PODCASTPODCAST NOTESNOTES Rory McIlroy

David Novak, founder and CEO of oGoLead™ interviewed Rory McIlroy for a new oGoLead™ Leadership Podcast. McIlroy's candid conversation with Novak spans his life and leadership lessons that apply to everyone who wants to be a better leader, whether in business or sports.

McIlroy is a four time major champion and recent winner of the Invitational. He has spent 95 weeks ranked as the #1 golfer in the world, joining the illustrious company of and as the world's only three golfers to have won four Major titles by the age of 25.

Many topics were covered on the podcast that is available on oGoLead.com; here are some of Rory McIlroy's insights to help you become a better leader.

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1 Q&A

Novak: What makes a great coach - not just for ? McIlroy: Communication. It's how a coach says it, knowing you and how you'll receive feedback. If you don't take criticism well, you can say 'you are doing this really well, but don't that'. Take an interest in and the time to know people's personalities and how they take on information because everyone is different. Whether you are coaching a team or an individual, there are different ways to communicate.

Whether you lead a team or work with others, communication matters. What is the best way for you to receive feedback? (Direct, sandwiched with some positive reinforcement like Rory, with specific examples and tips on how to improve, other ideas…)

Think about someone you work with today. Do you know how to best provide feedback to this person in a way they will hear it and respond? Spend some time with this person this week and ask how they receive feedback best. Then, use this information to help you become a more effective communicator.

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2 Q&A

Novak: What traits do you admire in leaders? McIlroy: You have to lead by example. You can't just preach about what people need to do, you have to show them. If you look to your boss or leader and they are practicing what they preach, it is more authentic, so that's a big thing. With leadership, you don't want to lead by fear, you want to make the people you are leading feel a part of things. You don't want a separation between people and a leader. Make it feel like one big team and make everyone feel valued.

Would people who work with you describe you as someone who leads by example or someone who says, "Do what I say, not what I do?" Explain your answer.

What is one action you can take this week to lead by example and show others you value them?

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3 Q&A

Novak: I see that authenticity is really important to you - you are the real deal. McIlroy: I try to be me, not somebody else. Once I became 100% comfortable in my own skin, if not everyone likes me, that's ok as long as I stay true to myself, the values I believe in and be authentic.

What fears keep you from staying true to yourself?

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4 Q&A

Novak: What was it like during the 2011 Masters when winning was in your grasp, then you hit a bad drive on the 10th? What did you learn from that experience? McIlroy: That round at Augusta was the most important round of my life and I learned so much. At the time, it was a failure and I didn't know if I would get a chance at The Masters again. I was distraught but when I looked back at the tape, one of the big things I saw was that I was very insular. My shoulders were rounded, my head was down a lot. Even on the 10th hole, I wasn't embracing the situation. I wasn't going out with the right mindset and was thinking about the person ahead of me versus focusing on what I can do. I wasn't in control of what I was in control of, that's why I lost. I don't think I would have the career I have without that day.

Rory chose a positive mindset and learned from the drive on the 10th hole. Think about the last time you experienced a setback or challenge. Did you choose a positive mindset or did you feel defeated and give up? Explain your answer.

What can you learn from Rory's approach to handling a setback? How can you apply this the next time you're faced with a setback or challenge?

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5 Q&A

Novak: Talk about having grit and coming back - how'd you do that? McIlroy: All I wanted was to give myself another chance and prove to myself that that person on the back 9 at Augusta wasn't me. I wasn't going to be defined by it and it wasn't me to wilt under pressure. Whoever that was, he's gone. I thought that if I get that chance again, I'm going to make sure I grasp it with two hands. Fast forward, the chance was at the U.S. Open. I was a different person, walking around with head up and chest out. I kept my eye line above the heads of the fans, exuding confidence, big on body language and positive thought.

Rory chose to not let the 10th hole define him, and he made changes that resulted in a win at his next tournament, the US Open. Do you let setbacks define you or do the setbacks inspire you to learn and make a change? How does Rory's grit inspire you to keep moving forward and learn from your experiences?

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6 Q&A

Novak: When you are at the top how do you stay hungry and push for better results? McIlroy: You always have to reset your goals, reassess. I always ask "What's next?" One of my first goals in 2012 was to get to world #1 and I did that by end of February. I struggled for a couple of months after meeting that goal thinking, this is great, now what? I learned a valuable lesson. You always have to reassess, reset your goals. So I said, okay, now that I got to #1, I want to average 15 points in world rankings and got my head around that. Once you've achieved the goal, it's always what's next.

How can you apply Rory's strategy to ask, "What's next?" in your personal and professional life?

Novak: What do you look for when you team up with people? McIlroy: Common values is a big thing. Relationships matter, it can't just be transactional. You have to build firm relationships, you need to want to be in it together and share common goals. Partnerships can't just be one-way street. It's two-way. You want the best for them, they want the best for you. Everyone needs to feel valued.

Would people describe you as more task focused or people focused? Why?

Choose one person that you don't know well and invite them to coffee or lunch this week. Focus on building a relationship with them by getting to know them better.

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7 Q&A

Novak: How do you hold people accountable? McIlroy: It goes back to leading by example, having strong beliefs and values and making sure people live up to those beliefs in any decisions they make. Consciously think, is this decision in the best interest of what we want to achieve? Everyone is looking out for themselves but at same time you are part of a team so think about your overall objectives.

How well do you keep the overall objectives in mind when making decisions at work?

Novak: Do you have any fears about winning? McIlroy: No, not at all. I know that if I play anywhere near my best, in any given week, I have a chance to win. And it's just about giving yourself a chance. And once you're there, you have to grasp it with both hands and hit the shots that matter. I have no doubt if I get myself in that position, the win won't be too far away. (Just two weeks later, Rory won the Arnold Palmer Invitational showing the power of positive attitude!)

Rory is confident in his ability to play golf and chooses a positive attitude, which helps him succeed. Think about a situation where you're struggling with a positive attitude. Spend some time reflecting on how you can flip your negative thoughts into positive ones. Work hard to think positive thoughts about this situation for a week.

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8 Q&A

Novak: How much is gratitude a part of your life? McIlroy: It's huge. I think everyone has to be thankful for what they have. I think to receive something, you first have to be thankful for it and I've been very thankful for everything that's happened to me in my life. I've got a deep gratitude to my parents and what they've done for me. I'm thankful every day I can get up in the morning and do what I do and spend time with very special people and learn from these people.

What are three things your grateful for today? To take this to the next level, write down three things you are thankful for each day this week.

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9 Q&A

Novak: Any advice for up and coming leaders? McIlroy: Never be afraid to ask for advice, too proud or stubborn to take advice from people. Everyone is trying to help in some way. Lead by example, the way you want to be led. Be engaging and inspiring. Try to help others. Be selfless; if you help others, it will help you along the way as well. Keep a great perspective on things.

Do you struggle with asking for or taking advice from others? Explain your answer.

Choose a situation where you need some advice and ask someone to help you this week.

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10 oGoLead™ Leadership Podcasts are easily accessible on oGoLead.com or popular podcast platforms, including iTunes.com and Soundcloud.com.

David Novak created oGoLead™ to help people become stronger leaders. He is co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands and a New York Times bestselling leadership book author. He has been recognized as "2012 CEO of the Year" by Chief Executive magazine, one of the world's "30 Best CEOs" by Barron's, one of the "Top People in Business" by FORTUNE and one of the "100 Best- Performing CEOs in the World" by Harvard Business Review.

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