GOLF AND THE GAME OF LEADERSHIP: An 18-Hole Guide for Success in Business and in Life

McHugh, a former executive with General Motors and Owens-Illinois, believes that golf is a perfect analogy for the corporate boardroom game. By transferring the strategies that work on the course to the office, chances are one will be able to stand out as a leader. The best golfers are passionate about the game and are willing to put in hours of practice. Similarly, according to McHugh, effective leaders are zealous in their convictions that their behavior will motivate and help others to succeed as well. The chapters—for each of 18 holes of a round of golf—feature leadership principles such as "Focus," "Courage," "Responsibility" and "Recognize Positive Results." In each chapter, McHugh, also a retired U.S. Navy captain, offers numerous anecdotes about both golf and the business world. Unfortunately, the leadership lessons are hidden under too much information about the game. Even McHugh's concrete suggestions are often buried. For example, in the chapter on "Confidence," sketches about some 10 different golfers precede a terse three pages about a specific office dilemma. The sections on providing effective feedback and showing the ability to change offer some valuable advice. But the book's usefulness is undermined by an excess of stories, details and irrelevant material. (May)