|
||||||||
| Who's Your Caddy? by Steve Vaught |
|
We were all walking down the 12th fairway at the Glen Oaks Country Club. It was the Pro-Am event at the Principal Charity Classic and my volunteer duty was to keep score 
for the professional golfer and the team of amateurs with which he had been paired.
As the amateurs searched for their drives, the professional’s caddy wandered over to chat during the break in play.
“What do you do for a living?” he inquired.
“I’m a business consultant.” I replied.
A large grin spread across his face as he looked me straight in the eyes and philosophized, “Well then, we’re in the same business!”
Over the next several holes, I thought about this simple, yet extremely profound statement. I pondered over the ways a business consultant and a professional golf caddy are, indeed, similar:
Objectivity: While definitely part of the team, a caddy has to be objective, see the entire picture, and be tactfully truthful to garner the best outcome. Whether it’s reading a tricky putt, helping decide the best way to attack a situation, or just being a sounding board. A fresh set of eyes and ears can be invaluable to help deliver success.
Information: Where are the flagsticks placed today? How far to that hazard? How will the weather affect today’s performance? A caddy brings to the professional certain information which is essential to navigating through that day’s competition. The quality of the relationship is a huge factor in the ability to trust and follow the advice being dispensed.
Focus: In receiving trusted information from an objective and truthful source, the player is able to stay focused on the matters at hand – making the best stroke possible. I’ve often heard professional caddies give a “last thought” to their player just before a shot: “Trust your swing.” “Smooth and easy.” “Nothing but good thoughts.” Continual reminders, reinforcement, and feedback assist the player in shutting out the distractions and focusing on business.
Execution: Even the best caddy in the world can only help so much. The actual execution of the plan – the golf shot – has to be made by the player. It’s a team effort only to the point of action. That can’t be outsourced. The player must take ownership and take the actions necessary to produce the desired outcome.
The best professional golfers in the world need a trusted partner in their caddy. Even though they’ve been playing the game, at the highest level, for many years, professionals realize the probability of business success is greatly diminished without their objective, informative partner. They can’t reach their optimum performance alone.
So, who’s your caddy?