Do this

Hello, friends.

Last month, Sandhills Highlanders Golf started its second season. It’s impressive how much our team has expanded—we now have over twice as many players, seventeen in total, from middle and high school.

This expansion presents a novel coaching obstacle unseen during our first season. The range of skill levels is now diverse. Our Division-One-bound, top-ranked players share the practice course with players who are just beginning to golf. Last season’s team was comprised of only seasoned competitors with established rankings. Coaching part-time and asynchronously across the broad spectrum of skills is an interesting challenge and fun learning experience. I hope to write more about it in the future.

As a coach or business leader, your influence on the outcome is significantly less than as a player. You cannot control the execution. You don’t just have execution risk—you also have the challenge of reacting to the present reality of your players. I can’t believe for them. I can’t hit the shots for them. I can’t accept the results for them. I have to trust them and give them grace, knowing they’ll make mistakes.

This experience has shown me how much grace my own coaches and parents gave me throughout my development. It reveals the Lord’s remarkable patience with me as I stumble, despite my earnest attempts.

It’s hard. Coaching golf teams isn’t that different from coaching teams in business. The stakes in business are even higher, with ripples that reach further. Careers, livelihoods, relationships, and communities are impacted by leadership decisions.

I tend to be too passive as a coach. My business partner, Marty, is challenging me to be more active——getting closer to the action by providing clear and concise direction, which doesn’t come naturally anymore. Somewhere along the way, I went from the micro-managing ditch to the (almost) absentee ditch.

But sometimes that’s what’s needed. You need to simply say, “do this.” They own the “how,” but you’re telling them the “what”.

Last week, I was coaching in a golf tournament and had to tell my players to manage shots in a certain way. They still need to own what shots to hit and execute them, but from my vantage point and pervious experience, I knew the right target. It wasn’t up for debate.

This direct approach stretches me.

Unless it’s in matters of eternity, I tend to see problems as having multiple solutions that can produce good outcomes. However, at times, there is a single best path forward that requires clear direction combined with collaborative implementation. Whether it’s golf, business, or something else, the art of coaching is about understanding your people, responding to situations, and having the adaptability to adjust your approach to what each moment demands.

Seen, heard, or read anything interesting? Is there anything you’re digging right now?

Been great catching up.

Talk soon,
David

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