Effective leaders know how to fly in the face of conventional wisdom.  However, some processes need to have a degree of predictability.  Sometimes we hit long, straight drives, and other times we end up in the trees or lake.  Sometimes we make the right decisions after listening to other's input and influence as well as recalling past experiences.

When our golf game is not what we want it to be, we sometimes seek the advice of golf pro, or we try to model our swing like one of the tour professionals.  However, many times this still does not improve our game.  No two people's body style, flexibility and mechanics are the same. We are better off adapting to our own body type and mechanics, instead of trying to adopt someone else's.

There are lessons we can learn when we standardize a process that was formerly random.  What we must do as golfers, and leaders, is develop a sequence of steps that, while difficult at first, become natural.  Once we have that standardization, we can take steps to improve the process, whether it be our golf game or the decision making process.  We can take from our strengths and build on them to improve our game or our decision making.

But don't confuse structure as being rigid.  Much like a golf swing, there are various ways to hit a golf ball, yet we have to follow a sequence of steps to swing the club.  However, when we have a "bad lie" we have to be creative in order to hit our best shot.  While maintaining the same basic swing structure, we have to be creative in our stance and whether we used a wood or a particular iron.

When I coach a client, I have some basic structured processes I follow.  There are core competencies that I should adhere to as a member of the coaching profession.  But not all my clients are the same nor are the issues they are trying to improve upon the same. As a matter of fact, the challenges they are having can vary from coaching session to coaching session, and usually do.  Working within coaching core competencies, I have to be flexible and adapt to the discussion. As they say in coaching, I have to "dance in the moment," go where the client wants to go, and do it within the coaching structure.  These variations are what make coaching fun and rewarding.

In golf, must use my basic talents, body type, flexibility, etc. I have to continue practicing and trying to improve my game.  A basically structured swing will work in most situations.  I must also try to adapt to the different types of challenges I will face on the course.  It could be a bunker shot, a shot from a bad lie, the need to hit the ball left to right or land it softly on the green without it rolling too far.  I have to adapt to these situations and yet maintain the basic swing structure.  To be successful at these difficult shots requires practice, and sometimes professional lessons.  I try to keep from slipping back.

When conducting coaching sessions my clients drive the discussion by prioritizing the more serious challenges that are causing the most problems.  It is important to help my clients create a vision of what they want to achieve and improve on.  These changes take time, sometimes months, but having a vision for the future of what he or she wants to accomplish is essential.  It is much like a golfer with a vision or goal of what he wants to accomplish on a given hole, or in a round of golf. Coaching is not a onetime event; it takes time for clients to adapt to lasting changes and behaviors.

What we learn from this hole is that we must identify the process we go through when making decisions.  We should focus on the process, align it and improve it.  We should also prioritize and be patient: change and improvement will come.  Change will require discipline and practice (or training), and we must always review where we are with the process.  It's like going to the driving range and working on the basics of our golf swing and practicing on creating innovative shots.  Having knowledge of the basics is necessary to improving all aspects of our leadership skills and our golf game.

So now go improve your processes.  I'll see you on the next tee, when we'll talk about keeping an accurate score.

Take care.