The 3 Golfers on the Green

Building a successful organization—whether in sales, an athletics department, or sports—starts with building the right culture. Discover how to shape your organization’s culture in a free seminar from Michael Lombardi on July 10th at 4:30 p.m. EST/1:30 p.m. PST. Spaces are limited to the first 400 registrants, see details below. 

Three golfers took to a putting green one afternoon as part of an experiment.

A camera was set up, and they were wired so their psychological and physiological stress levels could be monitored.

The first golfer was a local weekend player. He sank nine out of 17 putts.

“That was great,” he said.

The second was one of the top-ranked players in the world. He made 15 out of 17 putts, though he objected.

“I hit and committed to 16 balls,” he said. “One of them just didn’t go in. I can’t explain it. But I made 16 greats putts.”

The third was a club pro. He made 14 out of 17, but by the end, he was aggravated.

“That was so hard,” he said. “You were watching. You had a clipboard. My brain was wired. You’re measuring my heart rate. There was a camera in front of me. That was so hard.”

The experiment, detailed recently by acclaimed performance psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais on the “Curious Minds at Work” podcast, offers a critical lesson.

The weekend golfer mostly enjoyed himself because he had somewhat low expectations. The high-level pro was intensely wired and far more focused on process than result.

But the club pro couldn’t internally manage the pressure of the moment.

“He connected his identity with his performance,” Gervais said. “He over-identified with being the expert. When he was putting, his identity was under threat.”

To Gervais, the experiment essentially has two key takeaways:

1. Develop the skills to untie your self-worth from the outcome

We often believe that going all-in on an endeavor and increasing our commitment is the key to better results. But seldom do we consider the unintended consequences of the all-or-nothing approach, of adding additional pressure to the already arduous task.

The elite in any industry can balance between relentless pursuit of a quest with knowing that its outcome doesn’t ultimately define them.

2. Recognize what makes you, you

In our leadership worlds, we’re typically judged on profits and losses, victories and defeats. But when our self-image is stable, we’re less tempted to rely on these metrics as the sole indicators of our skillsets and capabilities.

The best leaders can objectively assess their own performances while being realistic about their unique strengths — even when the scoreboard doesn’t show what they want it to.

“The historical greats do not let the external world dictate their internal experience,” Gervais said.

“What makes you, you is very different than the activities you do,” he added. “When you can de-couple those two, there is incredible freedom on the other side.”

Learning to Lead: How Championship Teams Build Culture

Feel like you’re pulling teeth to squeeze out a little more performance from your staff or team? On July 10th, 3x Super Bowl-winning NFL executive, Michael Lombardi, will present “Learning to Lead: How Championship Teams Build Culture.” 

Learn how to re-shape your culture, including establishing higher standards, more accountability, and a winning mindset from championship teams during this special, live seminar. Presented by Michael Lombardi and the Daily Coach Network.

Don’t miss your chance to shape your business’ culture. 

1. Attend the presentation on July 10th at 4:30 p.m. EST/1:30 p.m. PST

2. Identify ways to improve standards, accountability, and mindset at your business

3. Re-shape your culture into one that lasts. 

Spaces are limited to the first 400 registrants—reserve your free spot now. 

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