Eye Contact - Especially When Under Pressure

What goes through the mind of a prospective Open Golf Champion playing the final 36 holes - and in the lead? To know exactly would require sixth sense but there are some things that can give it away.

Last Saturday found me standing at the 13th tee at Turnberry, this years venue for the Open Golf Championship. Having been there for a while it was easy to become connected with the different moods, pressures and energies of the different golfers as they shot their drives anything up to and in excess of 300 yards and then passed on.

All without fail acknowledged the support of the crowd, doffing their sun visors, tugging a forelock, or simply raising a hand. There was one exception. Maybe it was the years of treading the fairways, maybe it was the memories of being in the lead and what awaited, perhaps it was acknowledging that the first prize of £750,000 was only possible with the support of the crowds present and watching television.

The one real exception was Tom Watson, five time open champion and now at 59 about to stand on the cusp of a second immortality. Tom did one thing that no one else did on that day on the 13th tee. For every voice he heard he returned a look right in the eye of the owning source of the whoop, shout or cry of 'Come on, Tom'. AND along with the look came the words - thank you.

For the remainder of that day and throughout the next no matter what the pressure I saw Tom Watson make a true connection with the whole crowd and where possible one person at a time.

Can we do simple things to build lasting impressions with people we may never see again/ Leadership is made up of simple things. Tom was leading the way and teaching others a lot about leadership. Well done Tom you will remain in my heart for ever.

David Pickering
Consultant

www.London.dalecarnegie.com