Jim Robinson, P.E., Director

Department of Public Works

City of Jacksonville, Florida

How to Become a Great Public Works Director?

Take Golf Lessons

Who Said This? "I feel that hitting specific shots - playing the ball to a certain place in

a certain way - is 50 percent mental picture, 40 percent setup and 10 percent swing. That's why setting

up takes me so long, why I have to be so deliberate. In competition I am not simply trying to hit a good shot, but rather the perfect shot for the particular situation. I frequently fail, of course, often because I've mentally pictured the wrong shot. But unless I can set up exactly right in relation to the shot I have pictured, I know I have no chance of executing it as planned. Therefore I must get perfectly set - it's almost a compulsion before I can pull the trigger. My mind simply will not let me start the swing until I'm 'right' no matter how long it takes."

Mental Picture

Key Skills to Get a Mental Picture Accountability

Accountability is the road to higher achievement Higher achievement produces higher results Higher results give you greater success

Positive Expectancy Positive expectancy creates resolve Resolve overcomes obstacles and roadblocks Overcoming obstacles and roadblocks delivers results

Goals Goals produce focus Focus produces drive Drive produces results

Visualization

Coaching

• We cannot see ourselves

perform

• We absolutely have blind

spots and weaknesses

• Who would be the best

“coach” in your

organization?

Setup

Grip

• Grab the tools you have at

your disposal

• Know when to hold tight

and when to let loose

• You want your hands to

work compatibly, so one

doesn't override the other

• Always put your left hand

on first

Stance

• Are you always in the best

position

• An athletic stance is a

relevant principle in the

work place

• The body should be aligned

with the face of the club

• When standing over the

ball, a player should assume

a relaxed posture

Ball Position

• Even the smallest

adjustments can sometimes

create solutions and

positive outcomes

• Situational awareness can

help us recall a good

strategy

• How many times do we

actually practice what we

do?

Alignment

• Are your actions goal directed?

• Play virtually all of your shots from a square stance

• Remember – your knees, hips and shoulders should be in line or parallel to your feet

• Standing behind the ball looking at your target, pick a mark a few feet in front of the golf ball that is directly on your ball-to-target line

The “Swing”

Takeaway

• Sometimes we just need to

get started

• When your golf club is

parallel to the ground during

the golf swing takeaway the

toe of the club head should

be pointing towards the

sky

• A poor golf swing takeaway

forces you to make

compensations or

adjustments in the golf

swing (sometimes many) to

return the clubhead square

at impact

Halfway Back

• When the club reaches a

good takeaway position

(about hip height), allow

the wrists to start to cock

upwards

• Check that the club is on

plane by checking that the

butt end of the club points

directly at the ball

Top of Swing

• Do we overextend

ourselves to the detriment

of ourselves and others?

• Are we running a sprint or

a marathon?

• Ensure your head has

remained at the same

height and feel that the left

arm is strong and not

flexed

Transition

• To initiate the downswing, start by shifting your hips to the left, in a small lateral slide or ‘bump’

• Simultaneously draw your right elbow downwards and slightly backwards, towards your right hip pocket

• As your hips now start to turn, your body uncoils and your chest should turn past the golf ball pulling your hands forwards

Extension and Rotation

• Immediately after impact

with the golf ball, you

should feel as though the

golf club extends right

down the line of your

target

• As your body continues its

turn through and beyond

the impact

position,maintain your

spine angle to avoid

lifting out of the shot too

early

Keep Your Head Down

• It is more correct to say

“Keep your head still”, but

better still to say “swing

such that your head stays

relatively still”

• Do all these things and you

will find that you are

swinging in such a way that

your head stays pretty still,

without really trying to

keep your head “still” or

“down”

Follow Through

• Your momentum and the speed of the club should pull you round and upwards, to a balanced finish.

• Check that your belt buckle is facing the target, your chest facing at or slightly left of target.

• 95% of your weight should be on your left foot, which should still be planted in the same spot at which it started.

• Also check that your right foot is only touching the ground with the tip toe, and not resting on the ball of the foot, as this will allow too much weight to stay back on the right foot.

• You should feel able to hold this poised position for a few seconds, at least until the ball lands.

So, How Do We Get Better?

A Different Way to Think…

Every organization has two things in common… a Present and a Future.

All organizations have Processes…

They may be productive or dysfunctional, formal or informal, documented or undocumented

Future Present

Quality Communication

Meetings Service

Phone calls

Interruptions

Productivity Shipping

Planning

Ordering

“Fires”

Employees

Everything in between is called Process. Process is the activity of daily operations.

A Different Way to Think…

The Quality of the Process determines the Quality of the organization’s Performance.

Performance

Process

Quality Communication

Meetings Service

Phone calls

Interruptions

Productivity Shipping

Planning

Ordering

“Fires”

Employees

Future Present

The Quality of the Performance determines the Future of the organization.

A Different Way to Think…..

For our organization to improve its future (better results or move to the next level)

the necessary change is driven from the enhancement of and focus on

Process not Performance!

A sole focus on Performance, usually involves inspirational or educational activities designed to

improve performance at the individual level. Results are reviewed “in the rear view mirror”.

A Different Way to Think…

We need to begin by enhancing the Process. This will transform your Department by using more of its untapped

potential.

Better Communication

Better Meetings

Enhanced Service

Effective Phone calls

Reduced Interruptions

Increased Productivity

Faster Shipping

Superior Quality

Stronger Planning

IMPROVED Performance

ENHANCED Process Present Future

Smoooooooth!!!!

Questions & Discussion