Stay true to yourself and learn

Sandy Jones, chief executive of The Professional Golfers' Association and chairman of the European PGA, left structural engineering and computer programming at IBM in 1979 to begin a new career with the golfing association. The Scottish 59-year-old took the top job in 1991, and he came to national prominence through his sensitive handling of the cancellation of the Ryder Cup Tournament in the aftermath of 9/11.

What I believe...
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.

Be empathetic. Flip the record over and see things from the other person's perspective. That's my mother's philosophy.

Listen to the young and the old. Young people give you energy; older ones have the wisdom.
Trust your instincts and have confidence. Great sportspeople have a fraction longer to complete their task than the average person - because they are more in control.

A conductor is only as good as the musicians in the orchestra. Mark McCormack [founder of sports marketing agency IMG] taught me that. Get good people around you.

Treat people with respect. You can see from other sports the importance of having a sense of fair play, as golf does, in sport and business.

Believe in your sport and promote it with dedication, focus, commitment and discipline. It can't be a pastime. It has to be a business. You need a bit of luck. I am a very lucky man.