My wife recently accepted a director-level position with a trade association, and she is in the process of preparing her department’s budget. In a review meeting, it was pointed out that she didn’t have any funds allocated for her personal staff development (she included funding for her other staffers, but not herself). She was told that the chief exec was very pro-staff development and that she needed to add something. Off the top of her head, she said “What about golf lessons? Everyone here plays golf – all of the staff execs, all of the officers. Meetings are scheduled at primo courses around tee times. I feel I’m missing a major opportunity in my professional development as a young, female executive because all of my potential mentors are out there playing golf.”
Everybody had a chuckle, and moved on. But she wants to know if there’s some legitimacy to the idea that the real business goes on on the golf course and if learning to play golf should be part of her staff development plan, even if the company doesn’t cover it.
Absolutely beyond a shadow of a doubt! She should definitley learn - at least for now - the terms associated with the game. She should also learn the game itself.
I am an instructor at a small liberal arts college, however, I also own my own design business and much of the contract deals and fine details of major deals are done on a golf course. I am not a good golfer by any means, but I know that psychologically, being on a golf course to discuss major business is an absolute given. It is also a good way to loosen prospective clients up, and practice a little humility…Something that is lacking in most board rooms.
I would say your wife should learn to play for sure! Plus, once you play a few times and realize is takes some practice and humility, one actually starts to like the game itself. I neevr thought I would like it, or would ever be talking about major business deals whilst playing golf…but I can tell you right now, much of my business is done on the course.
Yep. Even if the firm won’t pay for it she should get into it as far as she’s able. So much can happen on the course that NOT learning and playing (I suck, for what it’s worth) is almost akin to intentionally marginalizing yourself and your career.
A good friend of mine is a real estate executive in California. He told me he spends more time, and makes more deals, on the golf course than in his office.
I asked for and was given permission to miss a major meeting this month in order to play in a company’s golf tournament. It’s my one chance to meet with associates that do what or near what I do and exchange ideas, compare notes and make each other aware of our particular skill sets. Yeah it’s a game, but it’s so much more at the same time. Who says networking and professional development must be formal and can’t be enjoyable? Heh, not me!
She’ll never make it into the men’s room, so she’d really better at least get out on the golf course and make up for some of the opportunities missed by not being an Old Boy.