Tag: Culture

The Indistractable Manager

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Phone calls, emails, knocks on the door… all contribute to those days when you feel busy, but achieve nothing. GGA’s Patrick DeLozier outlines some tactics aimed at eliminating those fruitlessly busy days from your calendar.

There’s nothing more frustrating than a hollow sense of fulfillment at the end of a tiring day. Fulfilling in that you’ve been busy and active, hollow in that you’re no nearer to completing any of the tasks you set out to.

The first thing to make clear is, it’s a common problem. It affects us all. And while some of these days are inevitable, throughout my 18 years in the private club industry I made a conscious effort to develop methods of mitigating their impact and focusing on productive outputs.

Winning the day

It all starts before you even set foot in the workplace.

Develop a routine that gets your mind organized and focused from the get-go. For me, it was a morning swim, followed by reading several newspapers and social media news briefs that helped put me in an optimal productive state. So whether it’s a workout, meditation, yoga, or simply a coffee, find what works for you and stick to it.

When it comes to the working day itself, I found it particularly helpful to break this into three stages:

  • Up-brief – a first-thing review, to focus and plan of your tasks for the day
  • Midday check-in – an opportunity to measure task completion, to assess or reassess priorities
  • Debrief – end of day review, to look at what has been accomplished and what needs to be addressed the following day

For the up-brief, tasks should be specific, achievable, and aligned towards set objectives, prioritizing what you need to achieve and by when. Try to avoid tasks which veer away from your objectives or can be easily completed by another member of your team. Delegating tasks can often test your sense of trust and judgement in other team members, but is critical when it comes to staying focused on what’s important (and befitting of the Club Manager role).

During the day, make time to measure where things stand. If a task due for completion is in doubt, can you call in additional resource? If team members have become distracted by inane endeavors, is there time to pull them back and refocus their attention where it should be?

Finally, don’t allow the day to go by without assessing what has been accomplished during a debrief session. This is your opportunity to not only review your own achievements, but reward team members for a job well done and completed on time. They should also understand how this has helped (or is helping) towards the overarching objectives of the Club, as this will encourage their buy-in to the bigger picture.

Conversely, you will also need to confront incomplete tasks or missed deadlines. This is where balance and accountability come in, as you need to address these without demotivating your team.

Though some may find these stages overbearing, consistent monitoring and clear communication will allow team members to stay on task and focused for success. Ultimately, accountability will combat procrastination and instill a goal-oriented culture at your club.

Working smart 

Aside from external distractions, what can you do as a manager to work smarter? Here’s what I learned from nearly two decades at the sharp end of club management:

  • Do not try to take on everything on your own. Trust your team to assist you in your success.
  • Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. And then provide them with feedback, support, and recognition for a job well done.
  • Block off time in your calendar where you will not be interrupted. Sometimes an hour per week off-site (such as a coffee shop) will allow you to complete a certain task or get some much-needed headspace.
  • Temper your access to your cell phone or tablet. This will help you to avoid unnecessary calls, texts, and social media, allowing you to make headway with tasks requiring the utmost focus.
  • Be disciplined. Don’t put off tasks just because they are more challenging to you. They will fester, induce stress, and only become harder to overcome in the long run.

There are so many simple ideas out there that can help you overcome distractions, and they can be very effective. But if you can isolate a structure which is focused, holds everyone to account, and is married to your club mission, you can unlock something greater: a productive culture. A culture driven by goals, achievement and success. And that is something that no one wants to get in the way of.

Creating A Better Environment for Workers … and Potential Hires

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This is the second of two Golf Course Industry Game Plan columns focusing on becoming an employer of choice.  For more, check out the previous article “Become an Employer of Choice”.

“… And what do you do, Mike?” the guy grilling the burgers at the neighborhood barbecue asked casually.

“I’m the golf course superintendent at Laurel Lake Country Club.  It’s an amazing place to work.  I have a great team and my manager really appreciates the job we do.  If you’re thinking about joining a club, why don’t you come out as my guest one day?”

Is that the kind of answer one of your staff members would give in a similar situation?  If it is, you’re in an enviable position in this tight labor market — you’re what’s known as an “employer of choice.”  Employers of choice enjoy higher retention rates, better productivity from their teams and a healthier workplace culture.  What’s more, they don’t have to search as hard for top talent because the best people come to them, hoping to join their team.

So how do you create that kind of reputation for your club?  It doesn’t happen overnight, but it can start with the ways in which you promote job openings.  Here are five keys to positioning your club as a place where top talent wants to work:

1. Show your colors up front. Describe who you are and what your course or club represents. This description of your values and the high standards to which you hold team members is attractive to top performers.  Stating your values and the significance of the position helps prospective employees know if your club is one where they would be proud to work.

2. Describe the job benefits clearly. Benefits are an important differentiator in today’s workplace, but don’t think of them in limited terms. Beyond health insurance, sick leave and vacation days, benefits include respect, being part of a winning team, and the opportunity for continued professional learning and development.  Make sure you help prospective employees understand the full range of benefits that you offer.

3. Tell what the job entails. Pay attention to the language you choose to describe the job and its responsibilities. And don’t be hesitant to describe the job in demanding terms. Top performers want jobs that challenge them and ones that matter.  Describe the team that the prospective employee would join, its work ethic and its team spirit.  Being a part of a great team is a strong incentive to employees who enjoy collaboration and sharing.

4. Know your competition. Being an employer of choice requires that you do your homework to know how your compensation, benefits and culture compare with the competition. In a tight job market, it’s also important to realize that your competitors include more than golf clubs and other golf operations courses.  You’re also likely competing with landscape companies and hospitality positions for top talent.  Knowing what competitive organizations offer helps you structure benefits and comp attractively while being mindful of the budget.

5. Tell stories of valued performers. Stories of performance, customer service, overcoming adversity and teamwork give new employees insight to the organization and the culture they are part of. Think of it as a window into your team room, which allows you to describe the human components of the job that are not a part of the formal job description.

In his book, “Attracting and Retaining Talent: Becoming an Employer of Choice,” Dr. Tim Baker emphasizes the importance of standing on trustworthy values.  “In plain terms, being an employer of choice means establishing a business that is a great place to work.  If companies don’t genuinely act to become an employer of choice, then good employees will simply vote with their feet and move to a forward-thinking employer who offers them what they want.”

Remember the story of the janitor at the Johnson Space Center in Houston who, when asked by President John. F. Kennedy about his role, said, “Mr. President, I’m part of the team that is putting a man on the moon.”

Don’t you wish that janitor worked for you?

This article was authored by GGA Partner Henry DeLozier for Golf Course Industry Magazine. 

Embedding a Culture of Progression and Longevity Among Board Members

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Each new set of Board members are faced with the same conundrum: the desire to achieve things and make a difference, but only a limited term with which to do it. The answer to this issue, is to instill a sense of mission and to focus the attention of Board members on longer term issues. GGA’s Rob Hill delivers the key insights.

Formulate a proper orientation

Every board, just like a club, has its own culture which is defined by its traditions and practices, and every new board member deserves a focused introduction to this culture if they are to be expected to adapt and contribute from the outset of their term.

Orientations vary greatly, but no matter the approach, they offer an extraordinary opportunity to focus new and existing members on the club’s vision, mission and the long-term strategic business priorities of the board.

It’s also the ideal environment to emphasize the progress made by the club and immediate actions to be undertaken, both of which underline the responsibility the board holds: to advance a plan, to make meaningful progress, and for this be aligned to an overarching strategy so that there is continuity of effort.

This sense of collective effort – of accountability, of building on the work of others, of advancing a plan closer to its successful conclusion ­– is often inspiring for new board members.

Focus on the future

Clubs traditionally start meetings with minutes and committee reports that contain minutiae and operational items that are reflective of what has already happened, but ideally a Board should be focused on strategy (the future) and policy.

Everyone (Boards and GM’s) would rather spend their time on the concrete things and events that they can touch and feel, rather than the conceptual – strategy and planning.

You have to challenge these instincts using a “Consent Agenda”. Effectively, the Hon Sec and Club Manager should carefully plan not only the details of the agenda, but, crucially, the order too, in order to keep strategy at the forefront of Board business.

It takes several meetings and a commitment up front, but over time it helps to shift the emphasis toward the future.

Face resistance with facts

Should a Board successfully navigate the strategic planning process and adopt a long-term plan, it should not make the mistake in thinking that the hard work is over, or that all of its future members will support it without question.

It is common for plans to be questioned and tested. After all, if Board Members are to be tasked with the implementation of a plan, it is only right that they can challenge elements they doubt. Board governance is most successful when Members ask the right questions, put forth new ideas and challenges, and continually refresh and renew the Club’s goals.

Where a Board Member is strongly resistant to elements or the entirety of a strategic plan, this is often the result of either: a belief or conviction based on their experience, or a feeling that a plan only serves as a straitjacket which prevents them from imposing their own will on the Club.

In such an instance it is important that facts are established. That way, any questions of validity or appropriateness are based on evidence rather than purely belief or emotion. Board Members can passionately state a personal position in opposition to components of a plan, but they should be expected to support their positions with facts.

Foster a shared vision

 A strategic plan is certainly a powerful tool for facilitating continuity of tenure. However, it should never be considered a silver bullet. A strategic plan, no matter how good it is, will not cure all ills.

Long-term success requires alignment of the entire club. Only when the board, executive leadership, committees, members and staff are fully aligned behind a shared vision, when you consistently communicate your successes and progress, when the entire club believes in and sees the positive impact of strategy does real momentum build. Indeed, over time, this becomes integral to the fabric of the club’s culture. It becomes a habit.

Key takeaways

  1. A Board orientation is a powerful tool for maintaining continuity and momentum. It is a matter of educating volunteer leaders on the mechanics of the Club, the responsibilities they have toward it, how the Board functions, and, importantly, the strategic goals and actions toward which the Board is working.
  2. It takes determined and committed leadership to keep a Board focused on the Club’s future rather than obsessing on the past. Tools such as a consent agenda can support this focus, as will enlisting the strategic action plan as the central focus of each Board meeting.
  3. Successful plans are built on intelligence and facts. This not only makes them more likely to succeed, but will protect them from those who are resistant to change.

This article was authored by GGA Partner Rob Hill.

Manager Views on Innovation

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Generating growth through culture change is the goal of the Innovation Labs initiative.

Discussions about business, society, the economy or technology invariably include the word “innovation,” which implies a pursuit of inventiveness or change. The word also appears in conversations about golf culture or the club industry, though typically in a negative context or when referring to a lack of change.

By nature, clubs embrace and value tradition. That’s one of the things that defines them as clubs. They are organizations dedicated to a particular interest, activity or lifestyle. However, a culture of tradition does not prevent a club from pursuing change.

Investigating innovation

In recent years, club managers, club members, developers and businesses that serve the industry have used the word “innovation” more frequently. But it’s unclear what innovation looks like for clubs. We see various industries targeting clubs with innovations: Manufacturers are making equipment stronger, lighter and more powerful; agronomic experts are growing turf that is cleaner, greener and more sustainable; technology focused fi rms are developing ways to make golf more accessible and less time-consuming.

As part of its commitment to continually provide forward-looking ideas and advanced education to club managers, CMAA identified innovation as a key research topic for 2018. At Global Golf Advisors (GGA), the goal is to leverage adaptation, transformation, growth and efficiency to maximize the performance of clubs — and innovation is always on the table.

Key objectives for both CMAA and GGA have always been to help clubs optimize their performance and maximize financial, operational and lifestyle related results for club leaders and their members. Earlier this year, CMAA announced the renewal of its business partnership with GGA, a multiyear commitment of cooperation to enhance CMAA’s research initiative using GGA’s business intelligence services and to co-create Innovation Labs to promote and inspire innovation by clubs. The Innovation Labs will explore new ways to help clubs move ahead faster.

Typical research projects analyze past results and projected outcomes. Research on innovation, however, is forward-looking and requires new ideas, new methods and change. Still, successful innovations are difficult to quantify and involve significant risk.

To minimize risk and create reliable, replicable and successful methodologies, GGA and CMAA have established a joint task force that will identify, measure and field-test ideas that have the greatest potential for innovation in club management.

Establishing baselines

This case-based approach to innovation began with a yearlong research project involving clubs that are reimagining the way they operate. The first phase of the three-phase project was to study the relationship between clubs and innovation by talking to the individuals who know clubs better than anyone: club managers.

This effort was launched in advance of the 91st CMAA World Conference on Club Management and Club Business Expo in San Francisco. CMAA members took a 10-minute survey designed to gather managers’ thoughts on innovation, identify research opportunities and assess latent demand for innovation within clubs. The nearly 400 CMAA members who participated represented more than eight types of clubs, and more than 150 individuals volunteered their clubs to contribute to additional research.

Results from the preliminary survey confirmed that innovation is crucial for the future of club management. According to the survey, approximately 95 percent of club managers regard innovation as “important” or “very important” to the long-term success and sustainability of clubs.

Club managers also believe clubs need to improve when it comes to innovation. Managers do not necessarily regard their clubs as innovative. Less than two-thirds (63 percent) described their club in that way. And when asked to quantify the extent of their innovativeness, only 40 percent of managers rated their club as “innovative” or “extremely innovative.”

Participants also rated the extent to which they believe clubs are keeping pace with innovative practices in other industries. Ninety-two percent rated that pace as being between “slightly below average” and “slightly above average.”

The top three challenges that inhibit innovation were determined to be: (1) limited resources such as money, time, space and people; (2) social or cultural opposition to change; and (3) a lack of structured innovation processes or procedures.

Using the right tools

What fuels the engine of innovation? What is required to innovate? Survey feedback identified three keys to innovation: (1) a culture that fosters and supports innovation; (2) willingness to change norms and take risks; and (3) strong visionary business leadership.

Club managers said one of the most important ingredients for innovation is a culture of strategic thinking. This encourages new ideas, supports experimentation, solicits group input and is characterized by fearless, resourceful leaders willing to take calculated risks.

While managers are divided on whether innovation is a priority for their clubs (55 percent said yes; 45 percent said no), it is clear that those who focus on innovation are seeing results. Among managers who indicated that innovation is a primary focus, 91 percent said their clubs seek opportunities to innovate and 90 percent said their focus on innovation gives them a competitive advantage. One caveat: Only 27 percent of clubs that focus on innovation have a clear, well-defined innovation strategy.

Even managers who believe innovation is essential to the long-term success of their clubs do not regard themselves as particularly innovative. They believe the club industry lags behind other sectors when it comes to change. They say they would like to catch up in the areas of marketing, communications, technology, food & beverage and strategy, but they say they are hampered by resource constraints, cultural opposition and a lack of effective infrastructure. Even many clubs that do prioritize and pursue innovation are operating without a deliberate plan of action.

To translate ingenuity into business strategy, managers believe that a broader cultural endorsement is needed within their clubs to support, enable and nurture innovation. Affecting cultural change from the top down, with reliable bottom-up support, is not easy. Clear policies and programs are essential.

The results of this preliminary survey have helped guide the development of GGA/CMAA research and the new Innovation Labs initiative. They will be circulated in a detailed, full report later this year. Stay tuned for more details on ideas, insights and experiments to be generated by the Innovation Labs during the coming year.

GGA’s Bennett DeLozier penned this article for Club Management Magazine, published by the Club Management Association of America.

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