Building your X factor No. 1: Making meaningful connections with data

Recently, we hosted a roundtable interview with Xander Schauffele, the PGA’s No. 4 ranked pro golfer and Hyland’s brand ambassador. Led by Mike Tirico, sportscaster at NBC, the chat also included Stefan Schauffele, Xander’s father and coach, as well as Ed McQuiston, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Hyland.

I’ve noticed that in any video he participates in, Ed makes sure his golf bag is in a prominent position. I joke that when he starts flying again, Ed will use that bag as his suitcase.

“Excuse me,” I see someone saying. “Are you a pro golfer?”

I see Ed thinking, thinking, and then finally saying, “Sure. Want my autograph?”

Now back to the interview.

Making sense of the massive amounts of data we all have at our disposal these days was one of the key areas of discussion. It doesn’t matter if you’re a pro golfer, healthcare provider, or a commercial enterprise, you need to go beyond accessing and managing data. You need to use it to make more-informed decisions.

Because your competition is.

Making the Connection

The amount of data available to professional golfers these days is amazing, as Mike says in the video. And, just like in business, it comes from different sources. Obviously, the goal is to process and share it.

But how do you harness it to get ready for high-pressure situations, like pro golf tournaments? Or to make important organizational decisions? Those are the big questions.

“How much of that data do you use to develop strategies?” Mike asked.

All of it.

The goal is to acquire detailed statistics on Xander’s game itself, according to Stefan. Much like the world of business, with different courses and constantly changing conditions, golf challenges players and their teams to make the best decisions possible.

The best way to do that is by gathering – and then utilizing – as much data as you can. You also need to deliver that information to the right people at the right time – across a range of repositories and locations.

So, whether you’re a pro golfer or a business executive (who dreams of being a pro golfer), the time is now to take it to the next level. It’s time to put your data to use, so your carry-on luggage for the flight home includes a trophy.

In part two of this series, we’ll take a look at aspects of how, as a young CEO, Xander leads his team.