Tiger Woods: CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf (ExclusiveSeries)

This the second 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".

Tiger Woods emergence onto the PGA TOUR was swift and monumental.

His performance on the golf course shook the essence of the professional golf world as much if not more than Palmer and Nicklaus combined in the late 1950s and early 1960s as the game entered the television era.

If Palmer and Nicklaus presented the game to the American people with the help of President Eisenhower then Tiger mobilized all the people of the world to watch, learn to play, and come out to competitive golf tournaments.

As much as he moved mountains in golf, he inspired us to move boulders too.

Remember Phoenix when gallery members teamed up and moved a boulder, a.k.a. "a loose impediment" so Tiger could have a go at the par-5 green in two?

The boy wonder, a three-time consecutive winner of the U.S. Junior Amateur and a three-time consecutive winner of the U.S. Amateur pounced on the scene in 1997 playing in that year's first three majors as an amateur.

As a professional later that same year he won two of eight tournaments finishing No. 25^th on the Money List.

The now PGA TOUR champion quickly advanced to No. 33 in the world golf ranking. The rise to glory was the fastest anyone had ever seen in the game of golf.

Then Tiger won the Masters in 1998 and violently shook the last embers of prejudice from the game of golf.

His ability to do so prove without a doubt that one's skin color has little to do with one's proficiency in the game of golf.

Augusta National was transformed from a place of only black caddies and white players into the historical stage of unbiased universal acceptance.

Tiger Woods transcended the game of golf to impact the thoughts, words, and behavior of people outside the game. 

He was more than a golfer or player, he was a phenomenon.

A decade later a black man named Barrack Obama did the same thing on the political world stage by earning the presidency of the United States.

Though the minority was African-American, a deed was done for all minorities. Never again can anyone say America is only the domain of white people.

The movement was of enormous proportions: from slaves to the most powerful leader in the world.

What people, what circumstance, what behavior came together to make the recently unthinkable in our country's history become the now believable and demonstrated on the golf course and off?

Certainly Tiger's dynamic evolution and rise to the best golfer in the world impacted the thinking of the American people in ways that only a few have outside of the political arena.

Maybe the game of golf has a bigger role in the world than one imagines today?

What other sport is competed by as many nations and peoples of the world?

Growing in popularity it is staged to an Olympic sport in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

What does this have to do with leadership and corporate cultures?

Tiger's ability to compete and change the world was a direct result of focusing on realities.

The records of Jack Nicklaus were posted on his bedroom walls.

Now Tiger's records would wallpaper the whole bedroom.

Tiger Woods' career summary was a 35 page handout in the media center at his 2009 AT&T National golf tournament in the nation's Capital.

Tiger printed "hello world" and then shook everyone's hand as he voiced it with 14 major victories. 

His first huge victory was with the 1997 Masters. After that he won a huge 15 stroke win in the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach. Then cam his most recent and narrowest victory in the sudden death of an all equal 18-hole playoff victory over Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines in the 2008 U.S. Open.

He is the only person to ever hold the titles of the four current and one future major championship at the same time—the Masters, THE PLAYERS, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA.

After coming back from major reconstructive knee surgery and an eight month absence from the tour Tiger inspired us with six victories, three second place finishes and 14 Top 10s in 17 events in 2009.

How could Tiger Woods not be the comeback player of the year in 2009?

Maybe because he never left maintaining his No. 1 world golf ranking.

How will Tiger inspire us when he comes back to the game?

Golf is a performance based sport.

Performance as measured in the most finite of terms—strokes played within the rules of golf.

The old adage of "it's not how but how many" does apply in the game of golf.

But in reality the "how" does apply to the golfers themselves.

The world's top ranked golfers were born with immense talent. Somehow they found the game of golf and realized they had this special talent.

However, without a doubt, the key to their success is not their talent.

Whether an instinctive or an acquired ability, these people dynamically grew with their golf game as they also transitioned from boyhood to being an adult player in life.

This is the basis of "CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf".

They embraced a dynamical process and an open-minded approach to the question of "How can I get better?"

John Daly was a phenom when he came onto the scene and won the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club.

Now he is doing a reality show on The Golf Channel.

He proved he was not a one-hit wonder with a second major in 1995 at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.

But most everyone would agree that with his talent, he underachieved in the world of golf with only three other PGA TOUR victories in a 23-year career.

Harsh but true?

Why is that?

Maybe Tiger and John started from different places in life?

Maybe John's response would be "who cares, this writer guy never got better than a four handicap and hasn't done much for himself in the world."

Arguably true but there you have the point being made.

Embracing a dynamical process and an open-minded approach to the question of "How can I get better?" leads you down the road to success.

Why question or attack the source if you can get an idea that will improve your game?

An idea is an idea and improvement is improvement.

Maybe, just maybe, companies that spend millions of dollars to associate themselves with the PGA TOUR and entertain clients at events are missing the biggest bang for their buck?

Why not bring the game of golf within the company as the basis for leadership and culture?

If every associate in the company had the mindset and determination of a Tiger Woods image, then imagine how dynamically successful your organization would be.

I am not talking about putting a driving range out back behind the headquarters building and teaching everyone how to play golf.

"CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf" is sort of a "First Tee" for adults at work.

For it does matter "how" one's work is produced.

Overall it must be within the auspices of a socially accepted priority system—human safety, environmental stewardship, quality of product or service, and productivity/cost reduction/profit.

However every good manager and every employee should know that without a profit a company will cease to exist.

Even nonprofit organizations face the financial reality of economic life.

Even the United States government and each one of us face the financial reality of economic life.

Yes there are exceptions like the breakfast cereal pioneer W.K. Kellogg's foundation.

With a concern for human welfare and advancement, their mission is solely to give money away.

The original $66 million invested in the trust in 1934 is worth approximately $7 billion today.

We people, families, and organizations all face the financial reality of economic life.

Deliver much more for less and you have a winner.

But before you contemplate the finer merits of the priority system one must make a profit.

Leaders make that happen. Managers take on the responsibility to make it happen.

If you cannot make a profit within the rules of the society and government regulations, then one is out of business.

To an organization, it is as serious as a heart attack is to a person.

No blood, no flow, no life, and only basic death.

Capeesh?

Why is Tiger Woods featured as the first golfer in "CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf" series?

It is all about results—we need to be successful in a performance-based system in order to do all the other wonderful things needed in the world.

If W. K. Kellogg was not financially successful selling cereal we likely never would have heard about the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and all their altruistic endeavors to make the world a better place for so many people.

If the W.K. Kellogg Foundation was not financially successful we may have heard about them but only in terms of what they accomplished in the 1930s and 40s.

What does "embracing a dynamical process and having an open-minded approach" mean?

We'll have more on the specifics in the next and future articles. We are just getting started.

"CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf" for you and your company.

A few closing comments and clarifications…

Given last Friday's press conference and the last three months of the media entertainment circus do you really think Tiger Woods is a good role model for the "LEADERSHIP Based on The Game of Golf" series?

Yes I do. While initially disoriented by the revelations I realize he is the best example of performance-based success in the game whether or not he ever plays the game again.

I know he was sincere in his recent words. Taking a moral inventory and making amends is a difficult thing to do especially with the world watching. He is committed to repairing the damage to his wife Elin and their two children. A mother does not embrace a child otherwise. Hence the need to respect his privacy and give his the time and space needed to get healthy.

Maybe the real message here is for anyone with a major life problem to take the initiative to seek out help in terms of the company's Employee Assistance Program. Without Tiger's financial security, a major episode or conviction which will surely come may initiate a downward spiral one is unable to recover from.

Need help? Call your EAP advisor.

While Tiger's performance is inspiring I think his comeback from this predicament will be even more inspiring to many more people in the world.

John Daly is our hero—why are you criticizing John Daly?

Well first of all I did not intend to criticize John Daly.

On a God-given talent only basis I compared his record to that of Tiger Woods.

I also pointed out it does depend on where you start in life and most would agree some of the people in John's life did not have his best interests at heart. Even he has publically stated as much.

But for anybody in this world, the sky is the limit no matter where you started.

John's success is greater than most though relatively less when compared to Tiger.

Good golfing, living, and working... until next time.

PLEASE NOTE 1: The first article in the series can be found at the following link:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/319499-exclusive-series-pga-tour-branded-leadership

PLEASE NOTE 2: For clarification purposes this series of informative articles is NOT officially licensed with or being promoted by the PGA TOUR. CORPORATE LEADERSHIP Inspired by The Game of Golf" is an inspired type of leadership and corporate culture based on the game of golf and exemplified by golfers competing in PGA TOUR events.

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]