Tag: hiring

Leveraging Personality Research to Find Club Leaders

Date:

As the club industry continues to evolve following the COVID-19 pandemic, many clubs are facing the challenge of finding the next great Chief Operating Officer/General Manager (COO/GM).  The increase in retirements, a constrained talent pipeline, and the change in expectations of work-life integration contribute to an increasingly challenging talent acquisition environment.

Many clubs will turn to search firms to help find the right leader for their club. As part of the process, most firms conduct an introductory inquiry into the functional aspects of the position by identifying the requirements and the unique knowledge, skills, and abilities the club needs. While this is an important introduction to the position’s basics, it doesn’t necessarily identify the often hidden and interrelated needs unique to the club and the membership. To successfully conduct an executive search, a deeper understanding of the position is often necessary.

Using a research-based approach creates deeper, data-informed insights to target suitable candidates and enhance the success of the search.  In developing an understanding of the position and the club itself – its traditions, culture, and future aspirations – a more targeted approach can be used to locate the right candidate. This is accomplished by engaging multiple stakeholder groups at a club to identify the right candidate pool, attracting potential hires and correctly assessing fit, and placing a candidate with the best opportunity to help move the club forward.

Unlike traditional, industry connections-first processes focused on managerial skillsets, research can further clarify the unique considerations of each club to find suitable candidates. Examining the personality required of future leaders creates a depth of insight to help build the managerial environment, meet the members’ expectations, and position the club for long-term success.

Personality tests, which have been widely used for decades, are based on the four temperaments identified by Hippocrates:

  • supportive personality traits (e.g., supportive, thoughtful, considerate).
  • inspiring personality traits (e.g., persuasive, inspiring, personable).
  • driver personality traits (e.g., results-oriented, independent, ambitious).
  • analytical personality traits (e.g., systematic, structured, logical)

Unlike personality tests applied to potential candidates, GGA emphasizes the importance of the club’s expectations and environment to identify suitable candidates. This process includes pinpointing the specific operational skills and personality traits needed to be successful in the COO/GM position.  After meeting with the governing board and search committee to understand the specifics and unique considerations of the position, a multi-step research process is undertaken. This includes engaging staff and member stakeholder groups to help identify the right criteria for the position. We continue to collaborate with the club during the extensive interview and placement process, continuing through and past the placement as part of the extensive executive search process.

Our research in COO/GM executive searches has found that the most preferred personality traits relate directly to the need for leaders to demonstrate key components of empathy. Being personable is one of the most mentioned personality traits, followed by needing a professional demeanor and showing effective leadership characteristics.  Being friendly is also important, along with the need to have a natural ability to communicate with members and employees alike. Most importantly, these attributes are distributed across all four groups of the personality traits mentioned above (supportive, inspiring, driver, and analytical), indicating the need for balanced leaders that demonstrate an effective mix of personality traits.

While more than 35 personality traits have been identified as important, there is a high degree of overlap and alignment between the staff and membership (e.g., each group sees professionalism as incredibly important). However, differences also emerge between these two groups. Being friendly was the members’ most important inspiring personality trait while compassion was most important for employees. These differences demonstrate how each group’s preferences are driven by their interaction with the COO/GM (e.g., employees want a leader to show compassion, whereas members want a friendly leader). Personality traits also differ based on the club’s current needs, culture, and other dynamics identified during the search process.

While basic research can identify the unique needs of each club and even potential differences between stakeholder groups, a more detailed process paints a much deeper picture of what is required. Take professionalism, for example.  Everyone knows professionalism when they see it, but how does professionalism relate to other personality traits? Using our advanced analysis techniques, results indicate that professionalism is not simply a construct that exists on its own. When searching for a club leader, professionalism must be demonstrated across multiple other traits, such as how candidates listen, communicate, and how they establish approachability. Crucially, the importance varies across other personality traits, indicating clubs are looking for professionalism as related to some areas more than others.

Like leadership abilities and functional skills, personality is essential for a club to find its next successful COO/GM. Understanding the importance of and interaction between supportive, inspiring, driver, and analytical personality traits is an area that clubs, search committees, and potential candidates would be wise to focus on. While detailed research can help clubs understand unique needs, clubs and candidates should consider that when working with a search firm that emphasizes personality traits as part of their process, they will both be put in a better position to succeed.

Using a research process that goes beyond leadership skills and industry knowledge needed for a position allows search firms to:

  • Truly understand the needs of a club to help identify candidates with the best opportunity for success based upon the culture, situation, and specific stakeholder needs.
  • Understand what specific personality traits are essential for each club and how these behavioral considerations differ.
  • Go beyond the closely cultivated network of contacts looking to transition to seek out passive candidates who are not looking to change but could be interested in a position that aligns with who they are.

If you would like to learn more about our Executive Search services can help your club find its next club leader, please get in touch.

Michael Gregory, Managing Director & Partner
Contact Michael

Dee Anna Clarke, Director
Contact Dee Anna

Dr. Eric Brey, Ph.D.
Contact Eric

Executive Search: CFO, Goodwill Middle Georgia & the CSRA

Date:

 

Goodwill Middle Georgia

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
GOODWILL MIDDLE GEORGIA & THE CSRA
Augusta & Macon, GA

Our History

Dr. Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister, founded Goodwill in 1902 in Boston, MA. Dr. Helms collected used household goods and clothing in wealthier areas of the city, then trained and hired unemployed people to mend and repair the used goods. The goods were then resold, and proceeds paid the workers’ wages and were invested in the development of job training programs. The system worked, and the Goodwill philosophy of a hand up, not a hand out was born. Dr. Helms’ vision set an early course for what has become a $6.5 billion nonprofit organization with more than 165 autonomous member organizations worldwide.

Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia, Inc. (GIMG) was founded in 1975 to serve individuals with disabilities and other special needs. Since that time, the organization has continued to grow, as illustrated by the following timeline:

1996 – Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia, Inc. expanded its territory into Augusta, Georgia and Aiken, South Carolina, increasing the number of service counties to 35 to become Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA).

2007 –  Helms College was established in Macon with the focus of creating an educational model for Goodwill Industries nationwide to provide skills training industry certifications, degrees in high-demand middle skill occupations in the culinary arts, medical/health, automotive technology, information technology and other occupational fields that lead to meaningful jobs for individuals.

2012 – A second campus for Helms College opened in Augusta offering education in culinary arts at its School of Hospitality.

2016 – The Augusta campus began offering classes at its School of Health Services. Helms College currently offers Associate Degree and Diploma programs in culinary arts at its Macon and Augusta campuses, and health services programs for Multi-Skilled Medical Assistant and Medical Administrative Assistant certification at the Augusta campus. The key differentiator of Helms College from other learning institutions is our abundant experiential learning.

Learn more at goodwillworks.org and  www.helms.edu

Goodwill Middle Georgia & the CSRA also operates Edgar’s Hospitality Group (EHG), consisting of  hospitality venues in Macon and Augusta with plans to build an agri-tourism campus at Lake Oconee Georgia. To learn more about the EHG properties, visit here.

What We Believe

Goodwill Industries believes work plays a critical role in the ability of individuals to achieve desirable life outcomes. The founder of Goodwill Industries, Dr. Edgar J. Helms, believed that individuals wanted and needed an opportunity, a chance beyond charity, and this basic philosophy has set the vision for the Goodwill movement since 1902.

Mission
We build lives, families and communities one career at a time by helping people develop their God-given gifts through education, work and career services.

Values
I am proud to be Goodwill.
Service – I will practice hospitality.
Ownership – I will go above and beyond with every job I do.
Accountable – I will keep my commitments.
Respect – I will base my interactions with others on honesty and integrity.

The Role of the Chief Financial Officer

Reporting to the President/CEO, the Chief Financial Offer (CFO) will work closely with the CEO and peers to achieve GIMG’s 2025 strategic plan success measures through strategies that will enhance profitability, productivity and efficiency throughout the organization.

This key executive leadership position will lead the finance department, (annual operating budget of $55 million) with executive responsibility for budgeting, banking relationships, IT system, franchising, and mergers & acquisitions.

As member of the Goodwill Executive Leadership Team, the CFO will be expected to understand and fully embrace the faith-based, “hand up” mission of Goodwill and demonstrate daily the core values of service, ownership, accountability, and respect.

Principle Accountabilities – CFO

Plan and direct GIMG’s real estate activities, including land/building acquisitions and leasing/landlord relations. Develops all pro-forma presentations for GIMG board of director’s consideration.

  • Participate in organizational strategic planning initiatives and direct/coordinate activities of department in compliance with this plan.
  • In concert with VP Finance, plan and coordinate preparation of organizations annual operating business plan and budget, after collaborative negotiation with department executive leadership.
  • Assume lead role in all contract reviews/negotiations and project fiscal forecasting due diligence. Develop proposals for CEO’s consideration and approval.
  • Provide oversight for all capital development, and acquisition of funds for new ventures.
  • Interact with senior staff to identify, evaluate and promote new business opportunities.
  • Oversight responsibility of all Information Technology functions.
  • Identify agency “vital” operating data elements. Create and manage IS system to capture and disseminate data on a timely basis.
  • Create, foster, and manage third party relationships for banking, financing and other collateral administrative functions.
  • Review for implementation by VP of Finance, statutory and regulatory compliance procedures for all fiscal functions of the organization.
  • Work with VP of Finance to source, manage and publish annual certified fiscal and compliance audits.
  • Prepare and maintain investment policy and long-term investments, direct and monitor performance.
  • Responsible for all Risk Management and Loss Prevention functions.
  • Ensure compliance within areas of responsibility of all regulatory and accreditation bodies.
  • Mentor and develop staff using a supportive and collaborative approach: assign accountabilities; set objectives; establish priorities; and monitor and evaluate results.
  • Build relationships with CFO’s from other Goodwill organizations and CFO’s from other colleges and universities to obtain best practice benchmark Ideas to incorporate into GIMG procedures.
  • Manage M/A and business collaborations and contract negotiations with prospective partner organizations.

Qualifications

  • CPA licensed professional with an MBA is preferred.
  • A blend of for-profit and non-profit executive experience gained leading diverse profit generating business lines.
  • Minimum five years of senior management experience with a mid-size company where turn-key leadership was required.
  • Experience developing information technology systems that support organization-wide operational strategic growth and sustainment.
  • Banking finance and investment senior experience.
  • Experience with mergers and acquisitions.
  • Experience with financial management of accredited federally financial aid eligible post-secondary Institutions preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience creating and taking new business ventures from a concept to a successful, revenue generating operation.
  • Superior budget and/or financial planning and management skills involving multi-million dollar and multi-site operations.
  • General administrative skills including developing, implementing and monitoring company-wide policies and procedures.
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
  • Strong people skills with abilities to partner with a dynamic leadership team and interact with all levels of employees.
  • Must be aligned with and energized by Rev. Edgar Helm’s faith based social enterprise model to eliminate poverty one career at a time.

Note: A pre-employment drug screen and background check will be required.

Salary & Benefits
Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The company offers an excellent bonus and benefit package.

Inquiries

Interested candidates should submit résumés along with a detailed cover letter which addresses the qualifications and describes your alignment/experience with the prescribed position by Thursday, September 30, 2021.

Please email résumé with references. Documents must be saved and emailed in Word or PDF format (save as “Last Name, First Name, Goodwill CFO Cover Letter” and “Last Name, First Name, Goodwill CFO Resume”) respectively to: execsearchus@ggapartners.com.

Executive Search: Vice President, Hospitality at Edgar’s Hospitality Group

Date:

VICE PRESIDENT HOSPITALITY
EDGAR’S HOSPITALITY GROUP
Augusta, GA

 

The Company
Edgar’s Hospitality Group (EHG) is an LLC operated by Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia (GIMG) that operates hospitality venues in Macon and Augusta with plans to build an agri-tourism campus at Lake Oconee Georgia. EHG is named after the founder of Goodwill Industries, Rev. Edgar J. Helms.

The hospitality enterprises include restaurants, conference centers, large food service contracts, a bakery café, a private city club, and a local farm to provide fresh products with a new agri-business that allows culinary agriculture certifications for students. Chef Frank Kassner is the Director of Culinary Operations for EHG and the corporate executive chef.

Edgar’s Hospitality Group was founded to provide a new source of revenue for GIMG and to create diverse applied learning venues for the students at Helms College’s School of Hospitality managed by Bruce Ozga, VP, Culinary Education.

What We Believe
Goodwill Industries believes work plays a critical role in the ability of individuals to achieve desirable life outcomes. The founder of Goodwill Industries, Dr. Edgar J. Helms, believed that individuals wanted and needed an opportunity, a chance beyond charity, and this basic philosophy has set the vision for the Goodwill movement since 1902.

Mission
We build lives, families and communities one career at a time by helping people develop their God-given gifts through education, work and career services.

Values
I am proud to be Goodwill.
Service – I will practice hospitality.
Ownership – I will go above and beyond with every job I do.
Accountable – I will keep my commitments.
Respect – I will base my interactions with others on honesty and integrity.

Our Properties

Edgar’s Above Broad (Augusta, GA), recently opened in September 2020 as an exciting new 17,000 square foot indoor-outdoor restaurant and entertainment venue. www.edgarsabovebroad.com

 

The Pinnacle Club (Augusta, GA), a premier dining membership club in downtown Augusta which provides incredible views of the Savannah River and Augusta cityscape. www.pinnacleclubaugusta.com

 

Edgar’s Grille (Augusta, GA), an upscale casual restaurant which offers New American cuisine with a Southern Flair. www.edgarsgrille.com

 

Anderson Conference Center (Macon, GA), centrally located in the state, the Anderson Conference Center features 15,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 700-seat banquet space and six break-out conference rooms with premier technology. www.andersonconferencecenter.com

 

 

The Snelling Center (Augusta, GA), a conference venue co-located with Edgar’s Grille which can accommodate events from ten to 300 guests.
www.edgarsgrille.com/meetings-events

 

Edgar’s Bistro (Macon, GA), offers weekday lunch and dinner, a full-service bar and catering service. www.goodwillworks.org/upscalebistro

 

Edgar’s Bakehouse (Augusta, GA), bookstore and café which specializes in gourmet coffees, smoothies, paninis, salads, and fresh baked breads and desserts. An Edgar’s Bakehouse production bakery is being built for commercial baking enterprise launch in late 2021.

 

Wright’s Farm and Lake Oconee Agri-Tourism Farm Campus (Augusta, GA), coming soon. www.wrightsfarmaugusta.com

 

The Role of the Vice President, Hospitality

Reporting to the President/CEO, the Vice President, Hospitality will work closely with the CEO and peers to achieve GIMG’s 2025 strategic plan success measures through strategies that will enhance profitability, productivity and efficiency.

This key executive will lead the start-up and operations of all new hospitality operations, maintain benchmark controls and outcomes for existing properties, manage budgets, lead a large team and promote a culture of high performance.

As member of the Goodwill Team, the Vice President, Hospitality is expected to understand and fully embrace the faith-based, “hand up” mission of Goodwill and demonstrate daily the core values of service, ownership, accountability, and respect.

Principle Accountabilities – Vice President, Hospitality

> Lead Edgar’s Hospitality Group to be three things: profitable, a provider of vibrant applied learning enterprises for the students at Helms College, and a daily stage to tell the Goodwill life changing story in a manner that leads to philanthropic Investment.

> Direct the start-up and operational leadership of all new hospitality operations to be launched as applied learning venues associated with Helms College within GIMG’s thirty-five county territory and franchise operations in other Goodwill territories.

> Maintain benchmark operational controls and outcomes in existing hospitality business lines.

> Oversee development and implementation of budgets for multiple hospitality enterprise operations; responsible for meeting budget objectives for growth in revenues, gross margins, operating profit, and net cash flow.

> Assure top-line business growth through increased accountability, innovation, increased sales, expanded operations, reaching new markets and diversification.

> Annually revise and develop short and long-range plans for all assigned areas; establish performance measures for multiple enterprise operations.

> Maintain continuous lines of communication, keeping the President informed of all critical issues.

> Lead a large team of direct and indirect employees to ensure the execution and completion of business goals; evaluate performance for compliance with established policies and objectives of the company and contributions in attaining objectives.

> Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.

> Mentor and develop staff using a supportive and collaborative approach: assign accountabilities; set objectives; establish priorities; and monitor and evaluate results.

> Promote Goodwill externally as a community-based non-profit with a key human and economic development role.

Qualifications

> A graduate business or hospitality degree is required.

> Minimum five years of senior leadership of a restaurant group, an independent luxury resort or multi-faceted entertainment company.

> Multi-unit executive level hospitality operations leadership experience required.

> Demonstrated experience creating and taking new business ventures from a concept to a successful, revenue generating operation.

> Superior budget and management skills involving multi-million dollar and multi-site operations.

> General administrative skills including developing, implementing and monitoring company-wide policies and procedures.

> Excellent verbal and written communications skills.

> Strong people skills with abilities to partner with a dynamic leadership team and interact with all levels of employees.

> Must be aligned with and energized by Rev. Edgar Helm’s faith based social enterprise model to eliminate poverty one career at a time.

Note: A pre-employment drug screen and background check will be required.

Salary & Benefits
Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The company offers an excellent bonus and benefit package.

Inquiries
Interested candidates should submit résumés along with a detailed cover letter which addresses the qualifications and describes your alignment/experience with the prescribed position by Friday, September 3, 2021.

Documents must be saved and emailed in Word or PDF format (save as “Last Name, First Name, Edgars VPH Cover Letter” and “Last Name, First Name, Edgars VPH Resume”) respectively to: execsearchus@ggapartners.com. Please email résumé with references.

 

For more information about Goodwill of Middle Georgia please visit www.goodwillworks.org; www.helms.edu; www.helmsgoldstandardculinary.com; www.edgarsabovebroad.com.

Executive Search: Head Golf Professional at Exmoor Country Club (FILLED)

Date:

HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL
EXMOOR COUNTRY CLUB
Highland Park, IL

The Club

Founded in 1896 as Illinois’ third golf club, Exmoor is a private, full-service country club, located in Highland Park, Illinois, 28 miles north of Chicago. With a championship golf course designed by Donald J. Ross, Exmoor continues to fulfill its original mission – as a family club devoted to the game of golf, while offering a growing range of sports and social opportunities. Sports at Exmoor include golf, curling, tennis, swimming, ice skating, platform tennis, cross country skiing and the fastest growing sport in America — pickleball. Members of all ages enjoy a year-round schedule of exciting social activities.

The Club’s mission is to provide the finest golf, sporting, and social experiences for its community of member families and their guests all year long.

The Club maintains high standards for club governance, with an elected leadership that promotes member involvement to attain excellence in Club facilities and member services. Exmoor has earned a reputation for attentive service, modern facilities and fine cuisine. In the late 1890s, the club played an important role in establishing and growing the game of golf in the Midwest. During its 125-year history, Exmoor has hosted more than 20 national golf and curling championships. Our members have won national championships in both sports and have competed in official Olympic golf and curling competitions.

Since its founding, Exmoor members have embraced family activities with a focus on participation, skill development and good sportsmanship. As much as Exmoor values its traditions, today, the spirit of Exmoor is youthful, vibrant, and inclusive.

Exmoor Country Club Overview

  • 570 members (Golf: 370, Other: 200)
  • Initiation Fee (Resident Member Golf: $75,000)
  • Annual Dues (Golf: $13,200)
  • $9.2M Gross Volume
  • $4.5M Annual Dues Volume
  • $4.6M Total Gross Payroll
  • 22,000 Annual Golf Rounds
  • $650,000 Golf Shop Sales
  • Club-owned golf shop, recently transitioned
  • Number of Employees (Club (FTE): 94, Seasonal: 71)
  • Number of Golf Employees (4-5 year-round employees, 15 added during season)
  • 11 Board Members
  • Average age of members is 58

Exmoor Country Club Golf Facilities Overview

  • 18-hole golf course designed by Donald Ross
  • Full driving range with 24 hitting stations
  • Large short game practice area with 3 short practice holes
  • Indoor Golf Performance Center with 3 heated hitting bays (1 bay is a teaching/fitting studio with V1 video system and Trackman)
  • Teaching staff includes: Full-Time Director of Instruction (also lead club fitter), Head Golf Professional, 2 Assistant Professionals with 1 spearheading the Junior Golf Program
  • Current Golf Course Architect of record, Andrew Green
  • Recently hosted the 2018 Constellation Senior Players Championship and will host the 2022 Western Amateur Championship.

The Head Golf Professional Position

The Head Golf Professional reports directly to the General Manager/COO and coordinates with key management personnel on a regular basis, including the General Manager, Golf Committee, Grounds and Greens Committee, and Executive Staff. The Head Golf Professional implements the policies established by the Board of Governors and the Club’s bylaws. He/she develops operational policies and is responsible for the creation and implementation of standard operating procedures for all areas.

The Head Golf Professional is the lead coordinator of programming and development of synergy among all golf programming, amenities, and services. It is imperative that the Head Golf Professional operate at both a tactical and strategic level, maintain financial accountability, and manage and develop all aspects of golf services. Exemplary service is key in attaining excellence in the member experience.

Driving excellence in the golf experience through training is a critical part of the position. The Head Golf Professional supervises the following positions: Professional Golf Staff, Caddie Master, Golf Merchandiser, Starter/Rangers, and other Outside Services Personnel. Candidates must assume ultimate responsibility for all golf staff, the golf shop, member lessons, special events and tournaments, while working closely with other management for any operational specifics, for course prep, and all golf events needed.

The Head Golf Professional should have a strong presence and seek to be highly visible and accessible to the membership and staff. They set the tone for consistently treating members with a first-class golf experience and communicate this expectation to the entire staff as well.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Oversee the management and performance of all golf shop and applicable department operations and services; assure high standards and total member and guest satisfaction.
  • Work with Golf Shop Merchandiser to oversee a profitable amenity that is consistent with member demographics and needs; oversee and perform monthly inventory.
  • Oversee and enforce golf shop operations policies, procedures, controls, and fee structures to ensure the safekeeping of assets, inventory, resources, sales transactions, and department financial performance.
  • Oversee, manage, and submit golf employee’s payroll on a bi-weekly basis; produce a weekly work schedule.
  • Oversee all fiscal areas and performance for the golf operations and golf shop including planning, budgeting, forecasting, monitoring, and correction.
  • Prepares business plan for all golf operations and golf shop with key aspects of fiscal accountability, operational strategy and marketing strategy for tournaments, special member events, and shop sales.
  • Exhibits clear vision of Exmoor Golf in planning, communications, and staffing.
  • Responsible for recruiting, interviewing, managing, and developing all staff related to the Golf experience at Exmoor; is current on continual learning options for staff and budget accordingly; assumes prominent and positive leadership role to foster employee engagement.
  • Executes golf events that deliver high satisfactory ratings.
  • Must be aware of trends and how they may apply to Exmoor; be continually aware of what is working and what isn’t, what can be improved or updated.
  • Maintain valuable and ethical relationships with other Club Professionals, and suppliers, as well as other geographic locations to maintain awareness of competitive practices and trends.
  • Maintain effective communications with staff for optimum delivery, particularly Engineering, Human Resources, Catering/Events, and Communications.
  • Maintain effective communications with membership for special announcements, weekly e-mail notice – collaborates directly with Director of Membership and Communications and Senior Graphics Designer for desired results.
  • Ensure health and safety regulations for members and staff by working closely with the Safety Coordinator.
  • Create and supervise junior, family, and player development instructor programs.

Important Individual Characteristics

  • A naturally enthusiastic personality and passion for the golf industry.
  • A natural leadership style which promotes staff and membership engagement.
  • The ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
  • Disciplined accountability to ensure that the training and standards of the Golf department are consistently met.
  • Ability to cultivate a high-level of member services and satisfaction.
  • Possess a strong understanding of top-notch golf experiences for Club members and guests.
  • Effective fiscal management through delivery of actual operational and capital results in alignment with approved budgets.
  • Maintain a high level of visibility to members and staff as the face of the golf operation at the Club.
  • Ability to cater to various interests and the playing ability of the entire membership demographic.
  • Ability to develop a dedicated team with a shared vision.
  • Must possess strong leadership ability, influencing skills, demonstrate strong motivational ability.
  • Should be results oriented to align Golf strategy to Exmoor’s strategic plan, annual budgets and projected target achievements.
  • Should have strong verbal communication skills, presentation skills, and project confident and energetic qualities that produce service excellence.
  • Exhibit energy and enthusiasm, maturity of character, creative approach, member focus, logical thinking.

Candidate Qualifications

  • A minimum of 7 years of progressive leadership and management experience in the golf industry. Current Head Professionals or Assistant Golf Professionals at well-recognized clubs, with verifiable records of achievement will also be considered.
  • Educational credentials in hospitality or golf, a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Hospitality Management, Business, or Sports/Golf is an advantage for applicants.
  • Professional Golf Association (PGA) Certification designation as a Class A member of the PGA is required; maintaining memberships in other appropriate professional organizations preferred.
  • 3-5 years’ experience in Golf Management or equivalent experience in Golf Management, preferably a PGA Head Golf Professional; demonstrated continual personal and professional development in the sport.
  • Should be CPR/AED certified and know first aid.
  • Be well versed in relevant software programs for communications, POS, Outlook, and reservations, golf current management software.
  • Be current on the latest and most relevant player development methods of techniques.
  • Skilled professional in the playing of the game.

Note: A pre-employment drug screen and background check will be required.

Salary & Benefits

Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The Club offers an excellent bonus and benefit package.

Inquiries

Interested candidates should submit résumés along with a detailed cover letter which addresses the qualifications and describes your alignment/experience with the prescribed position by Friday, July 30, 2021.

Documents must be saved and emailed in Word or PDF format (save as “Last Name, First Name, Exmoor Head Golf Professional Cover Letter” and “Last Name, First Name, Exmoor Head Golf Professional”) respectively to: execsearchus@ggapartners.com. Please email résumé with references.

 

For more information about Exmoor Country Club, please visit www.exmoorcountryclub.org.

Executive Search: General Manager at Mount Vernon Country Club (FILLED)

Date:

Mount Vernon Country Club logo

GENERAL MANAGER
MOUNT VERNON COUNTRY CLUB
Alexandria, VA

The Club

Founded in 1961, Mount Vernon Country Club is a member-owned golf and country club in Alexandria, Virginia, located 19 miles from Washington, D.C. The Club features an 18-hole championship golf course with work from golf course designers Russell Roberts, Ed Ault, and most recently, Bill Love. The course winds its way through the original forest of George Washington’s Mount Vernon farm and is enhanced by the presence of Dogue Creek, a Potomac River Chesapeake tidal tributary which lends a water hazard challenge on 14 of Mount Vernon’s 18 holes.

Mount Vernon Club is a family-friendly environment primarily focused on golf and dining. The Club offers five distinct food and beverage locations for Member’s enjoyment. The pool complex features a pool and the Barracuda Grill. The Clubhouse consists of the administrative offices, kitchen, member dining areas, lounge and banquet facilities. The Club currently benefits from a full membership with a growing wait list.

Mount Vernon Country Club Overview:

  • 700 Members (Golf: 475, Other: 225)
  • Initiation Fee (Resident Member Golf: $32,000)
  • Annual Dues (Golf: $7,068 and Capital Dues $1,236)
  • $8.30M Gross volume
  • $3.70M Annual dues
  • $2.30M F&B volume
  • $3.30M Gross payroll
  • 120 Employees in-season; 90 off-season
  • 9 Board members

The General Manager Position

The General Manager reports to the Board and coordinates with the President of the Board on a regular basis. The General Manager implements the policies established by the Board of Directors and the Club’s bylaws. He/she develops operational policies and is responsible for the creation and implementation of standard operating procedures for all areas of the club. This includes the preparation of the annual operating and capital budgets and management of operations to attain the desired results.

The General Manager coordinates all management functions and works in concert with committee chairs to assist in the development of proposed policies, programs, events, etc.

The General Manager is the lead coordinator of programming and development of synergy among all departments. Overseeing the internal and external marketing strategies for membership growth and member engagement is a critical part of the position. The General Manager will work with the Board to develop the current long- range plan which will include significant upgrades to the golf course and amenities.

The General Manager should have a strong presence and seek to be highly visible to the membership and staff. The General Manager sets the tone for consistently treating members with first class hospitality and is responsible for communicating these expectations to the entire staff.

Important Individual Characteristics:

  • A naturally enthusiastic personality and passion for the club management profession.
  • A natural leadership style which promotes staff and membership engagement and camaraderie.
  • Ability to act as a thought partner with the board and committees.
  • The ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
  • Disciplined follow-through to ensure the vision and goals of the Club come to fruition.
  • Ability to cultivate a high-level of member services and satisfaction.
  • Possesses a strong understanding of top-notch food and beverage experiences for Club members and guests.
  • Effective fiscal management through delivery of actual operational and capital results in alignment with approved budgets.
  • Maintains a high level of visibility to members and staff as the face of the Club.
  • Understands the importance of digital communication and can utilize web and social media tools to communicate with the staff and membership.
  • Ability to develop a dedicated team with a shared vision.

Candidate Qualifications

  • A minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership and management experience in a private club environment. Current Assistant General Managers or Clubhouse Managers at well-recognized clubs, with verifiable records of achievement will also be considered.
  • A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in Hospitality Management or Business.
  • Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation preferred.

Note: A pre-employment drug screen and background check will be required. The position is available August 1, 2021.

Salary & Benefits

Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The Club offers an excellent bonus and benefit package.

Inquiries

Interested candidates should submit résumés along with a detailed cover letter which addresses the qualifications and describes your alignment/experience with the prescribed position by Friday, June 25, 2021.

Documents must be saved and emailed in Word or PDF format (save as “Last Name, First Name, Mount Vernon GM Cover Letter” and “Last Name, First Name, Mount Vernon GM Resume”) respectively to: execsearchus@ggapartners.com. Please email résumé with references.

 

For more information about Mount Vernon Country Club, please visit www.mountvernoncc.org.

Executive Search: Assistant GM at The Minikahda Club

Date:

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
THE MINIKAHDA CLUB
Minneapolis, MN

The Club

Located minutes from downtown Minneapolis, MN, The Minikahda Club is much more than a collection of amenities. The Club experience is focused on providing superior social and recreational experiences based on the values of family, fellowship, integrity, respect, and inclusiveness.

Founded in 1898, The Minikahda Club is the oldest country club west of the Mississippi and a premier club in the region. The City of Minneapolis has grown up around Minikahda. A group of young picnickers were so impressed by the spot they found atop a hill overlooking Lake Bde Maka Ska, they acquired the land and set out to form a club for social functions and golf. The name Minikahda comes from the Dakotah, a combination of two words meaning, “by the side of the water.” The Club logo, in fact, depicts a Native American shield, similar to the artifact framed in the Clubhouse.

The Minikahda Club is a year-round full-service club with a vast offering of social, dining and sport activities. The Club has approximately 1,275 members, comprised of approximately 475 families and a single class of membership. From a financial standpoint, the Club is debt-free, has a substantial reserve fund, a waiting list for membership and is well positioned for success.

The historic Donald Ross designed golf course has played host to a number of major events including the 1916 US Open, the 1927 US Amateur, the Walker Cup in 1957, the Women’s Amateur in 1988, the Curtis Cup in 1998, and the US Senior Amateur in 2017. The course is ranked among the best in the state by Golf Digest and was ranked #102 in Golfweek’s Top classic courses in 2020.

In 2018, the classic Ross designed golf course was re-grassed, and the golf shop was replaced with a new building that provides a year-round practice facility. A modernized pool snack bar and a new lakeside bar on the second floor of the Clubhouse was also added at the same time.  Currently, the Club is in the process of developing a long-term strategic and facilities master plan.

Members enjoy a variety of racket sports including tennis and paddle tennis. The tennis and paddle tennis programs are designed to appeal to newcomers and seasoned players alike.  A full calendar of clinics, mixers, and socials provides ample opportunities to meet new players and make new friends.

The pool is a very popular member amenity enjoyed by all from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Located on the edge of a hill with breathtaking views of Lake Bde Maka Ska and downtown Minneapolis, members enjoy swimming programs, relaxation and dining poolside.

At the heart of Minikahda is the beloved 60,000 square foot Clubhouse.  The Club offers multiple dining rooms for every gathering, from the formal Dining Room and intimate patio overlooking Lake Bde Maka Ska, to a family friendly Grille as well as 1898, the newly added adult-only bar with beautiful views of the lake and downtown Minneapolis. Multiple outdoor terraces and a deck with spectacular views highlighted by incredible cuisine prepared by our culinary team are all part of why Minikahda members and guests consider The Minikahda Club one of the best places to dine in the Twin Cities.  The Club also boasts a beautiful ballroom for significant life or member events. Indoors, outdoors, big or small, whatever the need, we are humbled and honored to serve our members and guests.

The Minikahda Club Overview:

  • 1,275 Members (approximately 475 families)
  • Initiation Fee: $75,000
  • Annual Dues: $10,000
  • $10.5M Gross Volume
  • $5.5M Annual Dues
  • $5.2M Gross Payroll
  • $3.2M F&B Volume pre-COVID-19
  • Peak Season: 300 Employees; Off-season: 120 Employees
  • 13 Board Members
  • Average age of members is 52

The Assistant General Manager Position

The Assistant General Manager is ultimately responsible for all clubhouse, food and beverage, aquatics, and facilities operations daily, including the general housekeeping over these areas. The Assistant General Manager is responsible for all aspects of the operation in the absence of the General Manager/COO and performs specific tasks as requested.

This managerial position works closely with, and reports directly to, the General Manager/COO, and provides quality leadership and contributes to the positive atmosphere of the Club and associated operations. He/she will also prepare annual department budgets in concert with the GM/COO.

The AGM will enhance the “club culture” and is responsible for the dissemination of hospitality, friendliness, and goodwill among members, guests and staff. His/her goal is always to help members and guests enjoy the facilities and events of the Club. In addition to building relationships with Club members, guests, and employees, he or she provides support to the respective committees and advisory groups as well. Being the “public face” of these operations with a hands-on approach and an understanding that full member and staff engagement is critical to success in this position.

The AGM consistently provides anticipatory hospitality along with superb dining and other food and beverage experiences for the Club’s membership and their guests. Alignment with the Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director is very important to this position to ensure collaborative, innovative, harmonious relationships between front and back of house operations.

Primary Responsibilities

Member Services:

  • Consistent sincere and significant engagement of members, highly visible to members and staff in the dining areas of the club is of the utmost importance. The AGM is ultimately responsible to ensure that all member dining and club events are well-conceived and executed along with all amenities.
  • Provide quality leadership in a positive and upbeat manner for the members, guests and staff.
  • Create and maintain a first-class service culture throughout the club campus and its amenities.
  • Address and resolve all member and guest complaints and suggestions, general service, employee attitude, maintenance, and presentation of the clubhouse operations.

Employee Relations:

  • Oversee the recruiting, hiring and development of clubhouse and various food service venue personnel.
  • Oversee ongoing training programs complete with up-to-date training manuals to ensure exceptional service in all parts of the club’s operation.
  • Provides for training and future development of all subordinate managers and supervisors subject to budget approval by the General Manager/COO. Instill the concept of being “team players” in all employees. Continue to coach, counsel, and evaluate departmental staff.
  • Ensures that a positive spirit and healthy work environment exists throughout the club operations, one that is free of safety risks and all forms of employee harassment.
  • Maintain an effective communication program where employees are treated in a fair, structured and consistent manner.
  • Function as an administrative and communication link between departments in the club.
  • Guarantee that all clubhouse employees are regularly trained and certified in areas that help guard the safety and well-being of our members, guests and other employees including, but not limited to responsible alcohol service, safe food handling, etc.
  • Help to facilitate a team environment with morale, high ethical standards and efficient use of resources to position The Minikahda Club to be a preferred employer of choice in the community.

Financial Management:

  • Works jointly with the Controller and General Manager/COO to prepare the annual operating and capital budgets for all clubhouse and service operations, assists in managing and controlling the operations to attain the desired results.
  • Monitors the budget each week/month and directs the taking of corrective action as necessary to assure that the budgeted goals are attained.
  • Provides input to all clubhouse and service personnel regarding annual budgets, capital spending plans, fiscal controls and operational guidelines.
  • Responsible for all labor cost payouts and maintains them within the constraints of the budget and through close coordination and with approval from the General Manager/COO and Controller.
  • Monitors payroll records to control overtime and maintain labor costs within budgetary guidelines.
  • Supervises the purchasing, receiving, safekeeping and disbursement of operating supplies and equipment to maximize quality and profitability.

Personnel Management:

  • Displays very hands-on approach and leads the staff by example. Must be approachable to staff, members and guests.
  • Assists the General Manager/COO in developing and implementing long-range (strategic) and annual (business) plans, operating reports, forecasts and budgets.
  • Works with Human Resources to develop long term staffing needs for area of responsibility.
  • Responsible for the hiring, discipline, termination and documentation of all clubhouse and service staff.
  • Reviews all accidents, works with HR and Safety Committee in completing accidents reports and implementing improved procedures.
  • Attends meetings of senior management and carries out directives because of these meetings and any other requests of the General Manager in a timely manner.
  • Serves as an ad-hoc member of appropriate club committees and advisory groups.
  • A warm personality, a sense of humor and the ability to work effectively with all levels of the internal staff and members.
  • Works with Executive Chef, Food & Beverage Director and others to develop P&L statements prior to each event, makes appropriate notes following events and files information for future use.
  • Works with Executive Chef on menu development.
  • Works with the F&B Team to organize and market special club events.
  • Furthers his/her own continued development as a club management professional as a member of CMAA. With the assistance and approval of the General Manager/COO participates in appropriate seminars/training programs, thereby enhancing his/her value and quality of services to The Minikahda Club.

Operational Responsibilities:

  • Understands and abides by The Minikahda Club policies and departmental procedures. Suggests changes and may direct the implementation of change.
  • Provides content for and manages communications and marketing information for department.
  • Assures that the Clubhouse operations and campus venues are run in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal laws.
  • Disseminates information effectively and coordinates activities between departments on a timely basis.
  • Keeps the General Manager/COO informed of all potential problems and activities related to the smooth operation of the clubhouse and other food service venues.
  • Oversees inventory management throughout departments and completes a periodic china, glass and silver inventory to maintain par levels.
  • Coordinates and approves all entertainment in consultation with General Manager/COO and others.
  • A sharp eye for detail in the overall management of the operation.
  • Responsible for regularly reporting of performance and financial data, i.e. weekly report to General Manager/COO.

Direct Reports

Executive Chef, Food & Beverage Director, Catering Director, Member Engagement Director, Pool, Locker Room, Housekeeping and Valet Teams.

Candidate Qualifications

  • A minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership and management experience in a private club environment.
  • A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in Hospitality Management or Business.
  • Certified Club Manager (CCM) or in active pursuit of designation preferred.

Note: A pre-employment drug screen and background check will be required. The position is available immediately.

Salary & Benefits

Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The Club offers an excellent bonus and benefit package.

Inquiries

Interested candidates should submit résumés along with a detailed cover letter which addresses the qualifications and describes your alignment/experience with the prescribed position by Wednesday, June 23, 2021.

Documents must be saved and emailed in Word or PDF format (save as “Last Name, First Name, Minikahda Club AGM Cover Letter” and “Last Name, First Name, Minikahda Club AGM Resume”) respectively to: execsearchus@ggapartners.com. Please email résumé with references.

 

For more information about The Minikahda Club, please visit www.minikahdaclub.org.

 

Executive Search: SVP Hospitality & Finance at Edgar’s Hospitality Group

Date:

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT HOSPITALITY & FINANCE
EDGAR’S HOSPITALITY GROUP
Augusta, GA

 

The Company

Edgar’s Hospitality Group (EHG) is an LLC operated by Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia (GIMG). EHG operates hospitality venues in Macon and Augusta with plans to build an eco-tourism campus at Lake Oconee Georgia. EHG is named after the founder of Goodwill Industries, Rev. Edgar J. Helms.

The mission of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia (GIMG) is to build lives, families, and communities one career at a time by helping people develop their God-given gifts through education, work, and career services. Edgar’s Hospitality Group was created to support this mission through its portfolio of applied learning venues.

The hospitality enterprises include restaurants, conference centers, food service contracts, a bakery café, a private city club, and a local farm to provide fresh products with a new agri-business that allows culinary agriculture certifications for students. Chef Frank Kassner is the Director of Culinary Operations for EHG and the corporate executive chef.

Edgar’s Hospitality Group was founded to provide a new source of revenue for GIMG and to create diverse applied learning venues for the students of Helms College’s School of Hospitality managed by Bruce Ozga, VP Culinary Education.

Properties operated by EHG include:

Edgar’s Above Broad (Augusta, GA), recently opened in September 2020 as an exciting new 17,000 square foot indoor-outdoor restaurant and entertainment venue. www.edgarsabovebroad.com

The Pinnacle Club (Augusta, GA), a premier dining membership club in downtown Augusta which provides incredible views of the Savannah River and Augusta cityscape. www.pinnacleclubaugusta.com

Anderson Conference Center (Macon, GA), centrally located in the state, the Anderson Conference Center features 15,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 700-seat banquet space and six break-out conference rooms with premier technology. www.andersonconferencecenter.com

Edgar’s Grille (Augusta, GA), an upscale casual restaurant which offers New American cuisine with a Southern Flair. www.edgarsgrille.com

The Snelling Center (Augusta, GA), a conference venue co-located with Edgar’s Grille which can accommodate events from ten to 300 guests. www.edgarsgrille.com/meetings-events

Edgar’s Bistro (Macon, GA), offers weekday lunch and dinner, a full-service bar and catering service. www.goodwillworks.org/upscalebistro

Edgar’s Bakehouse (Augusta, GA), bookstore and café which specializes in gourmet coffees, smoothies, paninis, salads, and fresh baked breads and desserts. An Edgar’s Bakehouse production bakery is being built for commercial baking enterprise launch in late 2021. New website coming soon.

Wright’s Farm and Lake Oconee Eco-Tourism Farm Campus (Augusta, GA), coming soon. www.wrightsfarmaugusta.com

The SVP Hospitality & Finance Position

Reporting to the President/CEO, the Senior Vice President Hospitality & Finance (SVPH&F) will work closely with the CEO and peers to achieve GIMG’s 2025 strategic plan success measures through strategies that will enhance profitability, productivity and efficiency throughout the organization.

In addition to leading Edgars Hospitality Group this key executive leadership position will serve a dual role as the CFO for Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia. Leading the finance department of this $50 million operating budget non-profit will involve executive responsibility for budgeting, banking relationships, franchising, and mergers & acquisitions.

As member of the Goodwill Executive Leadership Team, the SVPH&F will be expected to understand and fully embrace the faith-based, “hand up” mission of Goodwill and demonstrate daily the core values of service, ownership, accountability, and respect.

Principle Accountabilities – SVP Hospitality

 

  • Lead Edgar’s Hospitality Group to be three things: profitable, vibrant applied learning enterprises for the students of Helms College, and a daily stage to tell the Goodwill life changing story in a manner that leads to philanthropic Investment.
  • Direct the start-up and operational leadership of all new hospitality operations to be launched as applied learning venues associated with Helms College within GIMG’s thirty-five county territory and franchise operations in other Goodwill territories.
  • Maintain benchmark operational controls and outcomes in existing hospitality business lines.
  • Oversee development and implementation of budgets for multiple hospitality enterprise operations; responsible for meeting budget objectives for growth in revenues, gross margins, operating profit, and net cash flow.
  • Assure top-line business growth through increased accountability, innovation, increased sales, expanded operations, reaching new markets and diversification.
  • Annually revise and develop short and long-range plans for all assigned areas; establish performance measures for multiple enterprise operations.
  • Maintain continuous lines of communication, keeping the President informed of all critical issues.
  • Lead a large team of direct and indirect employees to ensure the execution and completion of business goals; evaluate performance for compliance with established policies and objectives of the company and contributions in attaining objectives.
  • Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.
  • Mentor and develop staff using a supportive and collaborative approach: assign accountabilities; set objectives; establish priorities; and monitor and evaluate results.
  • Promote Goodwill externally as a community-based non-profit with a key human and economic development role.

Principle Accountabilities – CFO

 

  • Plans and directs GIMG’s real estate activities, including land/building acquisitions and leasing/landlord relations. Develops all pro-forma presentations for GIMG board of director’s consideration.
  • Participate in organizational strategic planning initiatives and direct/coordinate activities of department in compliance with this plan.
  • In concert with VP Finance, plan and coordinate preparation of organizations annual operating business plan and budget, after collaborative negotiation with department executive leadership.
  • Assume lead role in all contract review and negotiation and project fiscal forecasting due diligence. Develop proposal for CEO’s consideration and approval.
  • Provide oversight for all capital development, and acquisition of funds for new ventures.
  • Interact with senior staff to identify, evaluate and promote new business opportunities.
  • Responsible for oversight of all Information Technology functions.
  • Identify agency “vital” operating data elements. Create and manage IS system to capture and disseminate data on a timely basis.
  • Create, foster, and manage third party relationships for banking, financing and other collateral administrative functions.
  • Review for implementation by VP of Finance, statutory and regulatory compliance procedures for all fiscal functions of the organization.
  • Working with VP of Finance, source, manage and publish annual certified fiscal and compliance audits.
  • Prepare and maintain investment policy and long-term investments, direct and monitor performance.
  • Responsible for all Risk Management and Loss Prevention functions.
  • Ensures compliance within areas of responsibility of all regulatory and accreditation bodies.
  • Mentor and develop staff using a supportive and collaborative approach: assign accountabilities; set objectives; establish priorities; and monitor and evaluate results.
  • Build relationships with CFO’s from other Goodwill organizations and CFO’s from other Colleges/Universities to obtain best practice benchmark Ideas to Incorporate Into GIMG.

Qualifications

  • A graduate business or hospitality degree is required, CPA licensure is preferred.
  • A blend of for-profit and non-profit executive experience gained leading diverse profit generating business lines.
  • Minimally five years of senior leadership on both the finance and operations side of an independent luxury resort or multi-faceted entertainment company.
  • Banking finance and investment senior experience.
  • Multi-unit executive level hospitality operations leadership experience required.
  • Experience with mergers and acquisitions.
  • Experience with financial management of accredited federally financial aid eligible post-secondary Institutions preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience creating and taking new business ventures from a concept to a successful, revenue generating operation.
  • Superior budget and/or financial planning and management skills involving multi-million dollar and multi-site operations.
  • General administrative skills including developing, implementing and monitoring company-wide policies and procedures.
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
  • Strong people skills with abilities to partner with a dynamic leadership team and interact with all levels of employees.
  • Must be aligned with and energized by Rev. Edgar Helm’s faith based social enterprise model to eliminate poverty one career at a time.

Note: A pre-employment drug screen and background check will be required. The position is available June 15, 2021.

Salary & Benefits

Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The company offers an excellent bonus and benefit package.

Inquiries

Interested candidates should submit résumés along with a detailed cover letter which addresses the qualifications and describes your alignment/experience with the prescribed position by Wednesday, June 11, 2021.

Documents must be saved and emailed in Word or PDF format (save as “Last Name, First Name, Edgars SVPHF Cover Letter” and “Last Name, First Name, Edgars SVPHF Resume”) respectively to: execsearchus@ggapartners.com. Please email résumé with references.

For more information about Goodwill of Middle Georgia please visit www.goodwillworks.org; www.helms.edu; www.helmsgoldstandardculinary.com; www.edgarsabovebroad.com.

Staffing For Success: Part 3

Date:

Game Plan – Henry DeLozier‘s monthly column in Golf Course Industry Magazine – continues its series on staffing for success with the third of three installments. After looking at how the pandemic has afforded club and course managers the opportunity to reevaluate their teams (Staffing for Success: Part 1) and strategies for finding and hiring the right team members (Staffing for Success: Part 2), we turn to creating a culture that inspires and retains top performers.

Culture: The Secret Sauce of Success

A Supreme Court justice once defined obscenity by not defining it. “I know it when I see it,” Justice Potter Stewart famously said in 1964. It seems that an organization’s culture might fit into the same category: difficult to define, but obvious once illuminated.

The difficulty in defining organizational culture is because it is so many things at once. An amalgamation of personality, values, reputation, purpose, style and traditions framed by a set of written and unwritten rules developed over time and considered inviolable. Put them all in a pot, let them simmer for a while — a few years or maybe a few decades — and what’s left is culture!

Culture then is nothing less than an organization’s heart and soul, and its importance rivals any other asset or advantage. It is the glue that holds the organization together. It inspires loyalty in employees and motivates them to act consistently and pridefully. It influences them to perform at a high level because they feel a responsibility to uphold their end of the cultural bargain.

Culture is also an important factor in retaining top performers. Randstad, the international employment and recruitment firm, lists toxic cultures with poor pay, limited career opportunities, lack of challenging work, lack of recognition and work-life imbalance as the leading reasons people leave their jobs. There is an urgent need to pay attention to the culture growing around your club or course or risk losing top talent.

If this amorphous entity known as culture is so critical, what steps can you take, what keywords can you prioritize for search engines and what KPIs do you elevate to bake it into your organization? If only creating or transforming culture were so easy. Every winning culture is part of a unique set of attributes and characteristics that cannot be invented or imposed. It must be discovered from within.

But that doesn’t mean you should sit back and wait for culture to reveal itself — or for it to form in ways that could be detrimental to your future success. The road to a sustainable and winning culture ensures that employees:

 

  • Understand the club’s/course’s vision and how they contribute to it. When everyone knows where their leaders are steering the ship, it’s much easier to get people onboard and for employees to feel good about rowing.
  • Know how their performance is measured and what their personal success looks like. What results are expected? Are there both quantifiable and qualitative measures?
  • Are consistently recognized for contributions that meet and exceed goals. Nothing is more motivating than recognition in front of colleagues.
  • Recognize a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Employees of color and minorities want to see evidence that their opinions and work is valued and that they’re on a level playing field.
  • Feel that their managers are taking steps to safeguard their health and well-being. In a post-pandemic world, employees want to feel confident that their job is not putting them and their families in danger.
  • Are rewarded through a set of personal, flexible, creative benefits. Baby boomers, millennials and Gen Xers think about benefits and perks differently. To make them meaningful, managers must understand what each employee values most.

In addition to helping retain top performers, an engaging and embracing culture also has competitive advantages, particularly when it comes to sustaining high performance. Bain & Company research found that nearly 70 percent of business leaders agree that culture provides the greatest source of competitive advantage. In fact, more than 80 percent believe an organization that lacks a high-performance culture is doomed to mediocrity.

Culture may not be the easiest thing to define, but you can take steps that encourage a culture in which your organization thrives. You can’t rush culture, but you’ll know it when you see it.

This article was authored by Henry DeLozier for Golf Course Industry magazine.

Staffing For Success: Part 2

Date:

Game Plan – Henry DeLozier‘s monthly column in Golf Course Industry Magazine – continues its series on staffing for success with the second of three installments. After looking at how the pandemic has afforded club and course managers the opportunity to reevaluate their teams and redefine job descriptions in Staffing for Success: Part 1, we turn to finding and hiring the right team members.

As businesses reshape themselves into leaner and more efficient operations, top performers are the best value their money can buy.

A great many Americans are currently unemployed and looking for a job. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 6.7 percent of the labor force — more than 10 million people — is out of work. Finding top performers for rising needs in club management roles should be easy work, right? If only it were a simple matter of statistics.

As management professionals in any business know, the magic is finding the right person for the right job. With the war for talent continuing to escalate, we turn to three experts to help us identify the best practices for optimum staffing in these turbulent times.

Jim Collins: Get the right people on the bus

Step one, as management thinker Jim Collins advises in his bestseller “Good to Great,” is to start by “getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats” before heading down the proverbial highway. In other words, focus on “who” before determining “what.”

Those who build great organizations make sure they have a busload of people who can adapt and perform brilliantly no matter what comes next. Selecting the right people is a matter of clearly deciding what types of people — attitudes, talents, backgrounds, skillsets — are needed to enable your team to accomplish great things.

Jeff Bezos: Ask these three questions

The Amazon founder uses a straightforward three-question guide for hiring key employees. Bezos’ three questions offer direct application to the management of golf and private clubs and are particularly useful during unpredictable circumstances.

1. Will you admire this person?

“If you think about the people you’ve admired in your life, they are probably people you’ve been able to learn or take an example from,” Bezos says. This discipline requires that management first knows who he or she is and has a clear-eyed understanding of the strengths and benefits that are needed for any position. Hiring managers do well to ask themselves:

  • What traits and attributes inspire me to be my best?
  • What do we need?
  • To what do we aspire?

2. Will this person raise the average level of effectiveness of the group they are entering?

Will the candidate increase the efficiency within the organization? Is he or she able to see around the corner and anticipate needs? Are they willing to challenge established norms and traditions? (Should course setup be executed in the afternoon instead of first thing each day? Can mechanical work be executed after hours by veterans who need extra work?)

3. Along what dimension might the person be a superstar?

Listen to candidates’ answers. Push for details. Ask follow-up questions to understand how your candidate thinks and imagines your operation. One is more likely to be a superstar when he or she is encouraged to make others better.

Regina Hartley: Hire the scrapper

Throughout her 25-year UPS career — working in talent acquisition, succession planning, learning and development, employee relations, and communications — Hartley has seen how people with passion and purpose will astound you when given the opportunity. That’s why she says, “Hire the scrapper.” She defines scrappers as people who have had to fight against the odds to get ahead. They differ from those she calls the “silver spoons” — people who have had clear advantages in their lives and from birth seem destined for success.

Before tossing the résumé of someone who has obviously scrapped his or her way to the experience and skills that qualify them for a job in your organization, at least give them an interview, Hartley says: “A résumé tells a story. A patchwork quilt of odd jobs and experiences may signal a lack of focus and unpredictability. Or it may indicate a committed struggle against obstacles.”

This article was authored by Henry DeLozier for Golf Course Industry magazine.

Read Staffing for Success: Part 3

Staffing For Success: Part 1

Date:

This month, Game Plan – Henry DeLozier‘s monthly column in Golf Course Industry Magazine – kicks off a three-part series on staffing for success. First in the series is a look at how the pandemic has changed staffing needs and why superintendents and managers should consider reorganizing their teams and redefining job descriptions. Parts two and three will look at finding, hiring and retaining the right team members and creating the culture that inspires and motivates top performers.

“Never let a good crisis go to waste” is a quote often attributed to Winston Churchill in the days following World War II. Scholars question whether Churchill ever spoke those exact words, but as we make tentative steps to emerge from a pandemic-induced crisis of our own time, the lesson it implies — finding opportunity amidst great difficulty and challenge — rings as timely and as relevant as it would have in Churchill’s day.

In the still-churning wake of the global health pandemic of 2020, maybe the first place we should look for opportunity is with our own staffs. As COVID-19 raced through communities across America, thousands of golf clubs and facilities found themselves on either side of a dilemma. For those places where golf was booming, stretching tee sheets, golf car fleets and maintenance staffs to their limits and beyond, the question was whether to staff up to handle the surge or stay with current staff levels, figuring the wave would eventually crest and return to some semblance of normal. For places the boom never reached, the questions were: How long can we manage to keep our current team intact before payroll takes too much of a bite from dwindling revenues? And among those eventually let go, who will we bring back and who no longer has a place on our team?

By now, many of those calculations and decisions have been made and the ramifications felt. But the lessons they taught should not only endure, but also inform future staffing plans. In the heat of crisis, owners and managers learned who on their teams could take on more responsibility, who had leadership potential and who had reached their ceiling. They learned where they needed additional resources and where resources might be redeployed for better coverage and results. Now it’s time to put those lessons to work with redesigned organization charts and job descriptions.

One thing is for sure: a dynamic job market has changed even more in the last 12 months with continued disruption on the horizon. “The fallout will fundamentally change recruiting and hiring practices long after the pandemic has passed,” recruiting strategist Jack Whatley recently told Forbes.com.

Another certainty is that the war for talent will continue to escalate. Top performers will be in even greater demand because as businesses reshape themselves into leaner, more efficient operations, those top performers are the best value money can buy.

“Twenty years ago, all interns had mechanical skills and no computer knowledge. Now it is just the opposite. They all know how to operate computers, but they can’t change a spark plug,” says Rick Tegtmeier, the long-tenured and highly respected golf course superintendent at Des Moines Golf & Country Club. “It sure doesn’t hurt someone to work at a lesser-budget golf course operation and learn more of the skills that help you become a more rounded superintendent.”

There will never be a better time to take all the names off your org chart and rethink the needs of the club and course, the time and talent required of each of those needs, and the right names to place in those roles. As you go through that exercise, be aware that the pandemic and its economic reverberations have also changed employees’ perspectives.

Workers have had a lot of time recently to reevaluate their careers and question their next moves. Am I in the right job in the right industry? Where could I find more happiness and greater security for me and my family? Is this a stable environment and can I count on a stable paycheck? Where will I be exposed if (or when) another crisis emerges?

“Safety and job stability are at the top of mind for the job seeker now — and that changes what they want in a job,” Whatley says. “Businesses will have to become employee-centric as well as customer-centric.”

Hopefully, you and your facility have weathered this crisis without too much damage. Now’s the time to take advantage of an opportunity it has afforded.

This article was authored by Henry DeLozier for Golf Course Industry magazine.

Read Staffing for Success: Part 2
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