Why is golfer Bernhard Langer so successful? Senior Writer Randall Mell asks this question on a recent blog post online at Golf Channel. Along with the usual answers such as hard work and excellent health, Langer lists a reason people don’t often mention: a lack of personal tumult. “I haven’t had marital problems, or a divorce. I’ve had the same coach for 35 years. I’ve had the same manager for 35 years. I’ve had the same wife for 27 years. Obviously, I’ve had to work hard on my game, but I think if other areas of your life are not right, you will have a hard time concentrating and performing,” said Langer. Langer has won 83 professional titles and trophies over a career spanning more than 30 years. Mell writes Langer is proof that emotional stability is as helpful as good golfing technique and years of dedication. Divorce, defiant teenagers, money problems, and dying relatives all are hazards for professional athletes. This type of tumult is why people ponder Tiger W...

Whether you are building a sports team or a company, author Rosabeth Moss Kanter recommends culling lessons from the sporting arena. In a Harvard Business Review blog,  Kantar turns her gaze to both World Cup Soccer action and the cricket field. What can we learn from the playing field? Kantar writes: "The leadership culture surrounding teams shapes outcomes. Whether in the boardroom, locker room, or living room, success is derived from not just the talents of individuals but the context surrounding them." If you caught any World Cup coverage this past summer, you may have witnessed the French team’s “emotional meltdown,” or the German team’s “discipline.”  Nigeria faltered while its country’s soccer federation suffered a corruption investigation. All of these examples point to the culture and leadership surroundin...

For a lesson in chemistry, take a look at the Chicago Blackhawks current season, writes Bryan Dietzler in an online Bleacher Report article. Avid sports fans may think the Blackhawks are currently suffering from “Stanley Cup Hangover.” Since the team won a championship last year, the slow season start is a common sports phenomenon of not playing at an optimum level after a championship winning year, aka a “hangover.” Dietzler says this may be true, but the bigger reason behind their struggles is due to team chemistry. “Chemistry is the result of extended time practicing and playing with a group of people in order to build cohesion and team unity,” wrote Dietzler. The Blackhawks traded players and released other team members and signed new talent after winning the Stanley Cup. In effect, t...