Lunch with Greg Norman
Posted on Jan 29, 2010 by Paul Schempp
Yesterday at the PGA Merchandise Show, my friend Lorin Anderson invited me to lunch with the AMF Management group. Also at the luncheon, and speaking afterward, was golfer and businessman Greg Norman. Ordinarily when athletes speak, perils of wisdom are not plentiful. That was not the case yesterday. Norman was speaking about the state of business, decision making, and opportunities present and in the future. His remarks that struck me most profoundly was his description of his transition into business. Greg holds no business degrees, and his only prior business experience was his brief stint working in a golf pro shop stocking shelves and selling shirts. Yet today, he oversees a multi-million dollar business empire that includes a highly successful apparel company, a world-renown winery, a real estate and golf course design company, yacht designs and other businesses.
What took him from winning championships to winning businesses? According to Greg, the key was the drive for ‘excellence’. Excellence is what he strives for on the course or in the board room. He explained it this way: “When your name is on the door, there is a lot of pressure. You have to perform. But it is what happens behind the door that really counts. It is the human resources, the people, who make it happen. You have to have people who believe in excellence. And it is having an excellent product. If you have excellent people and an excellent product, you will have a successful business.” It is a formula that has worked for Norman in different endeavors, in different parts of the world and at different times—the strive for excellence.
Tagged: excellence, greg norman, executive expertise, management skills