I’m a new golfer who enjoys walking the course more than keeping score. My goal is to finish each hole with the same ball that I started with.   

Recently, as I set off to play, I was joined by another golfer.  As we started to play, we talked about our backgrounds and work journeys.  He told me that he was a retired trial lawyer who handled some of the largest product liability lawsuits in the country.  He said there was nothing like a closing argument in front of a jury to hone your communication skills and focus on what is critical. He said he won millions for clients by telling compelling stories that explained how to see the past and envision the future. 

After outdriving me on the third hole, he asked me to guess his age. When I guessed 72 years, he told me I was off by 15 years.  

He asked me what I did for a living.  I told him that I founded, with friends, UBelong Advisory & Coaching.  I told him that we offer innovative and evidence-based solutions to activate and sustain a culture of belonging throughout a business. 

He laughed and said he had no idea what any of those words meant and what the company actually does. 

I tried again. I told him that we help organizations leverage a culture of inclusion to drive greater performance.  His brow crinkled.  I said that we help organizations achieve meaningful progress on their diversity and equity commitments.  This time, no response at all.  

On the 6th hole, I decided to start again. I told him that research shows that businesses which encourage their employees to share and listen, outperform those that don’t. The greater the range of ideas, the stronger the organizational performance. I told him that we help businesses accomplish these goals. 

He asked me whether I ever played in a golf scramble.  Now it was my turn to look confused.  He said that in a 4-person team scramble, your team of four golfers competes against another team of four golfers.  It starts with everyone on one your team teeing off.  Your team then gets to decide which shot they like better.  The team then plays from that shot. Once the spot is selected, all four team members play a shot from that spot, and again pick which one they like better.  This continues until the team “holes out” or in my words, hits the ball in the hole. Your entire team ends up with one score and wins if your team’s score is lower than your competitor.   

He said that a golf scramble allows a team to use the best skills of each team member. Some players drive the ball better, some chip with ease, while others are strong putters.  And sometimes, team members surprise you by doing something they would not have done if you were competing individually. 

He said this is what UBelong is doing:  you help businesses recognize that a strong team that leverages everyone’s strengths outdrive businesses that simply have good individual performers. 

It was a golf club drop moment!