 |
 |
The complete management team
|
The main concern of a superintendent is, naturally, the golf course. However, it is important to remember that good people skills are just as necessary as agronomic skills.
When a golf management team works together and communicates well, the entire facility will run more efficiently. Creating good relationships with co-workers and communication among everyone involved can make a huge difference in running an effective golf facility.
There should be no “us” versus “them” at a golf facility. The end goal should be the same for the entire team — increased revenue, increased membership where appropriate, the satisfaction of golfers and good risk management. To achieve those goals, it is important to realize not only your own role in the organization, but your co-workers’ as well.
The National Institute of Golf Management (NIGM) understands the importance of teamwork and communication, and works to spread the word throughout the golf industry. The NIGM program, which centers on a week-long event held each January at the Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, W.Va., helps golf course management teams learn more about networking and teamwork. An important focus of this course is to help participants understand their co-workers’ jobs.
Melvin Waldron III, CGCS at Horton Smith Golf Course in Springfield, Mo., has attended the first two years of the course and plans to complete the third and final year in January. The clubhouse managers and supervisors attended first and had such a positive experience that a larger group (superintendent, assistant pros, etc.) attended the next year. A 16-year GCSAA member, Waldron says he saw things from “outside the superintendent perspective,” and was able to help the golf pro see things from the superintendent’s perspective. Using this approach, team members learn how to best work together and to allow open dialogue.
Level playing field
According to Mark S. Farrell, past chair of NIGM, the blend of case studies, core curriculum and “hot topics” is meant to “expose people to disciplines other than what they’re used to.” By challenging the way superintendents, golf professionals and other golf course team members approach their jobs, NIGM “helps create meaningful ways for one to appreciate the other and partner together,” he adds.
Waldron recommends bringing multiple people from the golf team,
from golf course owners to assistant superintendents.
“You’re able to brainstorm, open up lines of communication with the whole team, and make sure you’re on the same page — aiming toward the success of the facility,” he says.
The classes strive to provide a level playing field. Superintendents, golf pros, general managers and representatives from country club food and beverage departments all attend and are free to ask questions of each other. Waldron points out the benefits of working together on time frames for work around the golf course, such as keeping the clubhouse in the loop when planning for aerification. It makes the job more comfortable, he says, when the superintendent “learns not to fear sharing those topics.”
Farrell emphasizes the level playing field: “It’s not about making a superintendent (or general manager, or golf pro) better at what they do, but about showing others about the position from a non-competitive point of view.”
Some sessions involve role playing, and attendees are asked to solve a problem from a different viewpoint.
“They are often surprised at how similar the necessary skill sets are,” notes Farrell.
The NIGM program has been offered since 1982. The school began through the Wheeling Park Commission at the Oglebay Resort as a way to keep staff active during the long West Virginia winters, offering classes in national park security, arena management and park management. With the golf boom going strong in the early 1980s, classes veered toward investors who were interested in owning and building golf courses. Gradually, classes expanded and became more focused on the details of golf course management.
Tools for networking
Three class levels (first-year topics, second-year topics and the executive forum) offer subject matter, including “The Complete Management Team,” “Motivating Your Staff Year Round” and “Golf Shop Operations.” The levels do not have to be completed in consecutive years, so the schedule can be flexible. With 150 to 250 attendees signing up each year, the opportunities for networking are practically endless. All types of golf facilities are represented by employees from all levels of the golf facility.
“If you don’t find 10 things to take back and implement immediately, we haven’t done our job,” says Farrell.
The program offers examples of concrete strategies and plans as well as ideas for changing perceptions, attitudes and communication styles that can be put into practice without affecting the budget. Another free benefit is the networking that occurs in the break-out discussion sessions. NIGM participants can use an e-mail list or “knowledge tree” to share ideas and solve problems long after the week-long meeting has ended. Using resources wisely can save time and effort, without reinventing the wheel. People from other golf facilities often have encountered a similar problem and are willing to share their solutions and advice. The e-mail list can also be used to keep in touch with others in the golf community.
Teamwork can be a very powerful persuasive tool. When a new idea or process is discussed and agreed upon by the entire golf facility team, but needs budget approval or a new piece of equipment, a united front between the maintenance area and pro shop will go a long way toward convincing a committee or board of its necessity. A proposal submitted by the whole team will carry more weight than if it’s just a single manager’s request. When all members of a facility team are able to communicate their reasons for wanting change, it is much easier to be heard and get things accomplished.
“By all being together and learning together,” Waldron points out, “we’ve learned that we need each other to make the facility better.”
Firm foundation
Farrell notes that many attendees are at first hesitant about the human resources portion of the program, but that top NIGM topics involve motivating and managing people. NIGM surveys have shown that superintendents spend 67 percent of their time on personnel rather than agronomics. A solid background in management skills will help a superintendent use resources to the fullest.
An organization runs more smoothly and individual jobs are less stressful when working relationships are harmonious. If you have empathy for your fellow workers, you will be more likely to listen when there is a problem, and vice versa. A supportive team can make all the difference between a disaster and a minor setback. NIGM teaches the collaboration and communication skills necessary to work together. It is beneficial to take advantage of opportunities to learn more about others’ jobs. Attend lectures and seminars, even if they’re not necessarily geared toward superintendents. Find out what is involved in food and beverage management. Attend a workshop for general managers and gain insight about how your employer thinks. The more people that understand the big picture, the better off the facility will be.
In addition to helping a superintendent work smarter and more efficiently in his or her current job, the skills learned through NIGM can help lead to other career paths. Jon M. Christenson, general manager at Whispering Creek Golf Club, began his career as a superintendent. Cross-training, education and effective communication helped him advance to a general manager position. To plan for the possibility of life after being a superintendent, Christenson suggests “taking a bigger interest in the overall operation of the facility. Learn from examples from your peers — the food and beverage manager, general manager, golf pro, etc.” The more you know, the more ideas you will have if you step into a new job. He also suggests: “Listen to the members. What works, what doesn’t work. Make a mental note and factor that into your plan.”
At Christenson’s own course, he encourages communication among his staff.
“Employees with different backgrounds add to the community,” he says.
Conscientious about passing on what he’s learned, Christenson makes sure Whispering Creek’s internship program is as well-rounded as possible. For this reason, interns spend time with the food and beverage manager and the golf pro as well as learning key aspects of the golf maintenance operation. He holds weekly staff meetings and stresses the importance of keeping everyone informed of events or problems on the course.
“If the whole staff isn’t updated, there will be wasted time and inefficiency,” he says.
Christenson also encourages the golf pro and the superintendent to play golf weekly.
When the golf course management team communicates and functions together well, facility operation runs smoothly and with much less stress and unnecessary competition. Programs such as NIGM can help hone communication skills and encourage a holistic approach to golf course management.
According to Farrell, that program is “a good opportunity and tool for those who aspire to continue career growth, whether in their own discipline or another.”
RECENT issues
 |
 |
October |
September 2006 |