Naperville, IL

Monday, December 14, 2009

It's a competition.

And this is a contest he needs to win. Tiger knows there is no way to easily regain his confidence on the golf course without rebuilding the foundation that supports it.

The Tiger Woods brand was formed when his primary relationship was with himself. That has changed. Clearly, Tiger will be making some dramatic changes in his life. When he does emerge in the public domain, you can bet it will not involve golf, but his relationship with his family.

What defines Tiger Woods is his relentless ability to succeed in competitive situations, despite the odds, and sometimes even because of the odds. The odds are against him on this one, and that will only intensify his focus.

Despite pressure from sponsors or the PGA Tour, he will not relent until he has this part of his game under control. He cannot lose the titles or the fortune that he has already amassed. And both the sponsors and The Tour understand they have as much to gain from his proper handling of this as he does.

When Tiger does reenter the public space, you will notice a new focus on his relationship with his wife. He will no longer be looking into space when she is by his side. He will be giving her his full attention, just as he would a competitor.

What This Means for the Rest of Us

If there is anything that this episode teaches, it is that business is about relationships – all of them. Today social media is connecting communities with lighting speed and with great accuracy. Search engines now use real-time search to index everything we do, including where, when, and how we connect with other people. It is time for everyone to get comfortable with that.

New Media Marketer Jeff Korhan comments, "You may not be a celebrity, or even a Web celebrity, but you are a human being. And the increasingly humanized Web is eavesdropping on your conversations more than you know. This is a trend that is sure to gain momentum as the social media networks do what they do best."

Jeff Korhan

New Media Marketer

True Nature Inc®

Naperville, IL

630-774-8350

630-206-1026