I have always felt if there were more business programs created to effectively combined business and golf more people would start playing more golf. I am glad to say there now is finally a program developed to provide business people a true business purpose to playing golf. What is exciting to me is that out of all of the business and golf; golf and business; and Business Golf programs I have reviewed, or have been part, of over the years…this one really works.
How this program works, and a few other business related tools a business person could use as part of playing business golf, were introduced during the SSI Strategic Links™ Executive Golf School I was invited to attended recently. Following is my (non-paid) review of this program.
Business Tool Par Excellence
When I was invited to attend the Strategic Links Executive Golf School, held on April14th at the Las Colinas Country Club in Las Colinas (Irving), Texas, I had several initial reactions. …What could they tell me I had not already experienced? What REALLY is this all about? Am I going to get sold something or am I going to learn anything about golf?… . This program answered all of these concerns and more.
Several years ago my business partner, Dave Bisbee, mentioned the Strategic Links program during one of our meetings. He explained then how powerful of a business tool this program would be for anyone who plays golf. It was through Dave I was given the opportunity to see how this program worked firsthand.
Golf: Most Powerful Business Tool
The answer to my questions on what exactly I was going to get into with this school started soon after I accepted SSI’s, (Strategic Solutions International) invitation to attend the Strategic Links Executive Golf School. A couple of days later I was sent a Birkman questionnaire to fill out which I found was the center piece of the executive training included in the golf school for the day. Having taken a number of different personality assessment programs, including the Birkman, over my 32 years in the corporate world I had some idea what to expect. However, the results of the Birkman evaluation had a little extra added value developed into the evaluation that made this program very unique.
Strategic Links™
Strategic Links Golf Programs – "Play That Works" – blend business, fun and learning in effective events that have measurable, positive and long-lasting results.
People are the resource. Golf is the vehicle.
- All people are resources
- All people have brains
- Every brain is a perfect learner
- Perfect learning occurs during absorbed activity
- Play is the perfect learning activity
- In all learning, fun works. Play works. Golf works. Fun golf is play
A core principle driving the design of our programs is that self-understanding is the springboard for individual and corporate success at golf and in business. Our primary goal is to unlock the personal potential of each participant, impacting the success of the team and ultimately the whole organization. We get there by coupling the SSI Golf Style Grid, based on the renowned Birkman Method®, and our unique adaptations.
We teach you to accurately identify key performance traits and get strategies for leveraging this new knowledge and improving performance.
Over the extent of the full day session all of my questions..and then some..were answered. First we got a review of the results of the Birkman questionnaire. The surprise came when Dave Bisbee, Doug Dowd and Connie Charles, co-facilitators, explained the questionnaire was designed to delve into how each attendee would react to situations they experience in Golf. From this some very interesting information on each personality trait associated to how someone related to the way they would play golf.
Out of all of the personality profiling programs I have taken in my career I have never had one apply to how I would react to certain situation in golf. My reaction…BINGO! What was most profound about the evaluation was the accuracy the Birkman questionnaire was able to peg all my weaknesses and strengths in golf.
But Wait! There’s More!
What made the program even more powerful and really was the knock out punch for understanding the tremendous impact the Strategic Links program would have on Golf, had to do with the flipside of the program, which was how someone would react to business situations. I have seen it thousands of times on the golf course where the same traits and characteristics a person demonstrates there will manifest themselves in the business arena.
The strength of the Strategic Links program is in the detailed explanation of all of the personality traits. Knowing these traits and the counters to dealing with opposite traits is as useful in the workplace as it is on the golf course. This very detailed explanation offered i the Strategic Links program of knowing how someone would react to a stressful situation helps in dealing with the stress and solving the problems causing the stress.
There is much more to the Strategic Links program than could be provided in the one executive golf school. The introduction to this program was made to the attendees during the golf school. It showed what the Strategic Links program could offer a business or business person if they were to apply the program to their entire company. Knowing how to deal with people and, more importantly, deal with oneself, really will help in the way someone does business. Knowing more about how you react on the golf course and how a difficult situation was dealt with there carries right on into the office.
The true strength of the SL program is in knowing how you are going to react to how someone else reacts. Human relations is the basis of a sound personal and professional relationship. Knowing oneself begins the process.
Let me know how I can help.
