One of the most evolved sports is golf. Golf has attained, somewhat of an elite status, simply because the players are nattily dressed and seem to have overflowing bank balances. Every top CEO seems to want to head to the golf course, to strut the green and exchange yarns over a pitcher of beer. Golf is a kind of exclusive club where the bourgeois don't venture.Apparently it is a setting for networking and building relationships.
I'm not a great fan of golf, the reason being that, I feel its a game for the geriatric, who had more time than skill on their hands. However what I admire is its inclusiveness. The worse you play, the bigger is the handicap that you receive, to get you up to to speed with the rest. This means two things:
#1. You can swing a club, with Tiger Woods and not feel ashamed. ( Assuming that is, he shares an interest in you )
#2. If you lose, you can blame the handicap.
The handicap, is a wonderful tool and many of us adopt it to live life easier. Social handicapping is a wonderful stress buster when used selectively, however it can turn into a major problem if it turns into a habit.
Social handicapping works like this. Just before an examination or major event one falls sick or ill. The rationale is that even if failure occurs it can be blamed on the illness and one need not be accountable.Many folk, down a couple of stiff drinks, of alcohol,before heading out to an important event. They claim it makes them more brave, but in reality they are priming themselves for failure.
There are many many variations of social handicapping and it is a disease. Unfortunately like many malices, many do not even realize that they are a victim till they are fully sucked in.
At the individual level, social handicapping, is a danger, at the Corporate level it is catastrophic. Many organization cultures look elsewhere for their failures rather than within and destroy themselves.
The next time you want to provide yourself a handicap, remember that you are setting yourself up for failure and it is only a temporary prop!Its like buying a lifebuoy before you learn to swim.
As for golf, I wonder if it is a physical sport or a set for a picnic...........
4 comments:
Sir, based on what you have just blogged, we can agree to the fact that Golf as a profession is very competitive and disciplined. It does require a commitment and involvement. Hence, I suggest the corporates should play golf without handicaps and they will surely head towards being a winner.
Wsa thinking about you, when I wrote this blog.
Glad to see that you continue to be an avid golfer. How's life?
I agree: handicaps should go!
AAhhh!!! i finally found a title ' social handicap' for my regularly irregular classes.. Wat do u think Sir? lol.. As a matter of fact, if we take this example to macro analysis, every step we look for being socially handicapped.. and that comes hand in hand for every plastic reality of work we do for recognition without passion
Lopa,
You are right. Many of us use this to hide failure. After all it requires great strength to be brutally honest with ourselves and our shortcomings.
Recognition without passion, is yet another story......a beggar wants you to recognize his poverty and pity him. A rich show off wants your envy and recognition that he is better off than you.
Both are insecure............and have little to do with social handicapping.
Bunking class....yes it is SH, if nothing more useful is being done in the bunked time.
Cheers......
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