He reduced complexities to essentials, making the game easier to learn. He wanted simple things done with consistent excellence rather than complicated things done poorly.
—Journalist William Furlong on Vince Lombardi
Image source: Wojciech Kulicki, Creative Commons
The game of golf requires proper equipment, good skills, countless hours of practice, tons of patience, and luck. But maybe more than any of these, golf requires a highly refined ability to concentrate. Another word for this is focus.
Chi Chi Rodriguez, a golfer on tour some years ago, was wildly popular with fans. During one Bob Hope Desert Classic, the easygoing Chi Chi (who tackled difficult putts with a toreador’s look in his eye, drawing his putter like a sword from an invisible scabbard) was in rare form. Every ball flew from his club face with tremendous power and accuracy. He tore up the course, having a birdie chance on nearly every hole. Chi Chi was confident, in control of his game, and having fun.
Having fun? Yes. On this day, like most days for Rodriguez, he was having fun. He talked nonstop to the crowd, joking and wisecracking his way down each fairway, until he reached his golf ball. Then, for a few minutes, he was all business. He practiced his swing. He measured the distance to the green. He practiced again. Then he got into his stance, riveted his eyes on the ball, and “whap!” he hit the ball straight down the fairway or near the pin.
After he noted the path of his shot, back he went to talking and performing for the crowd.
Chi Chi Rodriguez is an example of a focused person: one minute a jokester, the next a serious professional golfer, ready to fire off a sensational shot. Although he could make the crowd roar with enjoyment, when it was time to hit the ball, Chi Chi focused himself, reviewed his goal and objective, and pursued his desired result. Nothing could distract him.
Leaders need that kind of focus. It has been said that no one “can serve two masters.” That’s a reality in all of life and certainly supports the importance of focus for leaders who want to keep themselves and their teams on target.
We have all had days when a variety of organizational “fires” needed our attention. We devoted long hours to doing “good” and often important tasks. But as darkness fell and we headed for home, we knew we had not done the most important thing. That’s what happens without focus.
Focus and passion are like blood brothers in achieving goals.