We hear it all the time…if you do things the way they’ve always been done, you’re bound to get the same results.

Well…Paul Azinger showed true leadership recently at the Ryder Cup, and he made the decision to not serve as a baby sitter or towel boy. He stepped up the game, big time, and he broke some of the rules from history (including hiring a life coach!) in order to regain the coveted Ryder Cup. I read an article in the Wall Street Journal yesterday by the title of Team USA’s Management Victory, and here’s what Azinger did:

1) He completely revamped the way the team was chosen by shortening the number of points players had earned from two years to one year so that he could recruit the best players.

2) He extended the team selection to just two weeks before the deadline.

3) He talked the PGA into letting him choose four captain’s picks instead of two.

4) He divided the team into three (4-man) pods to play their practice rounds together, which is based on a tried and true military strategy often used by the Navy Seals.

5) He created an environment that allowed AND encouraged each team member to be exactly who they were and to bring that authenticity to the game.

6) He deployed the services of a life coach to help keep him calm and to direct him on how to communicate and inspire each player on the basis of their unique communication style and personality. Now that takes guts!

The question for today is “What old rules are you following that are no longer working, and what are you afraid will happen if you change?”

If you are interested in learning more about how to change the rules of your game in order to get better results, pick up a copy of EDGE! A Leadership Story today and send an e-mail to beafields@beafields.com for a collaborative coaching session. Coaching works, and I look forward to providing you the support you need in order to win your game!