Walking on the golf course recently, I was reflecting on how invigorated I felt playing the game. I love the game's challenge and the camaraderie of my fellow players, and I am pleased that I have achieved a certain level of competence while knowing that there is still room for significant improvement. At that moment, I also realized that I felt the same way about leading an association.

Later that day, I began thinking about the many ways that golf is like leadership. Golf and leadership are demanding mind games that present opportunities for planning, adaptation, improvement, success, and failure. Both require focus, as well as a willingness to make and learn from your mistakes, which is why I'm sharing some of my leadership lessons from golf.

Get the Lay of the Land

To play golf effectively, you need to see clearly the entire course and its conditions. As with leadership, you need a vision of where you are heading and how you will get there. Yet, it is important in both contexts to play one shot at a time, making strategic adjustments as conditions change.

Golf and leadership also require you to make quick judgments about when to swing and when to lay up, and when to take calculated risks or play it safe. In the words of golf legend Sam Snead, "Don't just play your way around the course. Think your way around the course. In golf, as in life, you get out of it what you put into it."

Golf pros are successful because they understand that little aspects of the game count. We have all heard the adage, "Drive for show, putt for dough." While ball strikers tend to be favored on certain types of courses, good chipping and putting often win the game. When a leader does the little things right while also keeping his or her eye on the big picture, an entire project or program falls into place.

Choose the Right Equipment and Practice

Golf pros practice diligently. They hit thousands of shots so they can improve their accuracy and proficiency and adapt their game to the next tournament or course. They continue to gain advantage by using equipment that enhances their strengths and compensates for their weaknesses.

Golf and leadership are demanding mind games that present opportunities for planning, adaptation, improvement, success, and failure.

Likewise, with leadership, it is important to practice and have the resources and tools you need to play effectively. Certainly, effective leaders need to evolve and grow and be attuned to changing needs in order to respond to the demands of association management.

Recover From Your Bad Shots

All golf games include some bad shots. But the character and success of a golfer, as well as a leader, are measured not in the bad shots they make, but in the way they respond. Can they maintain their cool, adjust, and recover from those predicaments?

Leaders cannot be paralyzed by the fear of making a bad decision. Sometimes, your decisions will produce less than desirable results. The key is how well you maintain your equilibrium, take ownership of the situation, and remediate the problem with as little negative impact as possible. And the best leaders learn from those adventures.

Let Others Help You Strengthen Your Game

I play best when I'm relaxed and enjoying the company of my golfing partners. I rely on them to let me know if I have developed any quirky moves, so I can make quick adjustments. I also watch and learn from how they play.

Likewise, leadership is not a solitary pursuit. It requires the teamwork of dedicated staff to effectively pursue an organizational mission. And leaders need to listen and learn from others when conditions require a reassessment of plans or a change of direction.

Celebrate Small Wins

Celebrating that strong and straight drive or that perfect putt can make the game more enjoyable and keep golfers coming back. The same is true at work. A recent Harvard study shows that on days when people perceived that they made progress—even incremental progress—on a project, they were more motivated and enjoyed their work more.

Most leaders probably don't need a study to convince them of that, because they have lived it. Leaders who recognize their team's progress will intensify enjoyment and motivation and build a reserve of positive morale for when the going gets tough. A good leader praises staff for the small things to keep them focused on the next win around the corner.

Measure Success

Golf is a game of measurement: the number of strokes over or under par, distance to the hole, number of holes where a player was on the green in regulation, and, of course, the final score. For golf pros, the ultimate measure is tournament wins. This is the only way that golfers measure the quality of their game in comparison to competitors. Likewise, leaders need strong measures of success to determine whether and when they have hit their target or when an adjustment might be needed.

Most important, in the game of leadership as in golf, if you are going to play, play with passion and commitment, enjoy the ride, and celebrate your success.