Culture - "the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of people in an organisation."
Strategy- "a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim."
There are many variances involved in running a successful business, golf clubs are no different:
Having happy customers that return time after time
Providing a high quality product
Having exceptional staff who go above and beyond their basic remit
Working with budgets
Supply and demand - pricing point
Traditionally golf clubs were non-profit organisations and their sole purpose was to provide people with a designated are to play golf. A mown area of suitable quality turf for a golf ball to be hit, generally found and for closer mown areas that allowed the ball to roll relatively smoothly. The strategy then was to work within the limits and budgets implemented on them. The culture would have been one of a fairly relaxed behaviour and everything was fine so long as the grass was cut. Expectations on the course would have been relatively low.
What has changed over the years:
Increased running cost
Improved technology
Restrictions in chemical usage on the course
Diversification into other aspects such as dining experience
More spare time when not working
More options of what to do in spare time
Higher expectations of the product
Greater drive to be a successful business - make more money
Golf club strategies have undoubtedly changed over the years and this change seems to be driven from the top of the organisation wanting or needing to change out of drive and desire to be better, provide more and have a successful business.
Strategy can change very quickly, overnight at the whim of a few and maybe as relatively simple writing a paragraph to describe the 'new strategy'. Culture however is more ingrained from years of ' this is how we are, this is what we do' as the saying goes "Culture eats strategy for breakfast". So how do you change the culture?
Have a lead from the front management structure
Promote excellent communication managing expectations
Pay staff more, bribe them to behave in the way you want them to (dangle a big carrot)
Implement a stricter way of doing business (Have a big whip)
Ultimately culture will come from the top, with a balance of leading in a way not to leave everyone else behind, and will take the staff forward in a way that they will carry the business forward in a far more dynamic way than a strategy alone can. Building:
Atmosphere and behaviour in the workplace
Punctuality and timekeeping
Encouraging staff not to clock watch at the end of the day
Willingness to share knowledge and skills
Eagerness for training education and CPD
Work/life balance
Ultimately how do you encourage people to give their all, work hard and drive a business forward?
The balance of culture and strategy will flow throughout the organisation and will be a key selling point when looking to recruit staff, the people who will become part of the culture. The first impressions are key and will resonate through the job advert giving future a staff a feel for what they are getting in to. No more so than when describing the package. People care and need to know about:
Hours of work
How much they are going to be paid
Any bonuses and gratuities
Use of the golf course
Access to membership organisations
That uniform will be provided
What prior training is expected and what training will be provided
What experience the new employee will gain through planned project work
Certain statements can also stand out:
"Free parking" is this a perk of the job or should it be expected working for a golf club with large car parks? Is the advert created using a template, do other jobs state that "free parking is not provided?
"Due to the expected high level of applicants, only those successful for interview will be contacted." Presumptuous that there are going to get lots of applicants and although you are taking your time to apply our culture will not allow us the time to send a courtesy email which takes less than a minute using cut and paste.
Ultimately the best organisations to work for have dedicated staff at all levels, with drive and ambition individually and as a team. Performance is monitored and reviewed to enable staff to fit in with the culture and strategy of the organisation which in turn drives success! Achieving the right culture is key to achieving the goals of the strategy.
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