Positive Leadership: Hard Work Pays Off!

The best people in any field are those who devote the most hours to what the researchers call "deliberate practice." It's activity that's explicitly intended to improve performance, that reaches for objectives just beyond one's level of competence, provides feedback on results and involves high levels of repetition.

For example: Simply hitting a bucket of balls is not deliberate practice, which is why most golfers don't get better. Hitting an eight-iron 300 times with a goal of leaving the ball within 20 feet of the pin 80% of the time, continually observing results and making appropriate adjustments, and doing that for hours every day - that's deliberate practice.

Tiger Woods is a textbook example of what the research shows. Because his father introduced him to golf at an extremely early age - 18 months - and encouraged him to practice intensively, Woods had amassed at least 15 years of practice by the time he became the youngest-ever winner of the U.S. Amateur Championship, at age 18. Also in line with the findings, he has never stopped trying to improve, devoting many hours a day to conditioning and practice, even remaking his swing twice because that's what it took to get even better.

The result? Here is the video of Tiger Woods's dramatic chip-in for birdie on the 16th hole in the final round of the recent Memorial Tournament. Woods went on to win by two shots and tie Jack Nicklaus with 73 career PGA Tour victories.

Positive Leadership: Hard Work Pays Off!

Positive Leadership: Passion and Attitude

Tiger Woods returned to the winners circle this past weekend and demonstrated in the process why his passion and attitude are so important to both winning and the world of professional golf!

Positive Leadership: Passion and Attitude

Positive Leadership and Elite Sport

Positive Leadership Limited helps leaders throughout an organisation excel under pressure. Our advice assists clients solve critical strategic issues, accelerate growth and enhance financial performance. We equip leaders at all levels with the values, confidence and practical skills necessary to succeed and win consistently in a highly competitive environment.  

The Values of Positive Leadership™ are the keys to unlocking the strategy for delivering high performance and optimum results under pressure. We draw extensively on thought leadership from international business and elite sport in our consulting work. 

For more information on how our advice might help you and your team excel under pressure, please contact: graham.watson@positiveleadership.co.uk

Positive Leadership and Elite Sport

Positive Leadership's Gavin Hastings and Tiger Woods

If you look closely you will see Positive Leadership's Gavin Hastings on the same green as Tiger Woods yesterday in Shanghai. The Positive Leadership message is certainly travelling far and wide!

Positive Leadership's Gavin Hastings and Tiger Woods

Earl and Tiger

Earl and Tiger

Leadership Means Acting as a Role Model

‘AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Scandal-hit Tiger Woods has failed to live up to expectations as a role model, Augusta National Golf Club chairman Billy Payne said on Wednesday.

In an unexpected departure from the southern reserve Payne usually displays at his pre-U.S. Masters news conferences, he said one of the world's most marketable sportsmen would be judged in the future by the sincerity of his efforts to change.

"Our hero did not live up to the expectations of the role model we saw for our children," said Payne.

"It is not simply the degree of his conduct that is so egregious here, it is the fact he disappointed all of us and more importantly our kids and our grand kids."

The disgraced Woods is returning to professional golf this week after a break of nearly five months, following startling revelations he had had a string of extra-marital affairs.

"Is there a way forward? I hope yes," Payne said. "I think yes. But certainly his future will never again be measured only by his performance against par but measured by the sincerity of his efforts to change.

"I hope he now realises that every kid he passes on the course wants his swing but would settle for his smile."

World number one Woods, whose golfing dominance has placed him in the pantheon of sporting greats since he turned professional in 1996, had his squeaky-clean image ripped apart after he crashed his car in the middle of the night in November.

In a highly anticipated news conference at Augusta on Monday, he took full responsibility for the marital infidelities which led to his fall from grace and he pledged to be more respectful of the game.

"He forgot in the process to remember that with fame and fortune comes responsibility, not invisibility," Payne said. "I hope he can come to understand that life's greatest rewards are reserved for those who bring joy to the lives of other people.

"We at Augusta hope and pray our great champion will begin his new life here tomorrow in a positive, hopeful and constructive manner but this time with a significant difference from the past."

Woods, a four-times champion at Augusta, is scheduled to tee off in the penultimate group in Thursday's opening round with fellow American Matt Kuchar and South Korean KJ Choi.’ 

Leadership Means Acting as a Role Model

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods’ news conference recently revealed that he is a long way from completing his journey toward healing himself and his personal life.  There was a searing honesty in Tiger’s words that suggest a genuine desire to repair his personal life, even at the cost of his golf career achievements.  Tiger would not say when he would return to the golf course, and at age 34, the clock is ticking on his quest to eclipse Jack Nicklaus’s records.

If there is one thing we learned last week, it is that Tiger Woods is just as hungry to achieve the same success off the golf course as he has achieved on the golf course.   How many world-class athletes put their careers on hold until they get their personal houses in order?  Very few if any.  If Tiger fulfils his personal goals with the same relentless drive that he’s shown with his professional goals, we’ll be witness to a remarkable transformation. We wish him well.

Tiger Woods

Athletes as Role Models

Why is it that more professional athletes seem to be struggling to maintain one key ingredient in their lives – integrity?

Days of Grace is the memoir of the late pro tennis great Arthur Ashe. The book outlines Ashe’s final years after it was learned he was infected with the AIDS virus through a blood transfusion during a heart bypass operation in 1983. Ashe was able to keep the illness private until 1992. He died in early 1993.

Ashe epitomised integrity, both personally and professionally. What would Arthur Ashe say if he were able to provide insight on some of the latest story lines in professional sports?

How would Ashe react to someone like Michael Vick being given a chance to resurrect his tarnished image in the NFL? It certainly helps that Vick has someone in his corner whose personal integrity parallels that of Ashe. When you listen to Tony Dungy, you see a man who gets it today like Ashe got it then. Dungy and Ashe are examples that integrity can co-exist in professional sports. Does Vick get it? Public opinion is still out.

What would Ashe say to gun-carrying Gilbert Arenas of the NBA's Washington Wizards? Several incidents involving guns and pro athletes in the USA over the past few years have fuelled public perception that some carry handguns around like women carry purses!

What would Ashe think of the soap opera that has become Tiger Woods’ world? It is anybody’s guess how the Woods saga will unfold over the next year. A billion-dollar image is now mired in alleged infidelity with multiple women.

Professional athletes who feel they are above the law or public scrutiny have been around for years in the UK and the USA. In baseball, home run records established by Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds are now tarnished milestones?

More professional athletes need to work on expressions of solid character and less on expressing themselves as a human canvas for tattoo artists. After the career is over nobody will remember their body art. Athletes are remembered for character. 

Athletes as Role Models

Tiger Woods

'I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in....... I've had a lot of time to think about what I've done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It's now up to me to make amends, and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I've made. It's up to me to start living a life of integrity. I once heard, and I believe it's true, it's not what you achieve in life that matters; it's what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count.' 
Tiger Woods, 19 February 2010

Tiger Woods

Character – The Key to Sustaining Leadership Momentum

John C. Maxwell is an internationally respected leadership expert, speaker, and author. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP, a non-profit organisation that has trained more than 5 million leaders in 126 countries worldwide. Here are his observations on the lessons to be learned from the troubles surrounding Tiger Woods at present.

'Tiger Woods exploded onto the national stage in 1997, when, as a 21-year old, he won golf's most prestigious event, the Masters. Not only did Tiger win the tournament, he shattered records along the way, making the world's best golfers look like amateurs. Within a year of becoming a professional golfer, Tiger had attained the sport's number one ranking.
 
Consistent Winning Produces Momentum

Early in 2001, Tiger captured his second Masters title to complete an unprecedented feat: winning all four of golf's major championships consecutively. Golf's popularity soared as its youthful star dominated event after event. People who had never before been interested in golf tuned in to see Tiger. Inspired by him, kids dragged their parents to the local golf course so that they could learn the game. Recreational golfers around the world patterned their swing after Tiger's while practicing on the driving range.

Advertisers flocked to Tiger's side to take advantage of his gathering momentum. He inked multi-million dollar deals to wear the Nike logo, hit Titlelist golf balls, and endorse everything from General Motors to American Express. Forbes described Tiger as "a marketer's dream." Virtually every product he pitched seemed to turn into gold. Thanks to his sizeable sponsorship deals, in September 2009, Fortune estimated that Tiger had become sports' first billionaire athlete.

Character Defects Halt Momentum

Tiger-mania came crashing to a halt in December 2009 after Woods had a bizarre traffic accident in his driveway. The incident initiated a cascade of rumours about Tiger's marital infidelity, which he later admitted. As news coverage intensified, more incriminating tidbits surfaced, and the scandal gained steam.

As this article is being written, a shamed Tiger remains in seclusion. By all accounts his marriage is in difficulty. Accenture and AT&T have already cut ties with him, while other advertisers such as Gillette and Tag Heuer have distanced themselves from Tiger by pulling his ads. As for golf, Woods has taken an indefinite leave of absence, and it remains to be seen if he will recover his on-the-course greatness.

Lessons Learned from Tiger's Tumble

1) Momentum can be a leader's best friend or a leader's worst enemy.

In his early days as a professional, Tiger Woods' hard work and talent earned him a flood of victories. As the wins mounted, Tiger's momentum took off. His confidence intimidated opponents, his personality attracted business deals, and every move he made seemed to draw the praise of an enraptured media.

Revelations of Tiger's behaviour have generated a mountain of negative momentum, which will be difficult for him to overcome. The tide of public opinion is now squarely against him. Whereas people used to cheer Tiger on to success, many will now root for him to fail. The influence he once had has been dealt a serious blow, and it will be an uphill struggle for him to regain it.

2) Momentum can reverse direction in an instant.

Momentum can be a fickle friend, changing sides at any moment. One day Tiger was being crowned as the athlete of the decade by the Associated Press. Then, seemingly overnight, his name was being dragged through the mud on every conceivable news outlet.

3) Winning generates momentum, but character sustains it.

Tiger's story is a cautionary tale about character. All of the momentum you build through decades of hard work and dedication can be erased if you do not craft the character to support it. Character is forged daily through the decisions we make. It comes from within and cannot be purchased. Be diligent about working on your character so that you become a person worth following and someone worthy of harnessing the momentum of success.

Character – The Key to Sustaining Leadership Momentum

The Reason Tiger Woods Is Number One

The Reason Tiger Woods Is Number One

Better Today than Yesterday - Tiger Woods

Most people are hugely impressed by Tiger Woods, who yesterday collected a $10 million bonus as the winner of the season long FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour.

Tiger is the greatest golfer of his generation, and most likely of all time. As with other super successful sports stars and Hollywood celebrities, he is driven to succeed.

The leadership question about Tiger is whether that drive is born from a desire to overcome some tragic past or flaw, or simply to be at one's best every day.  This ESPN interview provides an answer. The interview is almost 28 minutes long and is worth every moment.

Conversation with Tiger Woods

Here are the things that seem most impressive about what Tiger had to say:

1. Tiger is a man who values friendship and respect. His relationship with Steve Williams, his caddie, is a perfect example of a team where respect and trust matter.

2. Tiger is driven to be better tomorrow than he is today. It takes a deep reservoir of confidence to constantly put yourself in a position to fail so that you win.

3. Living in the moment is better and easier than watching it. Wow!. Let that sink in. How often do you live in the moment? There is a peacefulness, a quiet confidence that comes in knowing that at any moment you can be your best.

4. What may be the most amazing thing about Tiger Woods is his self-perception. He doesn't seem to be influenced by what others think of him. Scott Van Pelt, the ESPN interviewer is obviously friends with Tiger. There was a sort of awkwardness as they spoke on camera, for the record. It became clear that Tiger sees himself as possibly the greatest golfer of all time. He has the desire to become that, and so he is driven everyday to be his best. It isn't about being the best so you or I will acknowledge it. It is for his own self-perception. It may be that his focus away from what others think is what enables him to concentrate so well on the course.

In Jim Collins' 'Good to Great' chapter on the Hedgehog Concept, he sets up a way to organize one's self-perception in a practical way. There are three circles. One has to do with what you are passionate about, another that represents the economic engine of your passion, and the third that one thing that you are the best in the world at doing.

You don't have to be a champion golfer or the CEO of a FTSE 100 company to have the kind of drive to be better every day like Tiger does. That has nothing to do with what your talent may be, and everything to do with your character. What Tiger has is a paradoxical belief in both the nobility and importance of being the best, and a humility to recognize that his greatest opponent is his own character. That is what is most impressive about the man.

Share this video with people you know. Help them come to understand that they can achieve great things if they just focus on being better today than they were yesterday. That's all it takes.

Better Today than Yesterday - Tiger Woods

Leadership from Tiger Woods

Leaders and senior executives--here's a quote that will grab your attention. "I just can't wait until the season starts," said Tiger Woods, who won 7 events in 2007..."Obviously I've got a lot of room for improvement, which is great fun. My bad shots aren't as bad as they used to be. ...Just imagine if I could hit the ball the way I wanted to."

These words of wisdom appeared in the January 3, 2008 Sports section of The Washington Post. Tiger Woods believes that working towards his image of an improved self is fun. And in spite of all his accomplishments, he believes he needs to improve. The article also quotes other highly rated golf pros, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh, as having spent time over the winter working to improve the details of their game.

Are you a leader with a passion for improvement? A leader who says "in spite of years of experience, I still have room to grow."

Just think about the message that attitude sends to everyone who looks up to you. It's a message about dynamism, commitment, enthusiasm and optimism. "We can continue to get better, there are new things under the sun, we will stay engaged and make a difference."

Communication behavior, including your presentation style, is rooted in habits and repetition. Do you ever look closely at your speaking style and ask yourself how you can improve your swing, hit the ball more accurately, and more consistently reach the green and the cup? Taking a look at yourself through the eyes of a coach--just like Tiger, Phil, Jim and Vijay do--will make a difference in how you communicate and win in the game of leadership.

What leadership tips have you taken from the world of sports? Preparation, sportsmanship, team development and the like?

Leadership from Tiger Woods

'The Zone' separates the great from the good

Here is an intersting article about the space sportsmen call 'the zone' -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/uspga/5999707/US-PGA-a-dream-to-have-Tiger-Woods-and-Padraig-Harrington-in-the-zone.html

'The Zone' separates the great from the good

Tiger Woods on Goals

'There's nothing wrong with having your goals really high and trying to achieve them. That's the fun part. You may come up short. I've come up short on a lot of my goals but it's always fun to try and achieve them.'
' I know what I want to accomplish and I know how to get there. The ultimate goal is to be the best. Whether that's the best ever, who knows?'

Tiger Woods on Goals

Tiger Woods on Pressure

'I always feel pressure. If you don't feel nervous, you don't care about how you play. I care about how I perform. The day I'm not nervous playing is the day I'll quit.'

Tiger Woods on Pressure