| "Tennis, running, and golf: depending on whether I | | | | Masters with a group of people to watch the |
| want to abuse my elbows, my knees, or my | | | | practice sessions on Monday and Tuesday. Part of |
| emotions." Phil Knight Chairman, President and CEO | | | | the fun of the experience is for each of us to |
| of Nike Inc., when asked about his passions | | | | predict the winner. We watch the players hit long |
| outside work. | | | | shots on the practice tee, tune up their putting on |
| I have always been fascinated by performance | | | | the practice green, fine tune their touch with |
| and what separates the average from the | | | | shorter shots around the green, and practice on |
| outstanding. My own tournament professional golf | | | | the course to get a feel for the variety of shots |
| career ignited a curiosity to understand how a | | | | they'll need to hit in the real rounds. Each of us |
| world-class golfer couldn't reach his potential and, | | | | then chooses, based on what we see, who we |
| perhaps more importantly, be frustrated and | | | | think will win. Now remember here, we watch the |
| miserable much of the time. And I know I am not | | | | practice rounds and not the real thing. The actual |
| alone. Many who reach for the stars fall to the | | | | event begins on Thursday and finishes up on |
| earth scratching their heads and looking for | | | | Sunday afternoon. |
| answers. My search has taken me on a big | | | | I can confidently tell you that every player we |
| journey, from great education, through personal | | | | watch in the practice sessions looks fantastic. |
| experience in top-level international competition, to | | | | Most are in good form and are peaking for the |
| working with the best in their fi elds and having | | | | event. They hit the ball long and straight on the |
| the opportunity to ask about and understand | | | | practice tee, roll the ball nicely on the practice |
| what they do. We are all performers in life. | | | | green, and the relaxed atmosphere produces |
| Whether you know it or not, if you're leading, | | | | some great shot making. We have found that it is |
| working, parenting, creating and developing a | | | | virtually impossible, based on the practice sessions, |
| relationship, playing golf or enjoying your passion, | | | | to predict who will do well and who won't. In fact, |
| you are on stage. And along with performance | | | | we're always surprised how far down the list our |
| comes pressure, in varying degrees. How we | | | | picks are when we get the final results on Sunday |
| handle the pressure usually determines if we fly | | | | afternoon. After playing professional golf and |
| or fall down. | | | | knowing something about the game, you'd think I |
| What drives you? Like you, I have both flown and | | | | would be able to separate the good talent from |
| fallen down... often. Let me share a time with you | | | | the great. But in our little competition, I really don't |
| when I was under great pressure, how I felt, how | | | | do very well! |
| I dealt with it, and the result. | | | | So what does this mean? |
| My story-the disaster down under I sat slumped | | | | When players, leaders and performers in general |
| on the end of my golf bag in Melbourne, Australia | | | | are under pressures in dynamic, changing |
| after missing the cut and losing another | | | | environments funny things happen and behavior |
| opportunity in professional golf. I was struggling | | | | changes. Th e Masters tournament for |
| and panic was setting in. I was frustrated, my | | | | professional golfers is the ultimate pressure test, |
| sponsors were losing hope, and the future was | | | | where the pressure intensifies each day from |
| not bright. All I could think about was that I | | | | Thursday through Sunday, and only those |
| seemed to be getting worse instead of better. | | | | equipped to handle it flourish. For many, the great |
| How could this happen? What was I doing wrong? | | | | talent seen in the practice sessions on Monday |
| Was I that bad? Where was the talent that had | | | | and Tuesday shrinks-big talent suddenly becomes |
| gotten me to this point? | | | | small. Th e calm, clear, relaxed demeanor earlier in |
| As usual I headed for the practice area where, | | | | the week turns anxious and cloudy as the week |
| with no pressure, I hit ball after ball straight and | | | | goes on. Each day the pressure grows. Th e |
| long-a normal result after struggling when it | | | | players get closer to the grand prize and the |
| counted. It certainly wasn't my technique causing | | | | rewards that come with it; they are pushed to |
| all of the grief... it was more than that. My | | | | their limits and the distractions increase. Those |
| downward spiral had started weeks earlier, at | | | | able to deal with these pressures will contend, |
| another international tournament, when the world's | | | | those who can't, won't. |
| top golfer at the time, Australia's Greg Norman, | | | | The same general principle applies if you attend a |
| changed the dynamic of my world. The | | | | conference with a number of CEOs addressing an |
| atmosphere became charged when the world's | | | | audience. Watching and listening to them speak, |
| number one golfer showed up to play in a | | | | try picking the CEOs that are running highly |
| tournament. There was more money, more | | | | successful companies and which ones are leading |
| people, more pressure. Th is event stands out | | | | companies that are just making the cut. No |
| more than any other in a disappointing career. I | | | | matter how impressive they sound in this |
| was an unproven twenty-two-year-old with an | | | | environment, unless you can observe the CEOs in |
| opportunity to prove myself on the world stage | | | | their dynamic, changing environments, making |
| and gain some momentum in what was supposed | | | | decisions under day to day pressures in the |
| to be a promising future in professional golf. | | | | competitive business environment, it is very |
| I stood on the first tee in Melbourne, waiting to hit | | | | difficult to assess whether they are consistent, |
| my opening shot in front of thousands of golf | | | | sustainable performers. |
| fans. The people were waiting for their hero, who | | | | Contenders and pretenders will often look the |
| as fate would have it, was playing in the group | | | | same to you or me, but they are very diff erent. |
| behind me. I felt small and overwhelmed by the | | | | A contender is an authentic individual who can |
| situation. Five minutes earlier, as I had warmed up | | | | sustain performance over time. A contender is |
| next to the tee area, I had felt my hands and | | | | consistent. A pretender is an actor that struggles |
| knees shaking for the fi rst time in my life. I was | | | | to repeat performance. Here are a few key |
| warming up inches away from the world's number | | | | ways that pretenders and contenders are |
| one golfer- and he looked bigger than life! | | | | different: |
| The first few holes were terribly uncomfortable. I | | | | Contenders: Pretenders: Gobble up pressure Are |
| had been played before. As I made my way to | | | | gobbled up by pressure Are comfortable in their |
| the final holes, the day was becoming more | | | | own skin Are not quite comfortable Connect with |
| miserable as my score and head both spun out of | | | | their core values and live them Constantly change |
| control. The torture was almost over but not | | | | their values to meet new needs and situations |
| without a final freefall down the eighteenth hole. | | | | Are proactive Are reactive Look in the mirror and |
| I hit a long, straight drive off the eighteenth tee | | | | change what they don't like Avoid the mirror and |
| and I'm really not sure to this day how I did that | | | | stay the same Create impressions that last over |
| with the range of emotions raging through me | | | | time Create great first impressions but are unable |
| and throwing me off balance. There was a sea of | | | | to sustain a lasting impression Ask others for their |
| people lining the fairway from the tee to the | | | | opinion on their performance Rely on their own, |
| green to catch a glimpse of Mr. Norman, just | | | | biased view of themselves Commit to long-term |
| behind. I was very much aware that the crowd | | | | improvement Use band-aid fixes for short-term |
| was not there to see me. | | | | gain Write down specific goals and commit to |
| My second shot wasn't difficult but it felt like the | | | | them Create loose goals that don't require |
| hardest shot in the world with thousands of | | | | absolute commitment Are courageous and |
| impatient faces waiting for me to get on with it | | | | confident Are prisoners to fear Are disciplined |
| and get out of the way. My caddie suggested a | | | | Lack control Play to their own standards Play to |
| 3-iron as a pretty good wind blew in our faces | | | | meet others' expectations |
| and the shot approached 200 yards. I agreed. A | | | | Emotions drive people-people drive performance |
| 3-iron it was. Greg was now on the eighteenth | | | | It has become clear to me through my own |
| tee staring down the fairway at our group. I set | | | | experience and in my work with all levels of |
| up as usual for the shot, looked at my target and | | | | performers, that what really stops people from |
| down at my ball, swung my club and screamed a | | | | doing what they already know how to do is their |
| low, wild shot right into the crowd, hitting an older | | | | failure to recognize the impact that emotions |
| gentleman squarely on the shoulder. The crowd | | | | have on their actions and performance. This |
| cleared and made room for me to approach my | | | | becomes apparent when they cannot apply their |
| next shot, an easy little 60 yarder I've hit a million | | | | everyday skills and knowledge under challenging or |
| times. With my head in a dizzying frenzy, I swung | | | | stressful situations. The best of the best |
| the club back and delivered what was supposed | | | | recognize the importance of this emotional |
| to be a simple little shot onto the green, out over | | | | intelligence, not only in realizing their potential but in |
| to the other side of the green and into the | | | | sustaining it over time. The world's best golfer, |
| grandstand, hitting a middle-aged lady in the leg. | | | | Tiger Woods, tells reporters that controlling |
| As I crossed to the other side of the green, the | | | | emotion is the key to winning professional golf |
| crowd, some of whom had been drinking beer all | | | | championships. Former General Electric CEO Jack |
| afternoon in the hot Australian sun, made it clear | | | | Welch made a similar observation about the |
| that I was a fl y in the ointment. "Are you done, | | | | importance of emotional control in the business |
| mate?" screamed one fan from the top of the | | | | world. He said: "Emotional intelligence is more rare |
| grandstand. The big crowd's patience was thinning | | | | than book smarts, but my experience says it is |
| as their hero was now within view. I dropped my | | | | actually more important in the making of a |
| ball away from the grandstand and proceeded to | | | | leader-you just can't ignore it." |
| take five more clumsy shots before the agony | | | | And broadcasters typically tell us before the final |
| ended. Feeling about an inch tall, I calculated my | | | | game in a playoff series or tournament that "If |
| score, signed the official scorecard, and found a | | | | he/she/they can control their emotions today, |
| quiet spot to sit down and try and make sense | | | | they can win." This implies that if they don't have |
| of what had just happened. | | | | a handle on their emotions, they can't win. Very |
| My professional golf career continued on a similar | | | | telling. We all know that technical skills are critical |
| path of mediocrity until the decision was made to | | | | to success in any endeavor. Being smart is |
| wave the white flag. What was to have been a | | | | important too. But, we know through research |
| very promising professional golf career turned into | | | | that intelligence is not the separator between |
| five and a half years of inconsistent results, | | | | pretenders and contenders. While great technique |
| underachievement, frustration and headaches. | | | | and knowledge about a subject will get you so |
| There were some great moments and some | | | | far, the ability to be aware of your emotions and |
| achievement, but I couldn't seem to repeat it and | | | | manage your responses under pressure is the |
| create consistent results. I had no idea then what | | | | differentiator. |
| happened, but after lots of reflection I have a | | | | My work with business people, leaders, athletes |
| very good idea now. | | | | and others has shown me that being in tune with |
| Fear, frustration, hesitation, panic and anger set | | | | emotions is a critical piece in becoming a |
| the tone for my performance. As leading | | | | contender. We process and connect with the |
| Emotional Intelligence expert Daniel Goleman | | | | world through our emotions. More than two |
| outlines in his book Social Intelligence, I was | | | | decades of research done by experts like Daniel |
| frazzled. I was consistently knocked off my focus | | | | Goleman and others in the field of emotional |
| by negative emotions, and I didn't have the tools | | | | intelligence supports this finding. It shows that |
| or knowledge to do something about it. These | | | | intelligence about emotions is twice as important |
| emotions shaped my thinking, which shaped my | | | | as technical competence and IQ combined in |
| behavior, which shaped my performance. I | | | | determining whether someone's performance will |
| worked hard and felt like I was practicing the right | | | | be outstanding or average. |
| things but no amount of time at the practice | | | | Goleman et al also tell us that we feel things |
| range was going to reverse the downward spiral. | | | | before we think about them. It's important for |
| Feeling the heat Do you feel pressure in your life? | | | | you to know this order. It means that: |
| How do you deal with it? When things aren't going | | | | Your emotions influence your thinking. Your |
| as expected in the family, are you a prisoner to | | | | thinking influences your behavior. Your behavior |
| your emotions? When the economy slips and | | | | influences your performance. |
| financial pressures fall on your shoulders, do you | | | | The starting point in this chain, emotions, is what |
| feel highly stressed? When an important | | | | ensures clear thinking, positive behavior and the |
| presentation at work must be delivered with | | | | resulting consistent performance. |
| persuasiveness and confidence, is your mind clear | | | | Emotions drive people and people drive |
| or cloudy? When your boss is not handling the | | | | performance. |
| pressure well and is unfair, do you rise above it or | | | | Don't feel bad about not knowing about this or |
| let it ruin your day? When you take on too much | | | | how important it is to you. We all follow similar |
| in your life, and you're juggling four things at once | | | | paths in our lives. The first and most important |
| but only have time for three, do you feel strained | | | | thing in our lives is school. We are exhorted to |
| and anxious? Simply, when the pressure is on in | | | | study hard, learn as much as we can, perform as |
| your life, do you rise to the occasion and play big | | | | well as possible. Technical skills are the focus of |
| with confidence and composure, or do you | | | | our education and we are measured according to |
| crumble and play small with fear? | | | | how much we know. There is no systematic |
| Nowhere is the separator between pretenders | | | | approach to teaching us how to handle ourselves |
| and contenders clearer than at a professional golf | | | | under pressure, how to become self-aware, and |
| event. The bigger the event, the bigger the gap | | | | how to create consistent, sustainable relationships. |
| of separation you will see between the top and | | | | These things simply are not part of the |
| bottom. One of the biggest events in professional | | | | curriculum. It is left up to us to develop these |
| golf is The Masters tournament played each April | | | | skills on our own in the schoolyard, on the playing |
| in Augusta, GA. It's the granddaddy. The best | | | | field, at the office and at home. |
| golfers on the planet arrive at Augusta to | | | | The objective in my book "You are a Contender!" |
| compete for the green jacket and the prize | | | | is to help individuals build emotional muscle and |
| money. The world's media cover the event and | | | | become contenders. The book outlines keys and |
| golf fans everywhere watch, as it officially starts | | | | offers solutions how to build this muscle and be a |
| the golf season. | | | | more effective performer. |
| For the past few years, I have visited Th e | | | | |