How Golf Has Influenced My Business Development Career in Healthcare

How Golf Has Influenced My Business Development Career in Healthcare

 

This blog was written by golf pro and Jordan Search Consultants’ Director of Client Development, Adam Rockey

People are usually surprised when I tell them how I got into the healthcare recruitment industry. That’s because prior to joining Jordan Search Consultants, I was a golf pro—which on the surface appears to have nothing in common with healthcare recruiting. However, after twelve years in the golf industry, my transition to Director of Client Development at JSC was a seamless one. How so, you ask? Below are four reasons I can attribute much of my current success to my unique experience as a golf professional.

 

 

1. Golf is good for business. While this is likely the most obvious factor, it’s certainly the most influential. There are plenty of statistics that tout the benefits of hitting the greens in order to build and maintain business relationships. For example, according to PGA.com, 54% of business professionals see golf as the perfect networking tool. And as Director of Client Development, that’s what my job is all about. Years on the golf course—unbeknownst to me at the time—equipped me with with an unparalleled tool for business development.

2. There are no shortcuts. Golf requires a certain amount of persistence and patience; nothing comes easy. For instance, in order to shoot under par, you must set yourself up for success by placing your first shot on each hole strategically; holes-in-one are rare. Similarly, in healthcare recruiting, it’s very rare to find the perfect candidate on the first try. In order to ensure a quality fit, due diligence is required in the form of vetting, checking references, and multiple rounds of interviews. Through golf, I gained a tenacity that allows me to follow processes thoroughly and recognize that shortcuts are not an option.

3. There’s no “I” in team. Recently, I noticed a trend among young, up-and-coming tour professionals. During public appearances, these next generation golfers almost exclusively refer to themselves as “we”, insinuating that their success in an individual sport is a team effort—caddies, agents, etc. When I began my position with JSC, I quickly observed a similar trend, a team-based approach in healthcare. For many up-and-coming physicians, there is no “I” but rather a focus on collaboration between all healthcare professionals. This parallel has helped me to grasp and further understand the population health movement and thus better serve my clients.

4. Culture is king. When I’m deciding at which course to schedule my next tee time, it’s entirely dependent on who will be joining me and what I want to get out of the game. For instance, if I’m seeking a relaxing day with friends, I would choose a casual public course. On the other hand, an upscale country club would be much more suitable for a client golf outing. These differences can be defined as golf course culture. In the same regard, I’m now able to help clients identify their corporate culture—or the type of people with whom they want to work—and help candidates articulate what they want to get out of a job. Ultimately, my goal is to make sure there is a cultural fit for everyone involved.

 

It’s interesting to reflect on my time in the golf industry and how it has influenced the person I am today. I can certainly thank my golf days for helping to define many of the characteristics that qualify me for the Director of Client Development position at JSC. Though the transition wasn’t planned, it’s a great lesson in gaining value out of whatever it is that you do, because you never know where it will take you.

 

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