A Career Lesson from Tiger Woods

He’s the expert on the greens…….. You’re the expert in the field.

You both have to manage your turf and keep the grass from growing under your feet.

I bet you never knew you had so much in common. But “mowing down” these sod (and sad) analogies, let me ask, “Do you have this in common too…….. Avoidance Behavior?”

When life throws you a curve ball no matter if it’s an accident with your car (combined with an affair) or a crash to your career, there are certain things you have to do…………

You need to be pro-active not reactive. Tiger hoped that by staying quiet, this issue would blow over. If Tiger had managed the communication the ugly details around his accident up front, perhaps there wouldn’t have been so much initial speculation now would there. When you become proactive in your career search, you manage the situation rather then letting the economy or age biases or other real or perceived situations dictate your outcomes.

You need good strong messages that direct not deflect. By not saying anything, Tiger is letting other people come to their own conclusions (even before the really ugly stuff came out) about the events that took place. Are you one of those people who say, “I’m not comfortable blowing my own horn” (hmm…horn….car… the relationships are amazing aren’t they). But I digress…. When you don’t communicate with clear powerful messages that tells people how well you’ve managed the events and experiences throughout your career, they will also come to their own assumptions and I know you know what happens when people assume.

You need to be able to step up to all kinds of situations. Tiger has been front and center as an athlete and a spokesperson. He has confidence and charisma on the course and in front of a camera. However, his current situation is much more uncomfortable and he’s backed off. Don’t let this happen to you. You have the same ease and appeal in the things you excel at. When you have to get beyond your comfort zone and do things like make a cold call, ask for help, share your “elevator pitch” or effectively network with people you don’t know – don’t back away. Maintain consistent integrity in your behavior.

Avoidance may seem like a great option at the time, but it’s behavior that won’t make you a master.