StratBlog

Years ago I attended the Aviara Golf Academy trying to improve my game. Well, I’m still not a good golfer, though it’s not their fault. They taught me a lot.

One lesson had to do with control. We all want to hit the ball far and we all want to hit it straight. As a relatively new golfer, I tried to control my golf swing by holding on firmly and using my arms to make the club hit the ball.

And it wasn’t working. So they gave me the following tip: You have to give up control to get control.

They explained how holding on to the club tightly, having tense arms and working so hard to control my swing was counterproductive. These actions actually made me hit the ball inconsistently. Some went left and some were slices to the right. Some 7 irons went 180 yards. Some didn’t get beyond 120 yards.

All that control didn’t work.

Instead, they counseled a relaxed grip, barely holding on to the club. Relaxed arms. A proper takeaway but then turning through my swing to completion without any thought about controlling the swing. Just think about the target.

And you know what? It worked.

Sometimes. As I said, I’m still a poor golfer — as my fellow club members witnessed just this past weekend! But it was the right idea.

Give up control to get control.

And the funny thing is, this idea works in business too.

Are you a controller? Is it working for you?

Try giving up control, relaxing your grip a little. Your team will appreciate the freedom and use it to help you accomplish more.

How about it?