15 - FORE Golf
50 Years, 50 Lessons
Lesson 15: FORE Golf
Those who know me know I like to golf.
Not always because of the golf per se, but always because of the walk and the outdoors.
My golf swing came out of a long history of playing baseball. The mechanics are similar. Weight transfer, hip rotation, whip, head down, chin tucked, smooth, controlled, wrist roll, follow-through. And the physics are similar too – the harder you swing does not mean the farther the ball will go.
The difference is that baseball should be way harder. The ball is MOVING.
Yet, when the ball is sitting there…in the grass, rough, forest, on the tee box, on the tee, it is STILL. How can that be so difficult? Well, it is.
And I think that is why I like it. It’s hard to be good at, and I like to be good at things that are hard.
But let me explain how golf benefited me in business.
On the golf course:
There is a lot of protected time. You, them, the course. Several hours. You can really get to know someone. Golf-cart chats are very connecting.
You get to see another side of people. If someone becomes unhinged because a little white ball didn’t go very far, that is telling.
It is a vulnerable space to show up and try something you might not be great at. That effort shows character.
Learning and growing together through sport improves relationships (except for the unhinged part).
There are other behaviours you can pick up on to help you decide if your golfing partners are the type of person for you – in life or business. Are they on their phone constantly? Do they show up late? Appear disorganized? Drink excessively? Have poor etiquette? Are they rude to vendors at the holes? Mistreat the equipment or the course?
I have met many people on the golf course and have built several work relationships there, too. But that requires engagement:
Talk to people in your group.
Introduce yourself to the people behind you or in front of you if you are all waiting at the same hole.
Talk to the vendors who have sponsored the tournament or who are at the holes trying to tell you about their business.
Putting yourself out there, golf included, is a necessary part of building a business and finding your people, colleagues, customers, clients, partners, and vendors. And yes, there are other options for this type of connection, too.
Sales and marketing can look however you want. But for me? It looks like a little white dimpled ball hit many, many times.
Your turn:
What are other go-tos for connecting with the people you work with?
To All: Thank you for being on this journey with me – past, present, and future.
Julie
