Exclusive Series: "CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf"

This the first article in a year-long exclusive series. The author Andy Reistetter shares his insight on how PGA TOUR players, competition and the game of golf can be utilized inside corporations as a model for developing leadership and culture. He has written two books- one on inspirational leadership called "The Approach" and the other on inspiration living called "Love, The Rest of My Life (TROML) & The Pursuit of Eternity." Both books are available by emailing [e-mail]  

"CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf".

What are you crazy?

No, I am not.

What about Tiger Woods' personal scandal?

How could you say look at the conduct of PGA TOUR players for inspiration and principles of leadership?

It doesn't matter.

I am saying look at the conduct of players in the midst of PGA TOUR competition AND the game of golf for inspiration if you want to become a better leader, manager, truck driver, supervisor, teacher, secretary, an assistant of any kind, engineer, nurse, farmer, sales something or other, lawyer, janitor, doctor, banker, operator of machinery or simply a better person.

Yes, even a lawyer.

Even if you are the President of the United States, this article—the first in a yearlong series—will have interesting and worthwhile material for you to consider. Weigh carefully, toss out the stuff that doesn't make sense to your situation and hopefully, use the rest to improve your world, our world.

What are you crazy?

No, I am not, though I understand it is perfectly rational to make that early conclusion from your perspective.

What are your credentials? Why should I give one iota of credence to your claim of knowing the way to a revival in corporate leadership?

Well not much really…

Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Twenty-five years in manufacturing management.

Okay, so I will give you a call when I need a better or less expensive widget.

Plus, I have two years of closely following the PGA TOUR up close and personal.

Big deal, so you are a tour groupie. They are a dime a dozen, especially if you are an attractive female looking for a millionaire husband.

Well, that I am not.

Here's the deal.

I have used some of this material throughout my career in various manners for a wide range of applications. It works with direct results, empowering people and teams to make improvements to the bottom line.

Absolutely, positively, without a doubt.

Then, for the love of the game of golf, I went seeking further inspiration and specific material to define the next generation of leadership and corporate culture.

I found it on the PGA TOUR over the last two years.

So now you are saying a company should embark on a culture development program based on the game of golf and the conduct of golfers in PGA TOUR competition?

Yep, that's right!

What are you crazy?

Nope.

There are three basic tenets of "CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf".

Incidentally, before we begin, I need to clarify that this series of informative articles is NOT officially licensed with or being promoted by the PGA TOUR. The use of the word "Inspired" is just that—a use of a word to mean my ideas are an inspired type of leadership and corporate culture based on the game of golf and exemplified by golfers competing in PGA TOUR events.

Get the picture?

Actually look at the picture accompanying this article.

What do you see?

The legendary and contemporarily competitive Tom Watson raising the flagstick on the 15th green at Turnberry in last year's British Open.

The first conviction of "CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf" is that key examples of leadership can be found in PGA TOUR competitions and applied to a wide variety of corporate situations to inspire improved personal and team behavior, resulting in record performance and financial results.

Understanding why Tom Watson raised that flagstick to aid a competitor is the essence of "CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf".

He raised that flagstick knowing that if he went above and beyond the rules, he would benefit from doing so.

How could helping a competitor benefit another competitor?

Tom Watson wants to test himself against the best.

That's why he was in Turnberry at age 59 competing against the best golfers in the world.

He did not have to be there.

Fellow Champions Tour member Nick Price, 52, the last champion of the Open at Turnberry, chose not to be there.

He did not want to take a spot from someone who could win the golf tournament.

Which story inspired you?

In raising that flagstick, young Watson knew he was elevating the standard of performance needed to win the British Open.

He also knew as a natural leader and golfer, he would be driven to perform better under those circumstances.

Imagine every person in your organization with that indomitable attitude to improve your product or service.

So we need to make everyone in the organization a golfer?

No! Make a point, tell the story and ask what does it mean to our organization?

What are the rules? Who has the skills needed? Who is raising the flagstick?

The second doctrine of "CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf" is understanding how to develop your own unique branded company culture.

What, no "program of the year?"

How will we know who is still "with the program" if there is no new program?

Why can't companies seem to be able to extract the best from all of the rest of the programs out there and come up with their own dynamic way of doing business, which feeds on knowledge and experience from within?

Look to the PGA TOUR and guys like Sean O'Hair.

Yes, he has swing coach, a head coach and various equipment suppliers.

But, he selects and utilizes specific ideas and materials dynamically over time to develop a unique approach to the game of golf we know as Sean O'Hair.

Imagine how less frustrating and demoralizing it would be for your employees to not have to let go of one program and learn a new one every year.

But everything we project onto and train our associates to use is needed.

If employees did everything that has come down to them over the last five to 10 years, they would never have time to do their real job.

When was the last time you issued a memo saying we are no longer going to do something that we said was vital to our success only months or years before?

A dynamic natural leader takes stuff off the plate as well as puts new stuff on the plate. S(he) understands the reality of the folks that physically do the work.

The nature of the game of golf requires players to dynamically and realistically assess opportunities in order to be successful.

"CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf" can help you develop a powerful, dynamic corporate culture that will transform your company's performance in the marketplace and on Wall Street.

Your culture can be an ongoing dynamic process.

PGA TOUR golfers don't do programs, neither should you.

Okay that's two of three. What's next?

Ever wonder why Commissioner Tim Finchem is a cool confident character?

No its not because he is pulling out that silver flask from his desk and taking a swig from it as depicted recently on Saturday Night Live.

He has a bonafide system in place to deliver talented golfers and interesting storylines when needed.

Imagine in your organization that the talented individual needed is present and accounted for like clockwork even before the problem or dire situation emerges?

Woods' personal scandal is just that—a personal issue and not a business issue for the PGA TOUR.

Finchem isn't sweating. He's calm, cool and collected because his organization has a dynamic system in place that brings out the cream of the crop to compete on the PGA TOUR every year.

This year- 2010 is no exception.

Can your organization use a dynamic system like that?

Forget about career development or developing individual careers. They develop naturally when the needs of the business are met.

Install development systems that allow the dynamic emergence of the year-end PGA TOUR Top 125, the Nationwide Top 25 Golden Graduates and the Top 25 and Ties Survivors of the Qualifying Tournament: a.k.a. Q-School.

Yeah right, Andy. If only it was easy to assess performance by counting the number of strokes.

No, you are missing the point.

It is not the counting of the strokes.

It is the various dynamic systems in place, including priority rankings based on past tournament wins.

Matteo Manassero, Ryo Ishikawa, Michael Sim, Tadd Fujikawa, Rory McIlroy, Troy Merritt, Billy Horschel, Cameron Tringale and Rickie Fowler…

Who are the emerging rookies and future stars in your organization?

Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen, Y.E. Yang, Stewart Cink, Geoff Ogilvy, Brian Gay, Padraig Harrington, Angel Cabrera,  Mike Weir, Justin Leonard and Zack Johnson…

Who are the solid performers at the height of their careers?

Kenny Perry, Tom Lehman, Tommy Armour III, Fred Couple, and Tom Pernice Jr…

Who are the grisly veterans of your organization?

Talk about a performance based system without regard to any discriminatory practices.

It is all about developing and implementing a dynamic process to meet the future needs of the organization whether it is capital, human or simple survival.

"CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf" has three tenets—look to the game of golf and the PGA TOUR competitions for inspiring leadership; develop your own unique corporate culture; and implement dynamic systems to insure talent is developed and in the right place at the right time to lead throughout your organization.

Okay, I kind of get it. But is each article going to be another long dissertation?

No! Each article will be more golf based than management theory—entertaining and informative.

I find it interesting that sponsoring companies spend millions of dollars to entertain their clients at PGA TOUR events yet fail to bring the game of golf inside their company where it could make them millions of dollars.

This series of articles on "CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf" is my attempt to bridge that gap in understanding seizing the associated financial gains.

So which golfer will be showcased in the next article?

Tiger Woods of course.

Why Tiger?

Tiger Woods is all about performance and results.

Leadership is all about performance and results.

Good golfing, living and working! 

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer. He follows the PGA TOUR volunteering and working part time for NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and The Golf Channel.

He resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.

He enjoys pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. He can be reached through his website www.MrHickoryGolf.net or by e-mailing him to [e-mail]