Stumbled upon the RBS Golf website the other day. In addition to featuring all of RBS's golf sponsorships (British Open, PGA of America, Jack Nicklaus, etc) they have a section called "The Business of Sport: Golf" with some great quotes by PGA of America executive Sandy Jones. Here's an excerpt:
Honesty, integrity and trust are the bedrocks of business. A contract is the beginning of an end, and the end is shaking hands knowing you have delivered what you promised and didn't promise what you couldn't deliver.
Being available 24/7 creates a demand for immediate answers - which are often bad decisions. Every year, I spend 130 nights away and 7,000 hours in a car. This is thinking time, which CEOs say they don't get enough of.
I really like that last part. I understand the need to be connected and in control (especially if you travel a lot) and keep up with the details. But I think in today's world, people are often so concerned with these little details that they forget about the big picture (and become Crackberry addicts, but that's another story). Sometimes spending a little time away from email and the office can be a good thing and lead to new ideas.
While I'm not planning on ever spending 7,000 hours in a car to get my thinking done, I like the point Sandy makes here. For some of his other quotes, check out this section on the RBS Golf website.