Have you ever thought of a caddy as a leader? Probably not. They’re in the background, serving the golfer, and are not in the spotlight. Roles like a caddy are often underestimated, let’s look into why you shouldn’t underestimate these vital roles.

Leaders Are Like Caddies

I’m sure this is something you haven’t heard before; leaders are like caddies. While I’m sure you’re shaking your head, let me explain.

A caddy wears many different hats during the course of his role, sometimes he coaches, sometimes he’s like a friend providing encouragement and motivation, and sometimes he is providing inside information and advice on the course.

A caddy is like a butler, he strives to make everyone else’s lives easier, he strives to make their jobs easier.

While sometimes this can include tasks like cleaning clubs and balls, other times you get to celebrate a terrific shot!

A caddy is not a coach nor a mentor, but somewhere in between. As leaders, we can emulate a lot of the qualities of a leader. It is often better to lead from the back, helping others to succeed than rather than taking the spotlight for yourself.

We can also learn how to wear many hats, as your business grows so your role will change! While sometimes you are the pro golfer in the spotlight, other times you need to be the caddy cleaning clubs and balls.

A Servant Leader

One clear theme that comes out of this story is that of a servant leader. We have spoken before about a servant leader and how it helps you to build a strong team. A servant leader strives to make their team’s life easier, rather than “Reach this goal”, servant leaders ask “How can I help you to achieve our goal?”.

Servant leaders build stronger and more loyal teams when compared to autocratic leaders. If you want a strong, high performing team, start becoming a servant leader.