Lesson Learned #22
Golf is one of those rare sports that is actually more boring watching live than it is watching on television. For those people who like playing golf, it is strangely addictive. Matching yourself against par, or using the handicap system to play against others is a big part of golf’s appeal. Competition is fun for many people, even if only against yourself. However, can you imagine someone playing golf every day without a scorecard? Just walking around the course hitting the ball towards some distant flag. Yet that is exactly how many people work, every single day.
When we work in an area and walk around during the day we often ask people how they know if they are having a good day or not. Most people will respond something like, “when customers (or my manager, or sales) aren’t giving me a hard time.” What is noticeably absent in many cases (especially in office environments) is any reference to a performance number. Whether that is attainment to a specific schedule, a productivity level or a service score. People often struggle to define what a good day is in anything other than anecdotes.
We have learned that many people respond well to some form of competition, perhaps especially in repetitive task environments. They like to have clear expectations and to measure themselves. They like visual feedback boards that chart their progress through the day. They like to know where they stand relative to others. They like doing well, and we think a big part of it is simply adding some interest to their work day. Walking around the same golf course, everyday, without a scorecard, would eventually be worse than watching golf live.
