How do you describe the intricacies of a job so complex as that of a club manager? How can anyone possibly live up to all those lofty expectations? Take a more common sense approach to the analysis of the elusive question: Just what exactly does a good club manager do?
Through the course of our client service here at CMS, we’ve personally watched hundreds of club managers operate, noting their successes and failures. In surveying the habits, work schedules, and procedures followed by the most successful managers in the club business, we’ve been able to identify seven forces, or laws, that seem to drive these people across the finish line first.
#1: The Law of People- Without people, you cannot succeed; With people, you have a chance. But with people sharing a common vision and common values, you cannot fail.
• Law #1 is the foundation for all the rest.
• Club managers who have the full support of their staff and members almost never seem to fail.
• Cumulative effort and energy is channeled in a common direction.
• It’s the manager’s job to provide the vision for their staff to embrace, and to outline the values and principles by which to operate.
• A successful club operator is a good leader.
#2: The Law of Decisions & Reality- Good decisions must have a foundation, and the foundation of good decisions are values, accurate information, and a consideration for people. Each day, you and your staff are asked—sometimes even forced—into making decisions that affect you and your club.
• For every major decision, there are hundreds of minor decisions. The sum total of these decisions make up what people think of your club.
• In his book Moments of Truth,Jan Calzon calls the routine decisions members ask you to make “moments of truth”, whereupon each decision, large or small, needs some solid foundation in order to be effective.
• This foundation must be your club’s values.
– Are are decisions fair? Are they honest? Are they consistent? Are they in line with your member’s values?
#3: The Law of Preparation & Presentation- One single hour is the basic unit upon which your entire club is judged by your members. Preparation and presentation of that hour must be impeccable.
• Members don’t want excuses. They want action.
• They want things to be working, they want them clean, they expect activities to occur on time and in a professional manner.
• They want what you told them you would give them.
• Each time a member comes in, that visit should be considered a one-hour production number, directed and produced especially for them.
• A production takes planning, checking, and then more checking of the details. Be sure each one-hour production at your club rates
“Academy Award nomination.”
Getting back to basics seems to be the answer in so many cases that we cannot ignore this insight. Your company values establish the foundation for all that happens in your club. Next time we will talk about holding yourselves accountable, to make your values shine through the messy day to day operations of a club.
