Out of the Blue

You know what it's like. One of those days when you wonder what it's all about. One of those when you thought 'I know a better place to be right now'. And then - wham!! Out of the blue comes something so unexpected, against the run of play that you ponder what divinity inspired intervention chose you, at that very moment, to bless.

Such was the moment ten days ago. As happens these days its likely to be on the golf course. Standing on the 8th hole of the day, a down hill par 3 of some 217 yards distance. In the previous seven holes I had lost three balls and was playing like an absolute beginner - no, worse than that - as if I had never made the acquaintance of a golf club and could not imagine what a golf ball was.

And then it happened - the ball flew off the 5 iron with no discernable impact, was right on line with the flag, hit the front edge of the green and then rolled purposefully to the centre of the cup. A hole in one.

So what happened, a moment of balance, of talent, bordering on genious, conjured something out of nothing. A moment when all the dreams, wishes, hopes, aspirations come together in one fleeting moment of brilliance.

I was reminded in that moment to say thank you, not only to those applauding and offering their congratulations but also to that divinity at work and in such an unsuspecting moment.

Such is the joy and peace that has come so often over the many years as a Dale Carnegie coach. It comes in that moment when someone has a breakthrough. The moment they get it and realise that because of the commitment they made to change their life - it has changed, irrevocably.

Yes, they struggle, question what they are doing here, thinking they'd rather have been somewhere else, practising stuff as beginners ... and then their perseverance pays off. They have practiced and become skilled, still prone to mistakes, but then have moments of brilliance.

Until one is committed, plays the game and dares to try, such moments are absent. It is our responsibility to try to give ourselves the chance of an out of the blue experience.

So take that action you have been putting off - it may not work perfectly every time, experience the ecstasy when it does.

David Pickering
Trainer and Sales Consultant

www.London.dalecarnegie.com

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