participant The intrinsic rewards

in golf and in work keep people motivated and having fun.Without motivation, you have no fun

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KEEP THE GAME FUN

Hole #4 • Par 3

Player:

Directions: Circle “Yes” or “No” for each question.

And don’t be too easy on yourself Be as truthful as you can.

Do you set challenging goals for yourself and

others at work?

YES NO

Do you share your successes with your

co-workers to help them reach their goals?

YES NO

Do you have your own plan to motivate employees

to continuously improve their performance?

YES NO

Scoring key on back

19

KEEP THE GAME FUN

Do you share your successes with your

co-workers to help them reach their goals?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Do you have your own plan to motivate employees

to continuously improve their performance?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

TOTAL NUMBER OF STROKES _

20

SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE

If you are going to play golf, you must first learn to speakthe language Unfortunately, the language of Golf hasfew if any similarities to English For instance, in golf an

eagle is not the symbol of our nation’s independence A birdie is not what small children call their pet canary, and

a dogleg is not what holds your puppy up A handicap is

not a physical limitation, but rather a sort of bonus youget for being a lousy golfer A bogie is not that famous

movie actor who started in “Casablanca,” but ratherfinishing a hole one over par Amulligan is not your old

drinking buddy, but a second chance to mess up yourdrive Par does not mean an average amount, but rather

the number of strokes assigned to each hole that yousupposedly should be able to equal or better if you areworth a damn as a golfer

To make matters even more confusing, a pin is atleast six feet tall, a hole is only about four inches deep,and don’t drink from the cup! A wood is sometimes made

of metal, and an iron will do nothing for the wrinkles inyour shirt And tee-time is not when the British take their

afternoon break to enjoy their favorite herbal beverage!It’s when you are supposed to show up at the course ifyou expect to be on time for your golf date thisafternoon

The business world also has a language of its veryown, complete with a wide array of buzzwords and newdefinitions for old terminology For instance, theexpression just-in-time in business has nothing to do with

getting to the airport at the very last moment before yourplane leaves the gate It is used to refer to the practice ofdelivering the products the customer has ordered justwhen he needs them The term audit is not only used to

refer to that feared IRS investigation of your last five taxreturns, but also means monitoring manufacturing orservice processes to ensure that quality standards arebeing maintained A vendor in business terms is not

someone who sells you fish on the street, but a businesssupplier of materials or services A root cause is not the

damage that a large old tree causes to a homeowner’sproperty, but the origins of quality-related problems.And a Mission Statement is not a message from mis-

sionaries in underdeveloped countries, but rather thecommitment goals an organization makes to its clients orcustomers

Be sure you can speak the language of business!

In golf and in business, we have to not only recognize thatthere is a problem and seek to solve it, but also to try to estab-lish systems and methods to prevent problems from occurring

in the first place Simply trying harder to do things right is notthe answer: If you are not also trying to do the right things, you

might only make things worse It is like the golfer who tries tomake up for a bad shot by swinging harder on the next shot

We need to accept the short-term temporary losses, and takethe action necessary to make long-term permanent gains Youmight lose a few strokes trying to learn to hit the ball correctly,but ultimately you will be a better golfer once you havemastered the proper techniques

What are the tough decisions or actions you are avoidingthat could have a positive effect on your performance? Are youtaking the easy way out and rationalizing your decisions? If youaspire to be a good golfer, you must learn the right way to playthe game, and apply those lessons on every swing The same

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holds true in business How much money is lost each year bymanagers who do what is easiest or expedient, rather than what

is most effective?

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DO THE RIGHT THINGS

Hole #5 • Par 4

Player:

Directions: Circle “Yes” or “No” for each question.

And don’t be too easy on yourself Be as truthful as you can.

Do you simply accept problems at work by

learning to live with them?

YES NO

Do you tend to accept short-term losses while

you learn to do things the right way in order

to achieve long-term goals?

YES NO

Do you tend to act too quickly without

addressing the true root cause of a problem?

YES NO

Do you find yourself falling back on

tried-and-true ways of doing things, even if they might

not be the most appropriate for the situation?

YES NO

Scoring key on back

25

DO THE RIGHT THINGS

Hole #5 • Par 4

Player:

Directions: Record your “score” for each question in the space provided.

Do you simply accept problems at work by

learning to live with them?

YES = 2 strokes NO = 1 stroke _

S C O R E

Do you tend to accept short-term losses while

you learn to do things the right way in order

to achieve long-term goals?*

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Do you tend to act too quickly without

addressing the true root cause of a problem?

YES = 2 strokes NO = 1 stroke _

S C O R E

Do you find yourself falling back on

tried-and-true ways of doing things, even if they might

not be most appropriate for the situation?

YES = 2 strokes NO = 1 stroke _

a pain in the neck playing with you! You might want to make up

a list of your own gracious things to say to your fellow golfers,but don’t worry if you have trouble keeping up this facade Onthe golf course, your comments don’t have to be true, and youdon’t have to mean them!

Unfortunately, the competition in business doesn’t worryabout being so polite The rude reality is simply that those whobest meet the requirements of the customer will win, and thosewho do not will lose Nothing will make the competitionhappier than to see you quit the game, so don’t expect to begiven any encouragement to keep playing or any pointers tohelp you improve your play The same individual who was sopolite to you on the golf course over the weekend might be on

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the phone today trying to take your customers away from you.

Do the best you can to treat people the way you want to betreated, but don’t expect too much from the competition offthe course!

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Directions: Circle “Yes” or “No” for each question.

And don’t be too easy on yourself Be as truthful as you can.

Do you depend on the “politeness” of others to

achieve your goals at work?

YES NO

Do you listen to the feedback and advice you

receive from others concerning your performance

at work?

YES NO

Do you give feedback and advice to others at

work that can help improve your co-workers’

performance?

YES NO

Scoring key on back

29

UNDERSTAND GOLF AND BUSINESS

Do you depend on the “politeness” of others to

achieve your goals at work?

YES = 2 strokes NO = 1 stroke _

S C O R E

Do you listen to the feedback and advice you

receive from others concerning your performance

at work?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Do you give feedback and advice to others at

work that can help improve your co-workers’

b Hole #7

Make Good Shots

Par 5 • 515 Yards

There are good things and bad things going on at work and

on the links The “bad” things are incorrect, wrong, orinappropriate actions made each day that have negativeconsequences or cause chain reactions of other undesirableevents When these wrong decisions or actions have to do withbasic fundamentals, the problem is much more serious Anincorrect grip on your club can affect virtually every shot youmake, from your opening drive to your last putt In business,one small problem can prevent your organization from beingsuccessful, regardless of what efforts are made to correct theproblem later on in the process It is important to identify andaddress the real root cause of problems if you want tocompletely resolve the problem and prevent it fromreoccurring

On the other hand, good things can lead to more goodthings A good golf swing will benefit a golfer on every shot,regardless of club selection, and a good hit off the tee puts you

in a better position to hit another good shot In golf, successcreates confidence, which leads to more success and ultimatelyimproves your game

Similarly, success in business can put you in a position ofadvantage for future successes Well-satisfied customers are far

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more likely to continue to purchase your product or use yourservice They will tell others how pleased they are—and this is

the best advertising money can buy

Unlike golf, however, you can turn a bad business shotinto a better one (and sometimes even a good one) just byacknowledging that you have made a mistake and asking for anopportunity to make up for it—particularly when it comes tocustomers Showing that you are committed to satisfying theirneeds by going one step beyond rectifying the error in mostcases keeps the customer’s loyalty A positive relationship withyour customer allows you to build even stronger relationships

in the future

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MAKE GOOD SHOTS

Hole #7 • Par 5

Player:

Directions: Circle “Yes” or “No” for each question.

And don’t be too easy on yourself Be as truthful as you can.

Do you always try to do the “right things” at work?

YES NOHave you identified and addressed the

fundamental problems concerning your

work that can cause “bad” chain reactions?

YES NOHave you identified and addressed the root

causes of these problems to prevent them

from reoccurring?

YES NOAre you consistent in your performance at work?

YES NOCan you be counted on to consistently perform well?

YES NO

Scoring key on back

33

MAKE GOOD SHOTS

Hole #7 • Par 5

Player:

Directions: Record your “score” for each question in the space provided.

Do you always try to do the “right things” at work?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Have you identified and addressed the

fundamental problems concerning your

work that can cause “bad” chain reactions?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Have you identified and addressed the root

causes of these problems to prevent them

from reoccurring?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Are you consistent in your performance at work?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

S C O R E

Can you be counted on to consistently perform well?

YES = 1 stroke NO = 2 strokes _

b Hole #8

Get to the Green

Par 4 • 405 Yards

There are many different ways to reach the green However,

getting there isn’t enough How we get there and what resources

it will take is what often distinguishes the game’s winners fromthe game’s losers Experience teaches us that taking shortcuts orcutting corners is not usually the best way to reach a goal True,the shortest distance between two points is a straight line (andthe most-direct route is often the best one to travel), but thereare risks to this approach in golf as well as in business: Trying

to make up for lost strokes by taking a shortcut across the lakemight get you there in fewer strokes, but you risk hitting yourball in the water, adding even more strokes to your score Have you ever been tempted to try to make up for saggingbusiness profits by making a quick decision on a new proposal

or cutting a corner to minimize or even make up for lostrevenues? Taking risky management shots often turns out to bedisastrous for the manager as well as the company The best

“shortcut” you can take in golf or in business is to identify theroot cause of every problem, and then take corrective action to

prevent it from reoccurring in the future Think through theconsequences of every decision if you want to get to the green

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