Golf 360

Many of you have and know your 5-year goal. In golf it could be to break a score; 100, 90, 70, win an amateur or professional tournament, improve shop sales or reach a new plateau in your business or for the company you work for. But how many of you have asked yourself what that success looks like for you; i.e. did you change as a person to achieve it or did you compromise your values to get there?

While President of Worldwide Automotive Operations at Johnson Controls Inc., Rande Somma's first question to his team wasn't 'What do we need to do different to achieve these new goals?' it was 'What won't we do, under any circumstances, to achieve our new goals?' They first defined what they wouldn't do; which was violate their values. Things such as lay people off to reach earning numbers or not paying earned bonuses. They then defined the goal and how to achieve it. In today's interview, we discuss that entire process, how to develop a culture so these things flourish.

Rande used this outline to help JCI reach Fortune 100 status and still uses it today when mentoring young professionals as part of his group Rande Somma and Associates. It helps people in all walks of life avoid some of the pitfalls so many fall into in their quest for success. In addition to his mentoring program, he and his wife also started the Rande and Georgia Somma Integrity First Scholarship Program at Robert Morris University, Rande's alma mater. Last and certainly not least he is the author of the book 'Leadershit: A Look at the Broken Leadership System in Corporate America' a book that dives into some of the problems he encountered over four decades in and around the corporate system and leadership in general.

This episode is filled with a lot of great information and regardless of what industry you're in or what your life's ambitions are you will take away some great words of wisdom to help achieve them all after listening to this interview.

Andrew 'Drew' Smith is a Ret. USMC (United States Marine Corps) Colonel. Some of you maybe thinking what does a retired Marine Corps Colonel have to do with the game of golf and it's funny because Colonel Smith (Ret.) asked me the same thing. If I can back up a bit, we met through a mutual friend, Andy Hinson who is the Director of Golf at The Legends at Paris Island. Andy thought Colonel Smith would be a great guest on the show and I agreed 100%. Colonel Smith initially agreed to be on the show but and then had some hesitation. It was only hesitation because he wanted to ensure he was providing value in whatever it is he's doing. He told me 'I'm not sure I understand how a Marine and golf podcast tie in together? I'm really not sure I'm the best person to do this.' I asked him to join me for lunch and during the course of the conversation I aked if he was a golfer and he said 'Yes'. I asked him a second question, "When playing do you have the discipline to stick to your routine?' he replied "I have one but i'm not disciplined as much as I should be in sticking to it." I had one last question which was, 'What organization around the world is known for their discipline and their ability to maintain routines?' He got a big smile on his face and he said, "You're right, I'm in." For those that maybe unfamiliar with somethings in the military, the Marine Corps is known to be one of the most disciplined branches of the military and sticking to their routine without fail. For anyone that plays golf you know that is one of the most important things you are supposed to do. Not only do we discuss discipline, routines, and preparedness and why they're so important but we also go back to the genesis of each, and how to develop them. We get into leadership and trust and how to develop those whether you're in an organization, a golf facility/club, a player and caddie or an instructor and player. We also talk about his development in golf, his military career and advancement in the Marine Corps and so much more. He's a great guy, an amazing leader and whether you're a golfer or not I'm sure you're going to enjoy listening to him and all he has to say.

Conrad Ray (@cardcoachray) is the Director of Men's Golf at Stanford University and if you are a junior golfer, coach one or are the parent of one and they have a lot of promise, a lot of game, and they want to play at the collegiate level you are really going to want to hear what Coach Ray has to say. Not only did he play on an NCAA National Championship team as a student-athlete while attending Stanford, but he also coached the Cardinals to another National Championship.

We get into many things but most of it revolves around the college golf experience; how kids can get a scholarship and what it takes, what's expected of them as a student-athlete, the sacrifices and hard work that go into making them productive members of the team and preparing them for the next level in life.

Conrad also speaks to the differences in college golf from when he was a student-athlete in the mid-1990s when he played with fellow teammates; Notah Begay and Tiger Woods. We compare that to when he returned in 2004 to be the Men's Head Golf Coach and how both those eras compare to today. Conrad was also nice enough to speak about his recruiting and coaching philosophies and what he and other coaches around the country look for in up and coming junior golfers.

This episode is packed with a lot of great information from one of the best college coaches out there. I'm sure everyone listening; whether you're a junior, coach, or parent you're going to learn something and take a lot away from what Conrad has to say.

You can follow Coach Conrad Ray on Twitter @CardCoachRay

Interview of PGA Tour Professional and current Director of Golf at Secession Golf Club in Beaufort, SC, Mike Harmon.

Mike Harmon is a titan in the industry, he's also the Director of Golf at Secession Golf Club in Beaufort, South Carolina. Mike has been in and around the game for almost 50 years. In that time he has seen and done it all and we talk about all of that in this show. We start with how he got started in the game as a kid and worked his way to becoming a member of the PGA Tour in the early 1980s where he rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest and best players to ever play the game. We then follow his career from the PGA Tour to the club side of the business where he goes from walking the fairways and playing at the elite level, all the way back to the beginning where he is washing golf carts, washing golf clubs and folding sweaters.

From there we get into his progression on the club side of the business, where he worked his way up and became Director of Golf at Secession Golf Club and he was very instrumental in helping to build the club up from the ground level. We also talk about Secession Golf Club itself; the name, the unique experience, the challenges, and the success.

In Mike's more than 30 years of helping to make Secession Golf Club a world-renowned club, he's also found time to win a number of awards at the local, Sectional, and National levels and his mentoring program, not only for assistants, but the kids in and around the city of Beaufort, illustrates his commitment to giving back.

I caught up with Mike during one of the busiest times of the year, for him and the club, but in typical Mike fashion he is always more than willing to help someone, and he made time for this interview. He gives a ton of wisdom, tells some great stories and I hope you find this interview as enjoyable as I did while talking to him.