For years, I have played golf with credit union CEOsand their executive teams all around the country. I've watched themplay 18 holes, shake hands at the conclusion of the round and headhome for the evening saying, “Wow, that was better than any day atthe office.”

I've often wondered, as the credit union executives drove home,“Did they realize that the four to five hours of golf were not justa day out of the office?”

In fact, the missed birdie opportunities and golf balls thatfound water hazards may have been an allegory for some of theissues in their organization that hinder growth. If so, playingeighteen holes may serve as an outside the box approach toidentifying some of your team's strategic focus concerns.

Believe it or not, golf is a perfect vehicle to providestrategic focus. Success on the course requires focus, awareness,patience, accuracy, honesty, luck…and some artistry.

So, here are three golf tips to help you reach Masters status atthe office.

Stay In the Present

In order for golfers to stay out of double bogey trouble, avoidhazards and finish with a solid round, they must consistentlyremind themselves to stay in the present. Staying in the present issimply a way to better observe circumstances, course conditions,and cope with playing companions that can wreak havoc on your mindand cause you to feed on negativity.

The key is to recognize when this is happening and to replacethe negative thoughts with positive ones, before youtake your next shot.

I call this a Zen moment. Practicing this under stressfulsituations in business means to relax and allow the negative forcesto ebb away.

As a result, you will no longer focus on negative events thathaven't yet occurred. With enough practice, staying in the presentwill become a habit. My team and I work at this daily.

Every Club Has a Purpose

A golf bag full of clubs is very much like a Swiss Army Knife,where each club serves a specific role and purpose.

The steadiness and predictability of your accounting team may beviewed similar to that of a reliable 3-wood.

Because the lending department is responsible for the majorityinflux of revenue, they can be viewed much like the putter. Letthem keep putting for dough and closing out each monthly loangoal.

When driving for show is what you need, look to your marketingdepartment and CEO to be your driver off the tee. Together they setand deliver your brand and create awareness among credit unionmembers and non-members alike.

Each team and specific function in your credit union is unique.Just like the clubs in your bag, they all play an important role todeliver the best results possible.

Awareness and Adjustment

The core purpose of a strategic plan is to help a credit unionfocus on long-range success. A bogey on the first hole is not areason to jettison your whole strategic game plan. Likewise, minorROA underperformance in January is not a sole reason to overhaulyour whole business plan.

Remember, there are always hazards and changing conditions onthe course leading to some bad shots during your round. Becomeaware of the issues and environments that lead to poor results onthe course and with your teams at work. Regroup, focus, and makesmall adjustments.

Awareness of lackluster performance in golf may lead to theunderstanding that it's more effective to use the 3-wood off thefirst tee rather than your driver, or a eight-iron just off thegreen instead of a sand-wedge.

When you play your next round of golf, or even your first round,consider how the game of golf and your approach to it can fit intoyour next leadership discussions.

Larry Hayes is CEO of CU Holding Company
Contact
(913) 310-9292 or [email protected]