Cracking the Code

The Wall Street Journal called it, "Team USA's management victory ... a group-dynamic philosophy with lessons for golf and beyond."

With only three wins in twenty-five years for the United States Ryder Cup team, 2008 captain Paul Azinger employed a management style that focused on building strong relationships among the players. The resulting team won with the largest U.S. margin of victory in almost three decades.

In Cracking the Code, Azinger and management consultant Ron Braund share the team-building philosophy that helped win the Ryder Cup and can work for you.

"Zinger brought a very systematic approach. How we practiced and who we played matches with. The most stressful part of Ryder Cup week is always the uncertainty, but his system went a long way toward putting everyone at ease."---Stewart Cink, 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup teams

"We all bought into the pod strategy, then Paul set the tone by giving us ownership, and it worked."---Phil Mickelson 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup teams

"I've been on teams before, but this was the first time I looked and grasped the idea of how I can make the other person feel more comfortable."---Jim Furyk 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup teams

The United States Ryder Cup team ended nearly a decade of European dominance in 2008 by laying aside their individual pursuits for a single week and bonding like brothers on golf's greatest stage.

Inspired by team-building techniques from Navy SEALs, Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger divided the twelve-man team into small groups, or pods. With guidance from corporate team-builder and relationship specialist Dr. Ron Braund, he placed golfers in pods based on their personality types rather than their golf games. The relationships among teammates created an atmosphere where Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, and the other U.S. golfers could perform at their highest levels.

Cracking the Code tells the compelling story of how the U.S. team, half of them Ryder Cup rookies, overcame their underdog status to bring the Cup back to American shores. In the telling, they reveal principles that can be used to build winning teams in sports, business, and all of life.