New Jersey Enterpreneur - Small Business, Entrepreneurs and Venture Capital

From the moment you get to the golf course you can start to gain a sense of who the person is behind the company. For starters how are they dressed?

If they are dressed to impress and look like they belong on the PGA - You know they care about what others think. Also it may indicate that they have a high respect for both the game and the other members, so gauging how you display your interest in the game in their company may be important.

On the other hand if the person is dressed very casual and may not have all the proper equipment and accessories you may be able to tell a number of things: they may not be that conscious of what others think, they may bring a certain casualness to their style and be someone who shoots from the hip or they may be a novice player. Do they have their clubs organized in the bag or not? If not, this may suggest they are not the most organized person at the office.

Ok, you are ready to play your first hole. Does the player take the lead and organize who plays in what order or does he or she gain a consensus from the other players before determining who tees off first? This will give you a hint as to whether they have a dominant personality or a passive one.

After the player drives the ball into the woods, how does the player handle this bad shot? Does he or she curse? Does the player get embarrassed and come up with excuses? Does the player shrug it off with a smile? Or does the player call it a mulligan and say I'll take that shot again? Each action will give you a sense of who that person is off the course.

If the player curses, you can be pretty sure that when things go wrong at the office they are showing the same bad attitude at the office. If the player gets embarrassed and comes up with excuses you can be sure that when things go wrong there will be excuses for the mishaps that their company performs. And If the player shrugs it off with a smile you can tell they know how to handle bad news and work well under pressure. Also, if the player asks or just tells everyone they are taking a mulligan they probably cut corners at work when possible or needed and possibly are less concerned with certain details in the scheme of the big picture.

Over the course of eighteen holes see how they follow golf etiquette. Do they talk while someone is driving? This shows they are unaware of others and if it is persistent than it really is a lack of respect for both the player and the game- again this may indicate how they work with their co-workers. People occasionally make mistakes or forget about other players, but a full eighteen holes of golf gives enough time to review the full picture about someone.

As you are moving from one hole to the next, is the conversation by only one person talking about themselves or is there true back and forth conversation? This is a good sign on how they handle themselves in meetings and whether they have good social skills.

And then there is that all important final score. This gives such a strong clue about the temperament and ego of the person. Is the player lowering their score to impress the others or to hide their embarrassment from a high score? If the player does this they may be someone who too readily changes contract terms after a commitment and or is not upfront when things go wrong. They may not be a trustworthy person for you to consider as a "valued" relationship. The opposite behavior also tells you a lot. Other players may feel very strongly about the score being fully accurate. Taking a few strokes off of your own play may actually rankle them---and it may cost you in their perception of you.

A round of golf with a customer or potential customer is an investment in your relationship. You have the opportunity while playing golf to learn more about your client or prospective client personally that will help you work with them professionally. Be aware of your own quirks and needs, but remember to have fun and enjoy the day.