Winning the Ryder Cup

As most golfers know, the Ryder Cup golf match is a team event played every two years between the USA and Europe. While golf is predominately an individual sport, most of the best golfers in the world come together as team mates bi-annually for what has become golf's premier event. In watching the USA win for the first time since 1999, having lost three straight and five of the last six matches, I was struck by frequently verbalized words and phrases that also apply to success in business:

• vision and a plan;
• strategy;
• we came in here with a concept and stuck to our guns/stayed on point;
• the guys bonded and bought in as a team;
• we had a great system;
• CEO (referring to team captains);
• forward looking;
• leadership and respect for individual skills;
• picked players that were right for the situation;
• coaching leadership;
• put my heart and soul into this for two years;
• committed;
• practice, practice, practice;
• winning attitude.

A business without most or all of the above in play will probably be mediocre at best, and may well fail in due time.

Hats off to Captain/CEO/Leader Paul Azinger of USA for a job very well done.