Hello Leadership Challenge Fans,
I am just back from a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona where I took time to play some golf and recharge my battery. During those three rounds of golf, I was reminded of three lessons about leadership that might fit your life as a leader. Please realize that our crew plays “old man golf” which is a unique version of the classic game – refined to bring more joy and less frustration to everyone.
1. Mulligan – an extra stroke allowed after a poor shot, not counted on the scorecard. This is now a required element for me for having fun on the golf course. Taking a mulligan just means that you did not get it right the first time and you deserve a second chance. Leaders, at all levels, will do better when they give their followers a bit of grace and allow them the opportunity to get it right a second time.
2. Scramble Format – my buddies and I find golf to be most enjoyable when we play together in a scramble format. This means that our team of three players each hits a drive, then we select the best one of those drives and play from there. This format is fun because it is collaborative and because it minimizes your mistakes. Consider the power of collaboration in the workplace. Small teams of 2-4 people have more energy, and more creativity and often get better results than people working alone. Look for ways to bring synergy to your team – and a bit of fun.
3. Keep it light – The inventors of the game of golf created 18 holes of golf because there literally are 18 shots of whisky in each bottle. So, it follows that if you take a shot of whiskey on each hole, you would be in a good mood when you finish your round. I am not suggesting that you have a bottle of whiskey under your desk at work, what I am suggesting is that you keep things light. Celebrate the great shots, the near misses, and the balls that skip across the water onto the fairway on the other side. Add in something fun to your team meetings – a virtual puzzle, a riddle, an “Olympic” sport as seen on Instagram (#officeolympics). Look for ways to keep things light to make work more enjoyable.
Hoping that these insights make you curious about how you can tap into your inner golfer to bring your workplace to life in the coming weeks and months.
Hit ’em long and straight between now and then!
Tom
PS – Yes, I am smiling in this photo because I nearly knocked this pitch shot from 118 yards into the cup. One of only a very few impressive shots I hit during the trip – but the fellowship was great!
Quick Tip: Three Pennies to Encourage the Heart!
Encouraging others is not hard, it is just often overlooked due to busyness. Check out this resource from Kim Gibbons that will remind you to engage in this practice daily.
