Even if the economy is pushing Business networks to take on more of a social networking form and social networking groups starting to take on a more business networking appeal either way it is a sign of the times are changing. In today’s business arena business people have a hard time knowing who to trust.
The pushing and shoving in the market place has caused a certain anxiety amongst business owners/executives to hurry and make a buck before the guy next to you snatches it first. This results in businesses, large and small, to find ways to cut corners in their operations to move faster into the market so a quick profit can be made. Quality is thrown out the door since it costs too much in resources and time to produce anything of quality. When this happens problems are sure to happen. Customers start complaining and before you know it the time you saved to make a buck was just spent taking care of a customer..the profit you made was lost, and then some. So what was gained from this? Lack of Trust.
Business people and consumers are now demanding to know more about a business..who is running it?..who is it they are handing over their money to?.. and will what they buy last until they get it home?
Where is Trust Found?
How does all this get to golf and your golf buddies? Well, who else do you know and trust better than the guys or gals you play golf with frequently? I don’t know about your golf group but if it is anything like mind, which in some form I am sure it is, everyone gives each other a hard time about something. Yes, it is all in fun and most of the time it gets the spirits high with humorous remarks all day. The by-product of all this horse play is TRUST. My group can trust me to shot it straight on anything we talk about and I am for sure they will give it to me straight..even if I don’t ask for it..but hey, that is how trust worthy friends act. Trustworthy friendships is what golf produces when played with people over an expended period of time.
Usually after the golf is when the “How is your project going?” type questions are asked. This is the time when trust really is tested and BUILT. In the 20+ years I have been playing golf frequently with several different groups the things that were talked about after golf would not even have made it to Vegas so it could stay in Vegas. that is the level of Trust that can be built from playing golf.
Nothing Like Golf
Business plans, personal stuff, inter soul searching usually comes out in a group discussion. Yes, some of you who have not experienced the solid friendship produced from playing golf might say… Come on, give me a friggin break. I don’t have to play golf to have close friends like that.
It is true, you do not have to play golf with a group of people to have inward thinking discussions. However, there is a trust factor amongst golfers that is not with your bridge group.
Those who have close golfing friends will confirm the trust they have built with their golfing friends is much stronger than their drinking buddies or groups in the office. Why?
Playing golf with someone is a testing ground of characters. Golfers can see from how a person handles themselves on the golf course what type of character they will eventually demonstrate outside of golf. There is no hiding a personality trait on the golf course. However you act on the golf course, no matter how well or bad you play, that will be acted out somewhere later off the golf course.
Learning the Ropes
The creation of a solid golf buddy group does not come from the first, even maybe the second, time you play with the same people. There is a ‘feeling out process’ that takes time for each person to see or test a person’s character. There still is no other activity that this can be done in other than GOLF.
I’ll give the whiners a few second to say to themselves..my wine tasting group produces the same results, or my yachting club produces the same solid friends…OK, ya through?..ya feel better?…good!
Now, lets face it. No other activity has built into the activity or game tests of character. Bowling and tennis may be close to having the same physical exertion as Golf, but do not have the rules or etiquettes built into the games that can be played in golf that tests how a person would deal with a situation. PERIOD..whining can stop now.
Where to Go to Build Trust
I run into large numbers of people who have not found a solid group of people to play golf with regularly. It is a total shame. It is not that most of them are not trying or don’t play golf frequently enough. What takes place is they just are not meeting people with the same interests in life business or in playing golf.
That is one of the multitude of reasons I created the Business Golf County Club. I have experienced golf in many forms during my life. I have never played professionally but have played for wager that was over my head at time. Man, does that test a person’s character to lose in that situation, or how they would act if they won. I know the fun you can have once you have a group of people to play golf with that you can trust are all playing golf for the same reasons.
The BGCC is a platform to build and demonstrate TRUST. It is private so only golfers with a semblance of good character are allowed in. So when you take the tee with a BGCC member you have at least one thing in common from the get-go…you are member of the Club. From there, the level of trust, if any, is up to the players to build.
OH, there will be opportunities plenty to learn the rights and wrongs, do and don’t of business golf, just in case you are in need of knowing the best way of going about making sure you show your best character.
The BGCC is fun and it is for any golfer who wants to take themselves serious and be part of a business/social network CLUB dedicated to putting business back on course..the golf course. Join today and get involved with the online networking. If there is a chapter club close to you, consider joining it..that is where the solid golf groups will be formed.
Let me know how I can help.
