Exclusive contribution for The Executive Magazine by Paul Miles, Founder of In The Swing Leadership

The Hidden Connection Between Executive Performance and Golf

The relentless pace of modern leadership creates significant demands on executive attention and focus. Many leaders find themselves operating reactively rather than strategically, resulting in suboptimal team direction, missed business opportunities and declining staff engagement. However, a solution exists through understanding and calibrating one’s “leadership tempo”—a concept that becomes surprisingly clear on the golf course.

The golf course offers more than recreational value for busy executives; it provides a laboratory for self-awareness and leadership development. As business pressures mount, the fairways and greens become perfect testing grounds where executives can diagnose their leadership approach through the microcosm of their swing.

Understanding leadership tempo

Leadership tempo refers to the natural rhythm at which executives perform optimally. Similar to a musician keeping perfect time, leaders must find their ideal pace for decision-making, communication and strategic thinking.

When operating at the right tempo, leaders experience what psychologists call a flow state—that remarkable condition where decisions seem intuitive, creativity flourishes, and focus sharpens automatically. Tasks that typically require significant effort suddenly feel effortless. Most successful executives have experienced this state when tackling consecutive leadership challenges with apparent ease.

The consequences of an incorrect tempo can be severe. Leaders operating too quickly often make preventable errors, requiring constant correction and revision. Conversely, those moving too slowly may struggle with timely decisions or effective prioritisation, resulting in teams stretched thin across too many low-value projects.

Recognising personal tempo patterns represents the first step toward calibrating this essential leadership quality.

The golf course diagnostic

Golf provides exceptional insight into leadership tendencies. Arnold Palmer famously noted that “Success in golf depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind.” This wisdom extends beyond the fairway into the boardroom.

The concept of “Self as an Instrument” explains this connection—we carry our comprehensive experiences, beliefs and inherent biases into every environment, whether professional or recreational. The executive mindset active in critical business decisions manifests similarly during leisure activities like golf.

Nick Faldo, six-time major tournament champion, observed that “Tempo is the glue that sticks all elements of the golf swing together.” This parallel proves remarkably accurate for leadership. Just as proper tempo coordinates the complex movements of an effective golf swing, appropriate leadership tempo harmonises the various elements of executive performance.

Golf swing tempo clearly reveals leadership patterns. Executives who rush their swing—forcing excessive speed for greater distance—often slice balls into rough terrain or hook shots into water hazards. Similarly, hesitant leaders who cannot commit to their swing frequently strike the ground before the ball, producing ineffective shots.

Practical application for executives

A thoughtful round of golf becomes an executive diagnostic tool for leadership assessment. The first nine holes often reveal current tempo patterns, while the back nine provide space to experiment with adjustments and improvements.

Executives finding their golf shots consistently veering right might examine whether they rush critical business decisions. Those noticing consistent left-side misses might consider if they become overly analytical and hesitant with important choices. Ground strikes before the ball could indicate leadership paralysis—unable to commit fully to directions for their teams.

Self-awareness developed on the course transfers directly to professional environments. Executives who master tempo recognition require progressively less time for self-assessment, creating additional mental bandwidth for strategic planning and team development.

Dual improvement methodology

The relationship between golf performance and leadership effectiveness works bidirectionally. Tempo improvements in one domain frequently transfer to the other.

Executives who consciously slow their pre-shot routine often discover enhanced decision quality in business contexts. Those who commit fully to their swing after careful preparation frequently report greater conviction in strategic direction with their teams.

The golf course offers a pressure-free environment to practice tempo adjustments before applying them to high-stakes business situations. Executives can experiment with various approaches, noting which produces optimal results both for their golf score and their mental clarity.

Advanced practitioners develop micro-adjustments to recalibrate tempo throughout both golf rounds and business days. A slight pause before addressing the ball parallels the valuable moment of reflection before entering important meetings. The deep breath before a swing mirrors the mental reset needed between consecutive executive decisions.

Golf becomes not merely recreation but practical leadership development—a valuable investment rather than time away from responsibilities.

Results beyond recreation

Understanding and controlling leadership tempo delivers measurable business outcomes. Executives who master appropriate tempo consistently report improved team performance, enhanced decision quality, and more sustainable personal energy management.

The golf course serves as both diagnostic tool and training ground for this crucial leadership attribute. When executives recognise swing patterns that mirror their leadership approach, they gain immediate feedback on effectiveness without the high stakes of business consequences.

Next time frustration emerges on the golf course, thoughtful executives might view it as valuable leadership feedback rather than merely a recreational disappointment. The slice into the woods, the hook into the water, or the duffed chip shot potentially reveals more about leadership style than about golfing ability.

By viewing golf through this lens, executives transform recreational hours into productive leadership development. The fairways and greens become the ideal laboratory for perfecting the tempo that maximises effectiveness both on the course and in the boardroom.