Par for the Course

Regardless of the situation, it seems as if we as individuals are constantly being read and analyzed by others. Whether it be a job interview, a date, or a first encounter, our actions and body language are observed by others to give them some understanding of what kind of traits we possess. The information gathered by such observations can provide insight into how a person may perform in other situations. For example, if an individual is stuttering through a presentation and is unable to make eye contact, some may note that this person would be a bad fit for the negotiation table. 

Although an individual’s performance at work or school can be used to forecast how they would do in other roles, there are other methods that can be leveraged to observe an individual’s characteristics and fit in different roles. In What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School, the author Mark McCormack details how a game of golf with an individual would give him valuable insight into how a person thinks, thus giving him an insight that could be used when dealing with said individual. McCormack used the ‘Give me’ putt as his proxy by which he could analyze other individuals. The author discusses how the ‘Give me’ putt is “conceded to the golfer by his playing partner or opponent” and the way individuals approach this putt shows a lot about their characteristics and traits. 

Some individuals will outright refuse to take the putt, and McCormack believes that for these types of individuals, it’s hard to do favors for them as they will not ask you for one. Some individuals will simply assume the putt is available to take. McCormack details that for these types of individuals, favors are expectations, and these individuals tend to have large egos. 

Why is any of this important? Employers peruse our resumes looking at our past experiences for transferable skills that could be useful for a new role. The idea of taking a situation, analyzing traits present in the moment and how they can or cannot be applied in the future is in essence what helps us read individuals. McCormack’s story is just a reminder to observe all situations, regardless of relevance to work or school, closely as these moments can provide valuable insights when we’re trying to better understand or evaluate a person’s compatibility. 

Moral of the story? Make sure your first date is at Golfland. You can thank me later.