180 Golf and the Game of Leadership ners picked up their bags and started to walk off the tee. But not Charlie. He proceeded to hit a third, fourth, fifth, sixth and finally a seventh shot. Seven balls in the water! All the while, his playing partners are saying, ‘‘Take a drop, let’s go.’’ Charlie slammed his driver in his bag and without a word headed in the direction of where his last ball had crossed the water. His partners headed down the fairway. To their amazement, when Charlie reached the water, he took his bag of clubs and pitched it as far as he could out into the pond. He watched it sink, and without a word, or a wave, headed for the parking lot. Charlie’s buddies did what real golfers do under such cir- cumstances. They played on. As they putted out on the green, they saw Charlie heading back to where he had thrown the clubs in the water. Charlie strode to the water’s edge and, without breaking stride, into the water. Didn’t take off his shoes or roll his pant legs up. He was obviously trying to spot his bag. Then he reached down and pulled the bag out of the water. His partners cheered and applauded as the bag broke the water. Charlie held the bag in the air. He unzipped a pocket, reached in, pulled something out, and stuck it in his pant’s pocket. He lifted the golf bag over his head and once again threw it out into the pond. Charlie turned, walked out of the water, and headed back to the parking lot. Golfers can be frustrated by new tee locations, tree plantings, poor sand-trap maintenance, aerated greens, and so on, but most adapt. They don’t let themselves become victims of the changes. Leaders can be frustrated too by the pace of change on the Global Leadership Course. There is a lot happening around them over which they have no control. The game is more difficult, complex, and competitive. You know, the last time you played the hole you could hit it over the water! 10589$ CH15 02-23-04 16:45:35 PS 181 Accept Change: Adapt To be sure, Charlie lost control. He let his frustration over- come him. He lost the ability to laugh at himself. He just plain failed to learn from his repeated missed shots. Fortunately, he was able to retrieve his car keys! You cannot afford to be a victim of change. You cannot throw away the keys to survival in the global marketplace. In fact your best defense against the inevitability of change is to go on offense, that is learning to welcome change, seeking it out, being an advo- cate of continuous improvement, and enjoying the challenge change brings. Your positive example will influence your followers and help them to effectively deal with change. SARAH The difficulty is not so much that change occurs. It is that many individuals have difficulty in accepting and adapting to it, as with the gravity feed system or a new tee location. People need help in adapting to new circumstances. Changes run the gamut from the very minor one, hardly even a blip on one’s radar screen, to the significantly major ones that alter lives forever. In each and every case, people react to change in a predictable sequence. It is impor- tant for the leader to understand this sequence and to recognize that it applies to all change from the most insignificant to the most dramatic. It is even more important that leaders help those in their sphere of influence adapt to necessary change. The se- quence of emotional reaction to change is identified by the acro- nym SARAH. When Ann and I concluded that she was indeed pregnant with Kevin after five children, and nine years since the birth of Lisa, the youngest, we went into SHOCK. We both expressed some ANGER that our settled family situation was about to change. Of course we commiserated with each other and offered up the typical, ‘‘this cannot be happening to us.’’ In other words we went into REJECTION. As we worked on this ‘‘significant change’’ to our family life, we got help from the rest of the family. Ann began by telling each of the children that we were going to experience a blessed event. Mark, the oldest at 17, was first. His 10589$ CH15 02-23-04 16:45:35 PS 182 Golf and the Game of Leadership reaction was one of surprise but very positive. The others—Tim, Kathy, Dave, and Lisa—jumped on board as well in word and action. Kathy and Lisa went with Ann on visits to the obstetrician. Mark subbed for me at Lamaze class when I was out of town, and Tim served as the ‘‘family sitter’’ when needed. In short, everyone was involved and ACCEPTANCE of our family change went well. Others use the SARA—without the ‘‘H’’—acronym to explain the change process. Note that I refer to it as the biblical SARAH, after our granddaughter, Sarah. And the reason is important. Let me explain. People naturally react to change in the manner described by the SARA sequence. You should expect that they will. You need to exercise emotional restraint and allow them to express Shock, Anger, and Rejection on the way to Acceptance. Then, and this is so important, as leader you must provide individuals the ‘‘H’’ in SARAH, and that is HOPE. Hope in a future that will be better than the present. Kevin gave that to our family in many ways. We experienced SARAH and we adapted. Golf: Thy Name Is Adapt Golfers cannot be afraid of change. On the contrary, golf is a game where the very best players engage in never-ending self-criticism, self-reflection, and self-correction. They are also constantly adapt- ing to changes in courses, conditions, equipment, or physical ca- pacity. The best golfers spend a lot of time looking at themselves in the mirror to check their swings. They may even have invented the notion of continuous improvement. They provide the model for the leader who must adapt in times of change. As mentioned when we played ࠻8, Tiger Woods continuously seeks to further perfect his golf swing. Tiger won the 1997 Masters Tournament by 12 strokes and a record low score of 270. After celebrating the win, he looked for any flaw in his swing and saw about ten! He then took a year to overhaul his swing and in an- other two years ‘‘played by far the best golf of my life.’’ The golf 10589$ CH15 02-23-04 16:45:36 PS 183 Accept Change: Adapt swing is always a work in progress, requiring adaptation and con- tinuous improvement to be the best it can be. Leaders need to demonstrate the willingness to adapt and im- prove their leadership skills, just as the golfer regularly checks golf swing mechanics. In addition to providing and receiving feedback, as discussed on hole ࠻14, you should make the deliberate effort to seek it out. Such effort can lead to improving organization processes, follower success, and your personal leadership success. For help, consult with leaders whom you respect. Talk with leaders who have a style different from yours and are successful. Seek out those who want you to succeed and get their perceptions. And finally, discuss your leadership with people who have observed you in a variety of assignments over an extended period of time. Listen, and hear what they have to say. Consider their inputs. You’ll be reinforced in your leadership effort and have ideas to consider for the adaptation and improvement of your leadership swing! Dead Horses Can’t Run Our mission statement for the continuing education division at The University of Toledo was ‘‘quality education for quality per- formance.’’ If only leaders spent as much time as golfers in this quest they would probably follow traditional wisdom, which says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strat- egy is to dismount! However, the general lack of concern for de- veloping leadership effectiveness within organizations—because ‘‘we simply don’t have the time or money to spend on ‘‘soft skills’’—leads organizations to try these and other excerpts from the anonymously penned ‘‘Other Strategies with Dead Horses.’’ 1. Buy a bigger whip. 2. Change riders. 3. Say things like ‘‘this is the way we have always ridden this horse.’’ 10589$ CH15 02-23-04 16:45:36 PS 184 Golf and the Game of Leadership 4. Appoint a committee to study the horse. 5. Increase the standards for riding dead horses. 6. Appoint a team to revive the dead horse. 7. Create a training session to increase our riding ability. 8. Compare the state of dead horses in today’s environment. 9. Change the requirements by declaring ‘‘this horse is not dead.’’ 10. Hire consultants to ride the dead horse. 11. Harness several dead horses together for increased speed. 12. Promote the dead horse to a senior management posi- tion. The difference between those organizations that make it in the ‘‘new realities of global organizational life’’ and those that don’tis the cultivation of leaders with the ability to facilitate transitions: their own, the organization’s, and those of their fellow employees. These leaders have the ability to adapt to new or modified sur- roundings in the same way the golfer adapts to a swing change, a new golf course, or changes in the weather. As a leader, you also need to be proactive. Tiger Woods changed his golf game after winning the Masters, causing people to wonder, ‘‘what’s he doing?’’ You need to be careful of ‘‘if it ain’t broke there’s no need to fix it,’’ just as our diesel engine firm learned. They needed an ‘‘oil change’’ and didn’t recognize it because everything was running so smoothly. Today’s organizations need leaders who can make change happen. Such leaders are the focus of this book. You, the leader of people, can do the job. You have to be focused, flexible, and adaptable. You need to understand and deal with the effects of SARAH when change occurs. You need to be a realistic decision maker who understands that people have to accept decisions in order for them to really work. You are motivated by results just as the golfer is, and you are dedicated to playing the Global Leader- ship Course in par or better. Like all of us, you’ll need help along the way. 10589$ CH15 02-23-04 16:45:37 PS 185 Accept Change: Adapt Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. Will Rogers, humorist Quick Tips for Improving Your Leadership Game Real leaders typically understand and model the following in their day-to-day actions: ■ See adversity, bad bounces, and landing in divots as chal- lenges to overcome. ■ In times of change be very proactive in communicating to your people and dispel false rumors. ■ Reward innovative efforts aimed at continuous improve- ment, even when they don’t work out well. Edison failed innumerable times before succeeding. 10589$ CH15 02-23-04 16:45:37 PS 5 16 Caddies, Coaches, and Teams Life is tough but it’s tougher if you’re stupid. John Wayne ‘‘Stupid’’ is defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary and The- saurus as being ‘‘senseless, brainless, shallow, imprudent, illogical, foolish, irresponsible, misguided, narrow-minded, irrational, and unintelligent’’ and with other not so complimentary descriptors. Stupid leaders are those who do not realize the value and contri- butions of the caddie, the coach, and the team! Here’s something to think about: 1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world. 2. Name the last three winners of the Miss America contest. 3. Name five people who have won either a Nobel or Pulitzer prize. 186 10589$ CH16 02-23-04 16:45:34 PS 187 Caddies, Coaches, and Teams 4. Name the last five mayors of your town. 5. Name the last three Oscar winners for best supporting actor or actress. 6. Name the World Series winners of the past decade. How did you do? I did terribly! The point is, fame is fleeting and we don’t pay much attention to the headliners of yesterday. We’re talking about the best in their fields or competitions. They fade away rather quickly. Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one. 1. Name three friends who have helped you through a diffi- cult time. 2. Name a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special. 3. Name the five best teachers you’ve had in school or in your organization life. 4. Name the three best bosses you’ve worked with. 5. Name five people you enjoy spending time with. 6. Name the group of people with whom you have accom- plished the most. Easier than the first quiz? For your sake, I certainly hope so. And the lesson is? The people who make a real difference to us, and for us, are not the famous, the wealthy, or the award winners. The ones who mean the most, the ones we have little difficulty in remembering, the ones we never forget, are the ones who care about us. The Global Leadership Course is a tough one to play, and as a leader you have to go out and play it every day. You shouldn’t play it alone. In fact, if you try to play it without the support of caddies, coaches, and teams of followers you will not succeed. You’ll also need to be a caddie, a coach, and a team member. Lead and Help, Help and Lead On this hole we’re going to look at the help we get in leading and the help we need to give as leaders. Here are some annotated 10589$ CH16 02-23-04 16:45:34 PS 188 Golf and the Game of Leadership definitions, with apologies to Webster’s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus, to keep in mind as we discuss caddies, coaches, and teams. ■ Caddie. One who attends a golfer [leader], carrying the clubs [providing help and support, doing the heavy lifting]. ■ Coach. An instructor or trainer [i.e., a vehicle to transport very important persons from where they are to where they want to be]. ■ Team. Two or more horses [a workgroup] harnessed to the same plow [goals and expectations] in cooperative activity. Caddies First Let’s begin with the origin of caddies. Piecing together history and golf legend, here’s a story. Mary, Queen of Scots, lived in France as a young girl for her education and protection. Her father, King James IV of Scotland, was an enthusiastic golfer. Mary inherited his love of the game and, while in France from 1548 to 1558, went to school and played golf for enjoyment. She was properly chaperoned as she played and was guarded by cadets from a mili- tary school hired for the purpose. Mary liked this a lot, and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea for her in the long run) she took the practice with her. In French, the word ‘‘cadet’’ is pronounced ‘‘ca-day’’ and the Scots changed it to ‘‘caddie.’’ Adopting French terms was not unusual for the Scots. If you have a better story let me know. Each of you could develop an extensive list of people who have ‘‘caddied’’ for you over the years. The list would include relatives, friends, teachers, associates, bosses, and so on. The list should probably include all those whom you have followed, either because they were in authority, or because you were motivated to do so. All have influenced you in some way. If I were to ask you to list these people—especially your past bosses whom you served for a sufficient amount of time—you could do it. 10589$ CH16 02-23-04 16:45:34 PS 189 Caddies, Coaches, and Teams I wager you could also describe them in a very few words, like one or two. For example, my first boss was in the nursery/ landscaping business. I worked for him during summer vacation when I was 16. He was ‘‘dishonest.’’ My last formal boss was ‘‘gut- less.’’ In between, lest you feel sorry for me or think I caused their poor leadership behavior, I was fortunate to have some very good leaders as caddies and coaches. Develop your own list. You’ll have fun doing it. It will tell you a lot about who you are and how you got there. Praise for Scottish Caddies My friend, Mike Maggiano, and his golfing buddies went to the United Kingdom for golf and to attend the last two days of the 2003 British Open Championship. I called him after his return for a trip report. They had a great time. If you are a real golfer, you’d enjoy knowing, or enviously knowing, they played Troon, Turn- berry, Carnoustie, Old and New St. Andrews, and a course I had not heard of, named Kings Barns. Mike described it as being hailed as the finest new golf course in the world. Must be some- thing! Mike commented on the Scottish caddies who helped him and his friends as they played these courses. In short, he said, ‘‘The caddies were great everywhere we played. They really helped us to achieve the greatest success we could within our skill levels.’’ He said they demonstrated a confidence in their abilities as cad- dies that you don’t see in the United States. ‘‘They kept us opti- mistic about our play,’’ added Mike, ‘‘knowing we were nervous about playing such historic courses. On every course, the caddies were able to recognize our capabilities and then helped us to play within them. They added immeasurably to the fun we had playing.’’ How good a job do you do as a leader to ‘‘recognize (your people’s) capabilities and then (help them) play within them?’’ How good a job does your leadership do in this regard? 10589$ CH16 02-23-04 16:45:35 PS . PS 182 Golf and the Game of Leadership reaction was one of surprise but very positive. The others—Tim, Kathy, Dave, and Lisa—jumped on board as well in word and action bag. Then he reached down and pulled the bag out of the water. His partners cheered and applauded as the bag broke the water. Charlie held the bag in the