Clubhouse Europe January 2018

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

Club Awards 2018 Time to shine – page 18

ISSUE 13

Club Management Diplomas – Oman CMAE members celebrate European Conference – successful comeback CMAE White Paper – management styles for the future?

Polar bears and penguins – high performance culture

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WELCOME

Welcome Abraham Maslow figured out in 1943 that our need to connect with a community is just about as fundamental as the need for air, water and food. Such connection with our own club management community was profoundly obvious at the CMAE Conference in Marbella and helps demonstrate the continued success of the Association.

The conference was born out of the member survey carried out by GGA last year, which clearly articulated the desire for members to reunite and at the same time progress their professional development.

Delegates from 22 different countries listened to an impressive line-up of speakers spread across three days, with the post-event survey signifying that the conference was an unqualified success.

The conference also provided a public platform to recognise the hard work and dedication of outgoing President, Marc Newey CCM CCE and the outgoing Director of Education, Michael Braidwood CCM. Marc took over as President at a pivotal time in the Association’s short history and provided an assured, professional leadership which yielded a great many successes. Not least of these was the appointment of Michael Braidwood as the Association’s first Director of Education.

Michael juggled the different demands on his time and talents with great skill, overseeing the delivery of a highly demanding programme of education with calmness, patience and great humour.

The CMAE is forever strengthened through their dedication and commitment and we are all very grateful and privileged to have had them at the helm over the last few years.

We are similarly grateful that Torbjörn Johansson has inherited the Director of Education mantle with the secure touch of someone who has performed much the same role for GAF in Sweden and has done so with huge success and popularity.

The pace of change of the 21st century continues to confound much of the perceived understanding of business over the last 100 years and it is clear, therefore, that the need for support to help us deal with the challenges of the coming years has never been greater.

With this in mind, it is a comfort to know that all the evidence tells us that whenever we implement and act on the advice of our industry experts, our clubs thrive and we are more secure in our employment.

Clubhouse Europe is just one of the many vehicles we use to disseminate the latest thinking in club management and helps to reinforce the message that we all aim to be professional builders of community as well as active participants in our own, very special tribe of club managers. I hope you enjoy the issue.

David Roy CCM President, Club Managers Association of Europe

Contributors

Mike Tory Braidwood CCM Brettell

Alfredo Calle CCM

Sean Ferris

David Foster

Jonathan Hardy

Rob Hill

Torbjörn Johansson

Jerry Kilby CCM

Carlos Ladios Boluda CMDip

Marc Newey CCM CCE

David Roy CCM

Caroline Scoular

Nick Sellens

Susan Steveson

Anna Tidén

CMAE Board of Directors Jennifer Allmark jennifer.allmark@gmail.com David Balden CCM dcb@caledonianclub.com James Burns CCM jburns@milltowngolfclub.ie Pierre Chevallier CMdip pierre.chevallier@adgf.org Judy Hutton CMdip judy@portstewartgc.co.uk Alberto Iglesias CMdip aiglesias@fdlgolf.es Michael Newland CMdip Michael.Newland@RoyalPorthcawl.com David Roy CCM manager@crailgolfingsociety.co.uk Javier Reviriego gm@valderrama.com Cindy Schoenrich CMdip cindy@gstaadyachtclub.com Graham Stewart CCM director@golf-lalargue.com Mary Lou Watkins CMdip Marylou@northberwickgolfclub.com Editor Caroline Scoular caroline@alchemymedia.co.uk Design David Foster Editorial Nick Sellens Sales and Marketing Manager Leigh-Ann Ogilvie Circulation Jonathan Hardy Administration Debbie Goddard Debbie.Goddard@cmaeurope.eu Publishing Director Sean Ferris sean@alchemymedia.co.uk;

Clubhouse Europe is published by Alchemy Contract Publishing Ltd. ACP Gainsborough House 59/60 Thames Street Windsor Berkshire SL4 1TX United Kingdom t. +44 (0)1753 272022 f. +44 (0)1753 272021 e.info@alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk www.alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk

CMAE The Club Managers Association of Europe Office 8 Rural Innovation Centre Unit 169 Avenue H Stoneleigh Park Warwickshire CV8 2LG United Kingdom t. +44 (0) 247 669 2359 f. +44 (0) 247 641 4990

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers or the CMAE. Clubhouse Europe does not verify the claims made by advertisers regarding their products.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 3

Contents 6

14

5 News round-up News, views and all the latest on CMAE’s Management Development Programmes (MDPs).

6 CMAE Conference CMAE delegates from over 22 countries headed to Marbella for the 2017 European Conference.

President David Roy CCM and Torbjorn Johansson report.

9 CMAE White Paper

23 Habits of effective Health Club Managers

31 Time management

Last October 11 CCMs met up to discuss what the right management style for the future could and should look like. So just what style engages and motivates employees today?

What separates a reasonably competent club manager from an inspiring one? And how do inspiring club managers organise their day, week, month and year?

Effective time management is the key to business success, according to latest research.

14 Club Awards 2017 – winners announced

27 Social media in the workplace

Presenting four of the most ‘in-vogue’ spirits categories that members can raise a glass to.

The Clubhouse Europe team were out in force at the 2017 Club Awards where CMAE clubs picked up no less than four trophies.

Guidelines for employers and employees on establishing and implementing a social media policy.

34 The trends to watch in 2018

18 Club Awards 2018 Entry Form

28 Membership turnaround

Time to shine! Follow in the footsteps of CMAE’s 2017 winners and enter this year’s Club Awards.

The truth of membership marketing is that you never know what will work at your club until you try it. Jerry Kilby CCM presents a personal case study.

38 CMAE Alliance Partners

30 High performance cultures

42 Tribal Tuesday

What catapults organisations to be ahead of the competition? Susan Stevenson examines the guiding principles for a high performance culture.

CMAE member Carlos Ladios Boluda CMDip on communicating new ideas and successfully putting theory in to practice.

32 Spirits fly high as they raise the bar

Just what are the trends and challenges that lie ahead in 2018? GGA research offers insights and advice in how to advance success at your operation.

Latest news from CMAE partners in Europe.

20 Clubhouse Europe Buying Group Want to cut club spend while increasing efficiencies? Well now you can. Introducing HQ Building the Business. Completely free to CMAE clubs.

23 For more information on any of these articles or to contribute to our next issue, contact Editor Caroline Scoular. e. caroline@alchemymedia.co.uk t. +44 (0)1753 272022 For more information on the CMAE, its events and/or courses contact Debbie Goddard. e. Debbie.Goddard@cmaeurope.eu t. +44 (0) 247 669 2359

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News from the frontline Five more Certified Managers for Europe Five further CMAE member have passed their exams to become Certified Club Managers (CCMs). Alberto Iglesias (Font Del Llop, Spain), Ascanio Pacelli (Terre de Consoli, Italy), Robert Brewer (Royal Wimbledon Golf Club, England), Graham Stewart (Golf de LaLargue Sarl, France) and Gabriel Sota Sanz (Golf Ramón Sota, Spain) passed their CCM exams in November, bringing the number of Certified Club Managers in Europe to a total of 44.

Graham Stewart said: “As a PGA professional I realised I needed a formal certification for my 25 years of management experience. I therefore enrolled for the CMAE MDP pathway. I am proud to join an elite group of only 44 managers including only 10 PGA pros who have achieved CCM status. I can highly recommend any PGA professional who already is, or is thinking about becoming, a club manager to attend the courses and become a fully qualified manager.”

Club Awards – time to shine The Club Awards, now in their 27th year, are seeking out the best clubs in the land. All CMAE members are invited to enter their clubs and/or nominate other clubs which they believes excel in providing an excellent service and environment for members.

•Turn to page 18 for details.

Success for CMAE clubs The 2017 Club Awards saw four CMAE members pick up trophies on behalf of their clubs.

“It was a spectacular success story for the CMAE at November’s Awards,” said Clubhouse Europe Editor Caroline Scoular.

“The Roehampton Club, Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Datchet Water Sailing Club and St James’s Hotel and Club all won categories and were welcomed on stage by our host for the evening, Sports presenter John Inverdale.”

The Awards are run by Clubhouse Europe’s publisher, Alchemy, and are the only pan-club sector in the UK. •For details and images of the night turn to pages 14-18.

A first for Saudi Nic Davies the Golf Project Manager of the Safaa Golf Club at The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is the first club industry professional working in Saudi Arabia to receive the Club Managers Association of Europe’s Club Management Diploma.

Nic attended MDP Parts 1 and 2 over a two year period. He attained his Diploma by passing the end of programme exam, successfully fulfilling the requirements of an executive case study and submitting and passing a workbased assignment on a problem at his club that he resolved by applying the key learnings from

CMAE MDP dates The CMAE education programme is designed to equip club managers with the tools that they need to run professional and profitable operations.

For details on courses see the chart (right).

Alternatively visit www.cmaeurope.org or contact debbie.goddard@cmaeurope.eu •For delegates planning to attend overseas courses, CMAE has partnered with Your Travel to offer specially negotiated rates on air fares (visit www.yourtravelgroup.co.uk).

Nic Davies (back row, third from the left) with fellow diploma recipients.

the MDP curriculum.

Nic said: “As I am currently working in a backwater of golf – still in its infancy in Saudi Arabia. Participating in MDP 1 and 2 has given me great inspiration to strive to bring golf to a wider audience with new skill sets gleaned Date Location MDP 1 January 29 Warwick, England May 14 Dubai, UAE July London, England August Cario, Egypt MDP 2 Feb 19 Stirling, Scotland May 14 Dubai, UAE MDP Golf Management December St Andrews, Scotland MDP Food & Beverage Management November Marbella, Spain MDP 3 Strategy & Leadership January 22 Edinburgh, Scotland

Awesome Oman Four Oman golf industry professionals have received their Club Management Diplomas (CMDs). Mubarak Hill, Jamie Wood, Brett Merrell and Marcus Casey attained their CMDs after attending CMAE’s Management Development Programme (MDP) Parts 1 and 2 over a two year period.

Brett Merrell, Marcus Casey, Mubarak Hill and Jamie Wood.

Jamie, who recently during and after the week long courses. I achieved his PGA Director of Golf designation believe that the MDP provides a fantastic said: “Since graduating as PGA Trainee of the Year in 2005 I have always been, and still am, opportunity to develop key management skills and to draw from the experiences of a strong advocate of the PGA’s ongoing education programme. Earlier this year I both the presenters and the other delegates. embarked upon the CMAE learning pathway The standard of golf courses in the Middle and was immediately struck with the quality East and the expectations of those visiting of both the courses and the presenters, all of them is exceptionally high and it is clear that whom without exception were not only the CMAE educational pathway is a valuable extremely knowledgeable and engaging but tool for those working within the industry to also very generous with their time both meet and ultimately try to exceed these.”

from my study time on the Club Management Diploma. This process has been instrumental in helping further my enthusiasm for our great game, with the added bonus that the Diploma is recognised around the world as a highquality educational accolade.”

Host L&HC / Midland & North Regions Dubai Golf L&HC CMAE SGCMA / CMAE Dubai Golf CMAE CMAE CMAE

MDP 1 proves a winner in Wales The CMAE joined forces with Wales Golf last November to host the first Management Development Programme (MDP) Part 1 course in Wales.

Twenty four golf and club industry professionals from Wales, England, Ireland, Scotland and Saudi Arabia gathered at the Vale Resort in Cardiff for the five-day residential course which focused on club operations and the 10 core competencies of club management.

Nine of the delegates on the course were from clubs affiliated to Wales Golf and benefitted from bursaries of £300 offered through the National Governing Body to put towards the cost of attending the course.

CMAE Director of Education Torbjorn Johansson said: “We are thrilled at the success of the first MDP to be held in Wales. The continued success of our Management Development Programme shows there is a real thirst for education ” CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 5

CMAE CONFERENCE

CMAE Conference hailed a success The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word ‘Conference’ as ‘a formal meeting of people with a shared interest, typically one that takes place over several days’ – and this could not be any more accurate for the CMAE event in Marbella in November. CMAE President David Roy CCM reports.

I

t should come as no surprise that people who are drawn to work in the hospitality industry are in themselves, easy company and willing conversationalists. However, it was quickly very obvious that in addition to this character trait, the CMAE members are focussed professionals, determined to use every opportunity to improve themselves and their clubs.

The Conference was constructed to mix up networking, social activities, workshops and formal presentations, spread over three days.

Sunday 26 November saw the Conference open with workshops hosted by Rob Hill, Global Golf Advisors, Bill Sanderson, the Professional Business Coach, Marc Newey CCM CCE, Roehampton Club CEO and Javier Revireigo, Valderrama CEO. These sessions proved very popular as they were aimed specifically at engaging delegates on arrival, generating a more friendly environment than a lecture theatre ever could.

As a consequence, the ensuing drinks reception (sponsored by Tolchards) turned into the perfect opportunity for old friends to catch up and new acquaintances to be made.

Monday 27 November saw a packed room eagerly listening to the first presentation on governance given by CMAE regular Kevin Fish CCM. Consistently evaluated by delegates as one of our most popular presenters, Kevin did not disappoint and got the day off to a cracking start.

6 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

Next up was Rob Hill, Global Golf Advisors, who provided an in-depth summation of their survey on club industry trends. The key findings of the survey included the fact that clubs that innovate and strive to include millennials are more likely to be successful than those who stick rigidly to the more traditional club model. [Editor's note: see pages 34-35 for more details.]

Trevor Coughlan, Marketing Director of Jonas, then delivered an inspiring and impressive insight

into the world of technology, starkly illustrating the rapid advance of artificial intelligence into our everyday world and demonstrating how some clubs are at the cutting edge, utilising IBM’s powerful ‘Watson’ system. With many other more accessible tech opportunities at the fingertips of the modern club manager, Trevor quantified how such innovation drives revenues and assists in attracting and retaining the next generation of club members.

Susan Stevenson, newly published author of Penguins and Polar Bears, firmly challenged the delegates to do more to manage the performance of their employees, using simple techniques to create a culture of excellence. The worryingly time-consuming

A perspective from the Director of Education The 9th European Conference on Club Management welcomed delegates from no less than 22 countries over its three days. It was a fantastic feeling to meet so many people from so many countries who all share the same passion for education and networking.

I was delighted to be involved just a month into my new role as Director of Education. My main contribution for this Conference was the opening Welcome and closing Farewell, as well as making sure all the presentations were in place - a task I’m very familiar with having handled 14 conferences in Sweden over the last seven years.

The presentations had their learning outcomes from the globally recognised 10 core competencies (everyone involved in our MDP Programme will be familiar with learning outcomes). It’s always our aim to source presenters who can talk about tools and facts that managers can turn into action and we evaluate all sessions to be sure we put the right speakers in front of our Tribe. As a result, the Conference presentations threw up a lot of action points which could be taken away and used immediately back in the workplace.

The remaining job to be done at the moment is to decide on the European Conference for 2018.

Everything points to a new Conference around the same time of year and in the same region. Spain’s Marbella was a beautiful venue for the Conference’s comeback, having rested for a couple of years, and delegates were able to enjoy all it had to offer before, alongside and after the Conference.

I would be extremely happy to see even more CMAE members now gathering annually for great networking days and superb presentations.

There are so many things in the Club World yet to be explored – together!

Torbjörn Johansson, CMAE Director of Education attention to record keeping, realistic targets and goal setting and performance reviews was placed in context and it was unambiguously explained how vital these tasks are for the club manager to act as a leader.

The ever popular Darshan Singh admitted to the difficulty that every presenter faces in rousing an audience immediately after lunch. Delegates were asked to stand, stretch and balance on one leg to get the blood pumping and before they knew what was happening, the entire room was dancing to an infectious bhangra beat. With such an audacious start to his presentation, Darshan was guaranteed to hold the attention of those already willing to hear his lessons on building high performing teams.

For anyone lucky enough to have heard Bill McFarlan lecture on the art of communication, it is blindingly obvious that he has enjoyed a highly successful career as a professional TV and radio broadcaster. His impeccable delivery and pithy style ensure that delegates remain rapt and eager to learn more from his extensive experience. The summation of a first class day of learning could easily be captured with the ancient Chinese proverb delivered in Bill’s distinctive Scottish brogue: “Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words. Be careful of your words, for your words become your actions. Be careful of your actions, for your actions become your habits. Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character. Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.”

Wonderful words from the past that remain pertinent and deserve to be adhered to today.

After a very brief break, the day’s proceedings continued with the CMAE AGM, which enjoyed its largest attendance to date. Before stepping down from his role as President, Marc Newey reviewed the previous year’s activity, highlighting the success of the education programme and recruitment of Torbjorn Johansson as the new Director of Education. With the new Board members and office bearers duly elected, the AGM concluded with an impassioned address from past President John Hunt, who reflected that the

CMAE's new President David Roy CCM presents Real Club Valderrama’s Silvia Serrano with her CCM certificate.

Outgoing CMAE President Marc Newey CCM CCE (right) receives his CCE certificate from David Roy. Conference and AGM represented the realisation of the dreams of the CMAE founding members.

The gala dinner was graced with the presence of the legendary Spanish golfer, Manuel Pinero, who told the story of his luminous career through an interview with Javier Revireigo. In these days of wunderkind golfers it is remarkable that Manuel and Seve Ballesteros retain the record for being the youngest winners of the World Cup of Golf, claiming the title for Spain in 1976 by beating Lanny Watkins and Jerry Pate in Palm Springs.

The dinner also afforded the opportunity for the

association to recognise the grateful thanks of the members to Michael Braidwood for his hard work and dedication to the role of Director of Education. It is a mark of the high esteem in which he is held that he was afforded a heartfelt and well deserved standing ovation when receiving his parting gifts.

Tuesday 28 November started with an enlivened panel Q&A conversation from Syngenta with Marylou Watkins, Jennifer Allmark, Rod Burke and Alaistar Spink facilitated by Gary Firkins on female participation.

GEO’s Jonathan Smith guided the delegates through the landscape of environmental responsibility before Lodewijk Klootwijk of the EOGOA enlightened the audience into the relationship between the chemicals generated by the central nervous system and our resultant need to belong to a ‘tribe’.

Formal lectures were completed by Le Golf National CEO, Paul Armitage, who provided a unique insight into the dramatic transformation of the Ryder Cup venue and the challenges he has faced in doing so.

The final event of the Conference gave the delegates the opportunity to test their golf skills at Valderrama, one of the world’s accredited greatest golf courses. The pristine turf and immaculate landscaping provided a memorable and lasting impression and was the epitome of the excellence that the CMAE members strive for daily at their own clubs.

All in all a highly memorable interactive three days which I’m sure has put the CMAE European Conference firmly back on the Club Manager’s busy calendar. We’ll be sending out details of the 2018 event shortly, so watch this space!

STOP PRESS Date announced for 2018 Conference November 18 in Marbella. More details to be announced soon.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 7

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CMAE WHITE PAPER

The best management style for the future Last October 11 CCMs met up to discuss what the right management style for the future could and should look like. So just what style engages and motivates employees today? Michael Braidwood CCM reports on the event, the findings and the future.

T

he basis of many management theories date back to the early 20th century. Notable theorists include Abraham Maslow, who created the hierarchy of needs, Douglas McGregor, who created McGregor’s Theory X and Y and Frederick Herzberg, who promoted the Motivation-Hygiene Theory.

These management theories are all explored in the CMAE’s management development programmes. But do they really relate to club management in the modern world?

The CCMs agreed that McGregor’s Theory X and Y model is still relevant today and it is easy to slip back into the Traditional Theory X mode when under duress and pressure. They also identified that it takes a good number of years to understand and release the theory Y from within.

Andrew Whitelaw CCM, General Manager of Trump Dubai with 20 years Middle East experience said: “Typically in Dubai we operate with large multi national teams, where most of our colleagues come from third world countries. They are extremely ner-

vous and fear losing their job (which has a catastrophic impact on their families as they are often the only bread winner). Interestingly enough their fear shows them portray McGregor X characteristics and it’s my job to give them confidence to believe, as their manager, that I deliver a more McGregor Y style.”

Michael Braidwood CCM, the first CMAE Director of Education, has worked out in the Middle East for 11 years running a large club in Bahrain.

There he was faced with the same challenges as Andrew and found ‘town hall’ type meetings with all staff extremely useful, giving them the brief that it was an opportunity to speak and offer their opinions directly to the GM. “Initially the staff were unsure that they were allowed to speak and give feedback to me as GM, but once one opened up the rest grew in confidence.

After they saw there were no negative repercussions from these meetings, only positive change, then the subsequent team ‘town hall’ meetings delivered to me even more feedback on working conditions, how

they were being managed and the tools we provided them with to do the job. I learnt so much and it allowed me to make changes that resulted in much higher morale and engagement.”

Marc Newey CCM CCE, the CEO of the Roehampton Club for the past eight years, recently released some Theory Y on his junior management team at the club. He said: “We have a very strong team at the club and our junior managers are very keen to impress. So this year I allowed them to take full responsibility to run our annual club championship week. This is one of the most important weeks in the annual calendar of club events. They set the standard and ran the event from A-Z. Myself and my senior management team observed from the sidelines. I must say I had my heart in my mouth at times, but I didn’t step in or interfere. The overall result was fantastic. The event was run brilliantly (dare I say even better than before!) and I now have a fully engaged and motivated junior team. This exercise is testimony to the maturity of our organisation to allow this to happen and also shows that

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 9

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CMAE WHITE PAPER our senior team are demonstrating best practice and more importantly passing down the knowledge.”

When reviewing Hertzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory the CCMs agreed that the hygiene factors he identified as dissatisfiers were also very relevant today. Again, it is interesting that policy, supervision (micro management), relationships and work conditions still remain as the main dissatisfiers today if inappropriately managed.

Excellent examples were given whereby the CCMs reflected on times when they imposed autocratic company policy, over-supervised already capable and motivated colleagues and altered work conditions to the worse in order to save a few pounds The CCM group recognised that a lack of awareness to these hygiene factors had had a significant impact on the overall performance and morale of their team. The immediate effects might have had a positive impact on the bottom line, but the longerterm effects were quite the reverse, with lower longterm productivity, key team members moving on and a general lowering of their overall internal brand.

John Lawler CCM, General Manager of the Island in Dublin noted: “It’s fascinating to reflect back on management theories and to understand the impact my previous actions have had. During the economic downturn at my club we looked at every way to save costs. This of course meant trimming employee perks and benefits. I thought everyone was on board to try

and save a little, but in reality, what were we really achieving and saving by cutting free staff teas and coffees? Maybe a few Euros? But the dissatisfaction had more far-reaching implications.”

Putting management techniques into the context of CMAE members, David Balden CCM, Secretary of the Caledonian Club in London said: “We can assume our new colleagues have an overall understanding of motivational management techniques.

We have, however, added this sort of information into our management handbook. We also reiterate it in our managers’ induction to ensure they are setting off on the right foot when managing their respective teams. All too often we see opposite management styles within the same organisation which leads to inconsistency of delivery and internal challenges.”

The final management theory explored was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Although Maslow’s ideas have been criticized for lack of scientific rigor and are now generally no longer taken seriously in the world of academic psychology the CCM group still felt the principles had merit and that the awareness of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is important when managing.

A good number of the CCMs provided anecdotal evidence of poor performance which were directly impacted by an external factor that was influencing an employee’s performance.

Michael Braidwood CCM commented: “When I

previously saw irrational behaviour or a dip in performance by a team member my initial thought was there must be something wrong at work. I would then waste a lot of time and energy trying to resolve a problem that was not there. Over time I realised most performance issues are influenced by external factors.

Taking time to have a one-to-one with team members on performance and digging deeper into the why, can have huge positive implications. First of all, you can often help resolve the problem and secondly as a result you have a very motivated and engaged team member.”

Motivation So understanding the psychological needs of your team members is key and a strong awareness of positive management theories will help you create a positive workplace environment. But what does motivate the employee of today? We have multi generational workplaces with managers and team members who have been brought up in very different generations and have experienced varying management styles.

The CCMs explored when they felt most/least motivated: Most – Freedom to do the job, being listened to, getting questions and queries answered (in a reasonable time frame), being supported, transparency, training, development, work support.

Least – Micro managed, handcuffed, little or no support, lack of understanding by superiors of what the job involved, inconsistent management, irrational change.

Being listened to, getting questions and queries answered, being supported, training and development were all identified as highly influential motivators in the workplace.

10 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

From this the CCMs explored the conditions in which they were most likely to find motivated people.

The findings were: Free of distractions (external), sharing of success, being challenged, listened to, ideas being valued and implemented, understanding the common goal (what does success look like).

To further emphasise this the CCMs discussed the collaborative approach to management.

Examples were given of teams setting the club’s mission. John Duncan CCM formerly of Royal Dornoch Golf Club, now retired said: “ At my club we did an internal workshop to set out our mission and values. The team choose these; after all it is the team who delivers this on a daily basis.”

Taking it to the next level of setting standards and adhering to them, again the CCMs agreed that a collaborative approach is best and the more involved the team is in setting the standards the higher chance you have of them being met on a day to day basis.

Tristan Hall CCM, General Manager at Sunningdale Golf Club, said: “At Sunningdale our team set the standards, and quite simply work towards ‘true world class’. They motivate each other with this simple statement and pick each other up on it continuously. As an example, if a room is set up for a meeting and it’s not to standard, a colleague can say to another, ‘do you think that set up is true world class?’. This then promotes a closer look at it to ensure it is perfect. We find this system works extremely well, promotes excellence and avoids conflict in the workplace.”

When asked to evaluate what level of accuracy to meeting standards are being adhered to at their club, the CCMs agreed that this was a ‘non-negotiable’ and the expectation should always be 100%. However, does this always happen?

It was agreed that the following guide can give a strong indication to the commitment to adhering to standards: 100% = 5* deluxe 90% - 100% = 5* 70% - 90% = 4* 50% - 70% = 3* 30% - 50% = 2* <30% = 1* Andrew Whitelaw CCM said: “It’s really tough to operate at a 5* deluxe level. Look at the intensity of training and commitment to standards some of the leading 5* hotels operate at. The Ritz Carlton have the mission statement of ‘ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen’. Every morning there is an employee line up to check on personal standards and to remind everyone of the Ritz Values. Employees carry a card with them at all times reminding them of the Ritz Carlton values. When you experience different businesses in operation you can get an immediate sense of that business’s commitment to adhering to standards.”

What happens when you do get to a high level of performance and someone leaves? How do you replace that person?

Marc Newey CCM CCE said: “At our club we have worked hard to get to a high level of performance in most of our teams. When someone leaves it’s not me who picks the replacement. The team picks the team. They know the standards they all work to in order to achieve their goals and there is no way they are going to let someone in who might not meet the grade.”

Engagement Motivation is closely linked to engagement. The CCM group discussed engagement – how to measure and how to achieve a higher engagement quota at the club.

When reviewing this the group looked at engaged organisations, one example being Apple, where at their stores all the staff are so into the products that they instinctively go above and beyond in providing solutions to the customer’s needs. This was quite simply evaluated as they came to work to ‘play’.

Session facilitator Bill Sanderson said: “Think of it this way; when can kids get out of their beds early? Or when asked once? Christmas day! On school days their engagement is not high so the motivation is not there. When you ask yourself why, the answer is school is routine and not fun.”

So, what are the factors for high employee engagement?

Keeping work fun, intriguing, having a sense of growth, feeling supported, breaking from the routine and feeling valued are all key factors.

The CCMs gave examples of this in practice Nick Solski CCM said: “When I was Director of Golf at Skolkovo Golf Club in Moscow, we trained our staff with various greetings in different languages.

This kept the staff engaged as they were learning

Andrew Whitelaw CCM: “We do a lot of cross training. It is really engaging and motivational. Our reception staff have all cut greens on the course and our greenkeepers have all pulled a shift in the kitchen." something new and the customer loved it when greeted in their mother tongue.”

Andrew Whitelaw CCM said: “We do a lot of cross training. It is really engaging and motivational. Our reception staff have all cut greens on the course and our greenkeepers have all pulled a shift in the kitchen.

Not only has it enriched their skills, but it gives them a greater understanding of how other departments work.”

Fernando Padron CCM, Operations Director at Real Club Valderrama, said: “Leading by example and being there for your colleagues is key. A football manager would always be there for a match, so the managers should always be present at the club at peak times. We have four very experienced managers on our team and one is always on site.”

Marc Newey CCM CCE said: “We take the health and well being of our colleagues very seriously and provide free classes to our colleagues. They are also allowed to use the gym and fitness facilities at the club before or after work. The benefits are numerous. We

have less sick days, our colleagues are fresh and alert at work and they really value the club for the perk.”

So how do you measure employee engagement?

What processes do you need to have in place?

The CCM group identified the following key measurements that should be taken at a minimum on an annual basis: staff retention rates, member retention rates (if your members are staying you must be doing something right), anonymous employee surveys (to get real feedback), informal ‘pulse’ appraisals, compliments/complaints index, happiness index – how happy are you on a scale of 1 – 10.

In conclusion you need to ask yourself what percentage of your team go home after work ‘buzzed’. If it’s not high then you need to ask yourself why?

What happens when it’s not going well?

All of the previous discussion have centered around a level playing field when in general things are going well. But what happens in a crisis or when significant change is about to happen?

Don't keep your staff out in the cold. Engagement and empowerment are key motivators.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 11

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CMAE WHITE PAPER Jerry Kilby CCM, Manager at Bramley Golf Club, said: “When I operated Nad Al Sheba Golf Club in Dubai, I encountered this issue. I had to build confidence in the team so they recognised that I, as the leader, took the ultimate responsibility and that they would not be criticized for trying.

Over time confidence grew and the team took on more responsibility.”

Motivation demands a collaborative approach where the manager becomes seen as a coach and mentor.

Silvia Serrano CCM, Executive Assistant at Real Club Valderrama, described a crisis she experienced.

After the financial crisis in 2009, Valderrama hit a rocky period. Shortly after, the Board brought in a new Chief Executive. His first move was transformational. He held a ‘town hall’ meeting and said: “You think I am here to fire? No, I am here to transform.”

His next move was to show the team the business results. Silvia said: “They [the team] had no idea how bad the situation was. When we saw the position the club was in we instantly knew what we needed to do.

How could we have performed better if we didn’t know the score?”

Knowing the score is key. As humans we are instinctively competitive and have an inner drive to improve performance.

Change of any sort can be unsettling to employees and members alike.

This is one of the key challenges that club mangers face. The classic ‘change management’ chart is very pertinent and the CCMs agreed that to manage change the key is communication, communication and communication.

Communicate before, communicate during and communicate after.

Furthermore, if you have a collaborative approach before the change takes place and have initial ‘buy in’ then the journey will be a whole lot smoother.

What happens when staff don’t want responsibility?

Another factor often over looked when trying to motivate, engage and empower is having staff that don’t want responsibility.

This can be a recruitment issue, but if you do have staff that don’t want (or fear) responsibility what can you do?

Conclusion So what are the CCMs’ conclusions for the right management style for the future? What style engages and motivates employees today?

The answer is an approach of a collaborative, communicative nature where the manager is now seen as a coach and mentor. A majority of colleagues, old and new, should understand the role and be equipped with the skills to perform their duties.

The key is to have the right approach to management to ensure colleagues are motivated and engaged on a daily basis.

The final study was looking at John Adair’s action centred leadership.

The CCM group agreed that it is all too easy to spend too much time in the task circle (see diagram above), when in fact if more time is spent in the team and individual circles you will motivate and engage your team to higher performance.

More time on one-to-ones (face-to-face) with team members will be far more productive than sitting behind your desk directing via email.

Future challenges The CCM group also identified challenges facing us in the future regarding management, motivation and engagement.

As more and more clubs are looking to outsource certain elements of their business such as food and beverage, the golf shop and course maintenance, how can you apply your management style on third party contractors?

Also, with the advancement of technology and the incoming workface being from the social media generation, how will social media have an impact on management in the future? It begs the question, how to figure out how to play the violin while texting?

These topics and more will be the focus of CMAE’s elite CCM members who will come together again to share knowledge and experience on pertinent club management and leadership issues.

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More App Than Ever . Digital Member Cards . Mobile Ordering . Club 311 . Valet Requests Everything your members need in the palm of their hands Including Tee Time Reservations, Dining Reservations, Event Registrations plus much more! sales@jonasclub.com www.jonasclub.co.uk/app +00-800-1800-0400

Unlocking Golf’s True Potential

Sustainability

Syngenta is a global agriculture company, employing more than 28,000 people in 90 countries.

Enhancing the environment, increasing biodiversity, and engaging with customers and stakeholders

As an industry leader, we care not only for the health, quality and consistency of your fairways and greens, we care about the health of the game itself and the industry’s For more than 30 years we have also been long-term business sustainability. a market leader in the global golf industry creating innovative turf management That’s why Syngenta is investing in solutions for golf courses in 43 countries. golf from the ground up with the aim of Unlocking Golf’s True Potential.

However, Syngenta is much more than turf Our objectives are focused on: management products and services.

Productivity Supporting our customers and stakeholders with new knowledge, skills and tools to create strong, dynamic, customer-centric golf businesses

Playability Working with golf course superintendents around the world to deliver the best playing conditions for their customers

Working together, we can Unlock Golf’s True Potential To find out more, join Syngenta Golf Ambassador Carin Koch for a special on-course video presentation at: www.unlockinggolfstruepotential.co.uk

Syngenta UK Ltd. Registered in England No. 849037.

CPC4 Capital Park, Fulbourn, Cambridge CB21 5XE.

CLUB AWARDS

Club Awards 2017

– winners announced The CMAE and Clubhouse Europe team were out in force at the 2017 Club Awards, celebrating all that’s great about UK clubs. And not only did they present Awards but CMAE clubs also picked up a number of trophies at the glittering event.

The night of celebration began with a Beer Festival courtesy of Marston’s Beer Company, a drinks reception (sponsored by Club Mirror, Heineken UK and Marston’s Beer Company) and a photo opportunity with the iconic FA Cup, courtesy of BT Sport.

Then followed the main event – the 2017 Club Awards Gala Dinner hosted by TV sports presenter John Inverdale.

Congratulations to all winners, to every finalist and to every club who entered.

CLUB AWARD JUDGES

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CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 15

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CLUB AWARDS – THE WINNERS

Golf Catering Club Silvermere Golf Club

Catering Club Cobham Sports & Social Club and St James Hotel and Club

Green Club Datchet Water Sailing Club

Bar Manager/Steward David Bayley, Leeds Golf Club

Bar Manager/Steward Kenny Bailey, Boothstown RBL

Innovative Club Burghill Golf Club

Website of the Year Pheonix Artist Club Turnaround Club Manor Golf Club

Business Initiative Cookley Sports Club

Entertainment Club New Eltham WMC and Ryton Social Club

Football Club Consett AFC and Hyde United FC

Cricket Club St Anne’s Cricket Club

Bowls Club Penn Bowling Club and Southbourne Bowls Club

Rugby Club Burton Rugby Club and Cheltenham Rugby Club

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Golf Club (over £1m turnover) Dudsbury Golf Club and Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

Golf Club (under £1m turnover) Ravenmeadow & Perdiswell Park Golf Club

Tennis Club Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis & Squash Club

Sports Club Roehampton Club

Sports & Social Club North – Kings Heath Cricket and Social Club and South – Cobham Sports and Social Club

Manager/Secretary of the Year Alison Hodson, Newport Salop RUFC and Alex Woodward, Boyce Hill Golf & Country Club

Refurbishment Club Poynton WMC and Clitheroe RBL

King of Clubs Phoenix Artist Club

READY TO ENTER? CMAE members are invited to nominate themselves or fellow clubs for the 2018 Club Awards. Just turn the page for the 2018 Express Entry form or email info@clubmirror.com. Alternatively contact Director of Education Torbjorn Johansson on Torbjorn.Johansson@cmaeeurope.eu CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 17

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CLUB AWARDS 2018

EXPRESS ENTRY FORM

IS THIS YOU?

THE CLUB AWARDS Are you proud of your teamwork?

THREE QUESTIONS AND YOU COULD BE ON YOUR WAY TO THE CLUB AWARDS 2018 1. Number of members: ___________________________________________

Are you proud of your bar team?

2. Year founded: _______________________________________________ 3. Club Turnover (if known / approximate) ___________________________________ (NB: This information is strictly confidential and for judging purposes only – not for publication.)

Just fill in your club details and we'll get in touch – simple as that Are you proud of your catering?

Your Name: ___________________________________________ Job title/role: __________________________________________ Club Name: ___________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________

Are you proud of your club?

______________________________ Post code: _____________ CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Daytime: ____________________________________________ Evening: ____________________________________________

Are you proud of your entertainment?

Mobile: _____________________________________________ Email address: _________________________________________

Are you proud of your management?

Then you should enter the Awards

SEND IN YOUR ENTRY NOW. HERE’S HOW:

BY POST:

Club Awards, ACP, Gainsborough House, 59-60 Thames Street, Windsor SL4 1TX

ONLINE:

www.clubmirror.com/Awards

BY EMAIL:

Email your details to info@clubmirror.com

BY PHONE:

Call in your details to 01753 272022

BY FAX:

Fax this page to 01753 272021

STOP P DEAD RESS: LIN F OR ENTR E IES –

JUNE

Fax: 01753 272021; Email: info@clubmirror.com 18 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

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SMARTDISPENSE SETS A NEW STANDARD IN DRAUGHT DISPENSE • INNOVATIVE DRAUGHT SYSTEM AND 4-WEEKLY PROFESSIONAL SERVICE SUPPORT THAT DELIVERS CONSISTENTLY GREAT FRESH PINT QUALITY

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SUPPORT

A GAME CHANGER FOR OUR CUSTOMERS “WOULD RECOMMEND TO ANYONE.” KEVIN, BELMONT CLUB

“THE SMARTDISPENSE SYSTEM HAS LED TO GREAT CUSTOMER FEEDBACK ON QUALITY OF BEER.”

“IT’S THE BEST CELLAR SYSTEM I’VE HAD AND ALSO THE MOST RELIABLE.”

DAVID MANDELL, JACK MYTTON INN

TRISTIAN, KNOWLE HOTEL

FIND OUT MORE, VISIT US AT: SMARTDISPENSE.HEINEKEN.CO.UK

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Want to cut club spend while increasing efficiencies? Well now you can. Introducing HQ Building the Business. Completely free to clubs this new service involves no contracts and no costs, just better buying and better club business.

Welcome to HQ Building the Business F

rom utilities and energy savings to procurement and financial services, HQ Building the Business works with your club as a surrogate head office, helping you to boost club business. And by working with carefully selected club-supporting partners and suppliers, HQ Building the Business will save you valuable time and resources in the quest to save your club money, freeing up you and your committee to run an even more efficient club.

You’re just three steps away from saving money.

Step 1 Free no-obligation audit – just call us or email us.

Step 2 Following our audit and discussions, if we believe we can help your club we will source the best deals available.

Frequently Asked Questions Q. What do I get when I become a member?

A: You get a free and confidential audit of your club in those areas where you would like to find savings and efficiencies. This could be anything from utilities to phone bills and from food to club equipment.

Q. What are the costs?

A. There are no costs. HQ is free to join.

Q. If I become a member, what are my obligations?

A. There are no obligations for you or your club and no contracts. All we ask is that when we work with you, you are open about your current supplier situation.

suppliers we need to prove the value of a club to their business, but if we can help we will.

Q. What are your club credentials?

A. We’ve been working in the club sector for over 30 years in various roles. The launch of HQ Building the Business is the culmination of many years working with clubs and suppliers, from brewers and telecoms suppliers, to energy and water companies.

Q. Do I need a face to face meeting?

A. Not necessarily. A lot of the ground work can be done over the phone/email.

Q. How do I become a member?

A. Just email enquiries@hqbusiness.com, call 01753 272022 or use the form on the opposite page.

Q. Does the club need to have a minimum turnover?

A. Our services are most suited to clubs with a minimum turnover of £100,000. This is because to secure the HQ Building the Business deals with

Step 3 Your club starts saving money.

This is what we call a win win! So get in touch now and help us help you to make 2017 an even better year for your club and your members. You can call on 01753 272022, email enquiries@hqbusiness.com or use the form opposite.

Ryan Bezuidenhout, General Manager of Aviva Premiership Rugby contender, Worcester Warriors “My role is very much to ensure that the support mechanisms of an efficient stadium and business are in place. I’ve worked with David and his team to assist in delivering savings across the business at Worcester Warriors and I am delighted to recommend the team on a professional as well as personal level.

Energy has been one of the biggest projects, and this procurement is delivering significant short and long term savings. There are plenty of people out there who claim they can do this; this team can.

A large part of my role is about getting things done efficiently and effectively, hence why I value the straight talking, efficient and short sharp presentation of results. No fuss, no salesmanship, just a host of opportunities followed up by appropriate and helpful assistance to deliver the chosen projects; make the most of them.”

• www.warriors.co.uk

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MEMBERSHIP FORM Yes I am interested in joining the no-cost, no-contract, no obligation HQ Building the Business club.

Your name: _____________________________________

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Role in club: _____________________________________ Club name and address: _____________________________ _____________________________________________ Tel no: ________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________ Number of members: ______________________________ Turnover*:______________________________________

n All n Other (please list): _____________________________

Particular areas you are interested in?

_____________________________________________ *Turnover - this information is entirely confidential and is not shared with any other companies/agencies etc. It is HQ Building the Businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s measure as to how we can help you save money.

Post this form to HQ Building the Business, ACP/Clubhouse Europe, 59-60 Thames Street, Windsor, SL4 1TX. Alternatively simply email these details to enquiries@hqbusiness.com CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 21

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PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Habits of highly effective health club managers What separates a reasonably competent club manager from an inspiring one? And how do inspiring club managers organise their day, week, month and year? Tory Brettell examines the traits of a successful manager and confident leader.

M

anagement processes need to be broken down into four key headlines for the Manager to concentrate on, and above all ensure that their team understands the demands and targets of the club on a timely basis. These are: PEOPLE • PROCESS • PRODUCT • PROFIT

Ensuring that the team understands these four Ps is an important part of the delivery plan and everyone in the team must embrace them.

PEOPLE We need PEOPLE to work and operate our clubs and these people must be ‘Our type of people’.

We also need PEOPLE to use (and pay for) our facilities. We need them to enjoy the activities, ambience of the club and the social aspect. Each and every member has their own needs and their own objectives for joining the club and we have to ensure their expectations are met and if possible exceeded.

PROCESS All companies have systems and PROCESSES to ensure that all employees know how to conduct their business and standards of operation. This brings confidence to the members as they know what to expect.

Member expectations are understandably high and we must deliver consistent standards at all times.

This will encourage and endorse a repeat member and attrition would become low.

To have a reputation and be known is a PROCESS that PEOPLE can relate to. This will bring new members into the business.

PRODUCT To deliver a PRODUCT to members means that it has to be operationally friendly, safe, consistent on standards, organised, hygienic and be equipped with a Health and Fitness activity/function that is going to help members achieve their personal goals.

PRODUCT can have a USP (Unique Selling

Point) and this can be an attractive advantage over the competitor. If you haven’t got one, get one step ahead and think of one!

The PRODUCT must be maintained and kept up to date and investment must be ongoing and calculated.

PROFIT To make a business work, obvious as it may sound, the club has to make money – PROFIT. The costs for operating and staffing the club have to be correctly aligned and the PRICE of a membership within your market place must be right.

Secondary revenue must be encouraged and percentages of costs to revenue be evaluated on a daily basis.

To have a successful business PROFIT is what the owners and shareholders will be looking for. It is the staff who will deliver the standards, build upon relationships with the members and maintain them within the business.

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PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROCESS Summary of the four Ps So if the above is delivered to the owners, shareholders and members, operational excellence looks safe and comfortable. The qualities and attributes of a club manager need to be all there to produce the four Ps! Performance Management Process (PMP) For a Manager to be an inspiring, confident, dedicated and enthusiastic leader he or she must posses a number of qualities. These are: • Communicate effectively with members and staff.

• Plan, produce and review operations.

• Manage exceptional customer service.

• Recruit staff.

• Retain staff.

• Manage staff.

• Manage time.

• Provide prompt and accurate management information to owners/head office.

• Manage programming and retention.

• Implement marketing strategies.

• Manage the sale process.

• Produce/implement strategic plan.

• Implement and monitor company procedures.

• Train and develop staff.

These are known as the ‘Core to an Effective Manager’ and each of the above are accessed by Attitude, Skills and Knowledge to deliver to the team, members and colleagues.

ATTITUDE To have the right ATTITUDE in delivering the core activity is essential to success and to all of the Performance Management Process (PMP). Relevant words would include manner, opinion, posture, mood, disposition, demeanour, approach, frame of mind and behaviour.

SKILLS It is all well and good for the Club Manager has the correct ATTITUDE but they need to have the SKILL to implement the activity. SKILL is described as ability, accomplishment, adroitness, aptitude, artistry, capability, cleverness, competence, craft, cunning, dexterity, expertise, facility, flair, gift, knack, mastery, professionalism, technique, versatility, workmanship, prowess talent and proficiency. Have you – or your manager – got these SKILL attributes?

Recruiting, retaining and managing staff are key attributes of an inspiring leader.

Organisational Business Writing Complaint Handling Time Management Identifying priorities Organisation Delegation Upselling products & events Prepared Administration Recording Interviewing and selection Structuring and planning Questioning techniques Planning and evaluating Measuring objectives Monitoring

Emotional Motivational Understanding different personalities Supervision Leadership Vision Translating Vision and Mission into reality Empowerment of staff Awareness of body language Bring solutions not problems Build rapport with all levels of the organisation Manage upwards not downwards Manage stress Ability to gain respect; commitment from team

When adapting the SKILL level of a Club Manager and viewing the PMP the following set of SKILLS must be split into two categories, Organisational and Emotional, as the chart above highlights.

KNOWLEDGE It is great to be able to have a manager who ticks all (or quite a few) of the boxes in ATTITUDE and having the SKILL to deliver, but to have the KNOWLEDGE of the environment and of general management are the final ingredients in this cooking feast.

KNOWLEDGE is explained as the data, facts, information, awareness, consciousness, experience, expertise, familiarity, grasp, insight and know how.

To relate this KNOWLEDGE to the Health and Fitness sector, the chart below show a list of procedures, but above all it is KNOWLEDGE that must be obtained and learned.

How do effective managers organise their time?

Time management and prioritising the day plus planning ahead are key skills that the highly effective manager will have imprinted into their persona. To be a success you need to be on time with deadlines, be able to forecast ahead and deliver what you say you are going to do within the boundaries agreed with your superiors/line managers. But even more than this, you need to be a good time manager for your own sake.

There is nothing worse than recognising too late that you had a meeting five minutes ago or that a report should have been on your boss’s table two hours ago. I’m sure everyone reading this will have examples where something hasn’t been executed within the deadline!

I always recommend that managers produce and prioritise a list of tasks at the end of their day. The

Legal and Systems

Staff Issues

Club Issues

Standard Operating Procedure

Staff induction; training and Company training plans

Competition; demographics and local markets

Health and Safety legislation and Club procedures; licences and insurances

Reward and recognition of staff and performance review process

Trends

Employment law; policies and personnel procedures

Principles of coaching, delegation and supervision

Objective setting

Interviewing and selection; Effective meetings; agenda, legislation and equal opportunities recording

Attrition reports and statistics

Financial information; reporting and accounts

Purchasing; receipt and payment procedures

Membership; selling; tracking; retention and price

Company structure and organisation

Problem solving

Marketing; tools; trends; campaigns; media; promotions and events

Administration and tracking

Time management selling and up selling

Secondary revenue; cross

Stress management techniques

Programming

Performance Management Process (PMP)

Product knowledge Customer demands Vision and Mission IT systems Business objectives

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Take the same advice that you'd give to your members; make objectives realistic with short term and long term goals regularly reviewed. next day the day’s activities are reviewed (short term), appointment schedules checked and other activities planned for that week, month and year examined.

Things will always change and the unintended things – like a break down on the pool plant – may occur and your plan of action points is shifted to the adverse. Therefore, plan in ‘windows’ of unforeseen circumstances. Don’t give yourself too much to achieve on a daily and weekly basis.

Finally remember to make objectives realistic to achieve and constantly review short term and long term activity.

Creating an enthused, focused team For the manager to gain respect from their team they need to be honest, show the fun element of their personality and involve the team wherever possible in building the club into a place people want to work and people want to go to.

Make the place a fun place to be. Be positive; empower the team and involve them in decision making. Encourage them to take ownership.

Communicate to them verbally on a day-to-day basis (all of them). Hold weekly meetings, use memos and handover dairies.

Establish social events for departments and – when possible and budgets permitting – have team outings to related or unrelated sports activities.

Maybe a dinner, bowling, horse racing or a visit to a key event – the list is endless. Some may be at the cost of the club, others may be subsidised and some will be paid for by the employee.

Keep the motivation high using positive body language and speech. Communicate in an enthusiastic manner and the team will work with you and for you.

Management by gender – which is best?

When managing several of the processes above, I believe male and females do differ in their actions and we can learn from our counterparts.

Female management In interviewing and selection female managers are generally more probing, sensitive and have greater empathy. In all aspects of interviewing, from recruitment to disciplinary actions or meetings with suppliers and members, female managers are usually more conscientious on detail and will record every aspect.

No fact is left un-turned; all is investigated, documented and reported. Attention to detail is one of the key attributes of a female manager. As such, prioritising work for the next day and reaching deadlines is a key component to their make up.

Male management Male managers tend to join in with the team and be seen as a team member rather than a boss. They can sometimes be too familiar with team members/members and must use judgement in their approach, bearing and body language when enforcing a message.

Male managers are generally very visionary, innovative and love to deliver small projects. Once one is completed, they like to concentrate on another, rather than doing two things at once.

They are great at empowering staff and motivating them in and out of work. Conscience of costs they will without hesitation cut where needs be (and maybe without fully investigating the problem) and discipline employees who do not perform.

Male managers can learn from female managers and vice-versa, each having strong areas in their leadership abilities. For every person, regardless of gender, there will be areas to develop, but success depends on their outgoing personality and the skill to have an open mind, take on feedback and to have the ability to change and learn.

Challenge Now, time to review all the elements under each of the main headers, ATTITUDE, SKILLS and KNOWLEDGE and access where you or your managers are in the scope of this Performance Management Process.

Ask yourself: 1. Does my performance review (appraisal) cover these aspects of my job role?

2. What areas am I good at and which areas do I need to develop?

3. Am I a strong male/female manager and what areas do I need to improve in?

4. What are my communication timekeeping and motivational skills like?

5. Do I embrace my PEOPLE, use their skills and are they our type of PEOPLE? 6. Do I deliver all the company PROCESSES to the standards expected?

7. Is the PRODUCT clean, safe and operationally friendly?

8. Am I producing the correct financial (PROFIT) results in line with the business plan?

9. What have I learnt from this article?

10. Can I change to become a Highly Effective Health Club Manager?

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HOSPITALITY SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS

OPEN FOR ENTRIES

Enter the Awards

email info@hsma.biz

REGISTRATION HOTLINE 01753 272022

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES

Social media in the workplace Social media is an immense power when it comes to reaching out to members. But it is also a power which needs to be carefully harnessed. ACAS explores the issues and offers guidelines for employers and employees on establishing and implementing a social media policy.

S

ocial media can affect communications among managers, employees and even job applicants. It can promote and control their reputation and affect how colleagues treat one another. It can also distort what boundaries there are between home and work, however.

Some estimates report that misuse of the Internet and social media by workers costs Britain’s economy, for example, billions of pounds every year. Reports also add that many employers are already grappling with issues like time theft, defamation, cyber bullying, freedom of speech and the invasion of privacy.

Legal considerations • The Human Rights Act 1998 Article 8 gives a ‘right to respect for private and family life, home and correspondence’. Case law suggests that employees have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the workplace.

• The Data Protection Act 1988 This covers how information about employees and job applicants can be collected, handled and used. The Information Commissioner’s Office has published an employment practices code – Information Commissioner’s Office: Quick guide to the employment practices code [PDF, 168kb] – to help employers comply with the law.

• The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 This covers the extent to which organisations can use covert surveillance.

Developing a policy Employers should develop a policy setting out what is and what is not acceptable behaviour at work when using the Internet, emails, smart phones, and networking websites. The policy should also give clear guidelines for employees on what they can and cannot say about the organisation. Any policy should be clear throughout about the distinction between business and private use of social media. If it allows limited private use in the workplace, it should be clear what this means in practice.

In working out a policy for use of social media, the employer, staff and unions or staff reps (if there are any) should agree the details. The policy should aim to ensure that employees do not feel gagged, staff and managers feel protected against online bullying and the organisation feels confident its reputation will be guarded.

Disciplinary procedures An employer should try to apply the same standards of conduct in online matters as it would in offline issues.

“

If an employee is representing the company online, set appropriate rules for what information they may disclose and the range of opinions they may express. Bring to their attention relevant legislation on copyright and public interest disclosure.

To help an organisation respond reasonably, the employer should consider the nature of the comments made and their likely impact on the organisation. It would help if the employer gives examples of what might be classed as ‘defamation’ and the penalties it would impose. The employer should also be clear in outlining what is regarded as confidential in the organisation.

Blogging and tweeting If an employee is representing the company online, set appropriate rules for what information they may disclose and the range of opinions they may express. Bring to their attention relevant legislation on copyright and public interest disclosure.

Some rules should be included on the use of social media in recruitment, which managers and employees should follow. When recruiting, employers should be careful if assessing applicants by looking at their social networking pages – this can be discriminatory and unfair.

Update other policies To reflect the impact of social media, it should be

”

referred to in other areas of the business. For example, an organisation’s policy on bullying should include references to ‘cyber bullying’.

Employers should inform and consult with their employees if planning to monitor social media activity affecting the workplace.

Action for employees Employees should regularly check the privacy settings on their social networking sites. They should consider whether they want or need co-workers to see their profiles.

• For more information visit www.acas.org.uk

STOP PRESS How well does your club employ Social Media to reach out to members? Is it an essential marketing and messaging tool? Then enter your club into the 2018 Social Media Awards.

See opposite page for details or visit www.hsma.biz

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MEMBERSHIP MARKETING

Membership turnaround

–acasestudy Most of us have read the books and listened to the presentations outlining the theory of membership marketing techniques, and of course we learn a great deal from our own experiences, but the truth is that you never know what will work at your club until you try it, says Jerry Kilby CCM, Club Manager at Surrey's Bramley Golf Club.

L

ike many golf clubs in the UK, membership numbers at Bramley Golf Club had been slowly declining – in fact by an average of 8% a year for the previous nine years. Because of this decline, revenues had reduced and costs had been cut, resulting in a golf course which was in poor condition relative to others in the area. The Club Committee asked me to design and recommend a plan to turn this around, if possible.

The action plan First of all, we had to change the very negative atmosphere into a positive one. Members were openly talking about the club being in trouble financially, which was a wild exaggeration. The club did not have any debts and, although cash reserves were low, the Committee knew that they had to spend some money to turn the club around. What they didn’t know was what they should invest in.

The course I recommended that the Committee invest in the golf course, spending some money on much needed greens drainage and also some new maintenance equipment. The Head Greenkeeper and I set about working smarter on the presentation of the golf course, to make it look and play better. We were also lucky with a dry winter and the course started to improve considerably.

cost of the three-month trial free ONLY IF the golfer decided to stay and transfer from their three-month trial to an annual membership (effectively offering 15 months for the price of 12).

Shout it out Finally, we had to tell our local community that memberships were available. We launched the offers with an Open Weekend in April 2017, and promoted this event through social media, roadside banners, a mailshot to 30,000 local residents and numerous other marketing channels. Two hundred people came to the club over the two days. We even had eight new members signing up on the spot!

For the rest of the summer, we used Facebook advertising to reach golfers living within 25km of Bramley, and with a series of digital adverts, data capture competitions and e-shots, we had a constant stream of new enquiries for membership.

We invited all enquiring golfers to come and meet either myself or my colleague Nick English, our Head Professional, and we outlined the choice of membership categories we were able to offer – from flexible memberships and academy memberships to traditional 5-Day and 7-Day memberships – and all of

these categories were available on a three-month trial; there was something for most people.

The results were very good – 176 golfers signed up on the three-month trial and, at the time of writing, 123 of these have completed their trial period and transferred into annual membership.

Only 21 have decided not to become annual members after completing their trial membership period and 32 are still within their trial period.

Even though we lost some members at the end of the membership year (mainly due to old age, illhealth and moving away), the club enjoyed a net increase of membership numbers for the first time in nine years, and we have started on the road to recovery. Improvements to the marketing campaign are already being implemented, and while we still have a long way to go I believe that with around two more years of similar growth we will see the club back to the membership numbers of pre-2008.

Positive campaigning With this improvement becoming more evident, the Chairman and I embarked on a campaign to talk positively about the future of the club – not hiding the fact that we had challenges ahead, but looking at a glass half-full, rather than half-empty.

Membership schemes Next, we looked at our membership offering. I recommended introducing a three-month trial scheme, so potential members were not asked to pay for a full year in advance. The Committee was also under pressure from some sections of the membership to slash annual fees, but I advised to keep fees the same, offering the

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.

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Taking a step back to look at the long-term situation is not always a priority but careful planning is key to providing financial security over the longer term, and advice from a specialist can help you meet your aims.

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Speak to us today about your club’s financial goals and let us help you reach them

07796 442 669 i.crombleholme@brightwm.co.uk

01925 839 180 | brightwm.co.uk Bright Wealth Management represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website at www.sjp.co.uk/products. Bright Wealth Management is a trading style of Bright FS Limited. Bright FS Limited is registered in England & Wales. Company No. 08191747. Registered Office: Yarmouth House, Trident Business Park, Daten Avenue, Warrington WA3 6BX.

LEADERSHIP

Polar bears and penguins What catapults organisations to be ahead of the competition? Susan Stevenson, a presenter at the CMAE’s European Conference and co-author of Polar Bears and Penguins examines the guiding principles for a high performance culture.

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ots of factors affect the condition of your club/organisation, some within your control, like the culture, and some out of your control like shifts in the market.

The common denominator playing a key role in performance is the culture, defined as ‘the ways things get done, that have been developed over time’.

So, understanding the impact culture has on creating and sustaining high performance, how can leaders make this happen? First of all, it is more important to know who you are as a club than where you are going, for where you are going will change as the world around you changes. Leaders change, markets change, new technologies emerge, but core ideology in a high performing company endures as a source of guidance, inspiration and sustainability.

A recent study done by the Gallup organisation in 160 countries, however, identified that only 37% of employees know what their organisation stands for.

What percentage of your employees would know what your club stands for?

Further research identified that 70% of the variance between lousy, good and great cultures, is the knowledge, skill and talent of its leaders. Not the employees, but the team leader. The conclusion is that organisations should change from having command and controlling managers to high performance coaches who engage and enroll.

High performance coaches/team leaders share the organisation’s purpose. They develop fully transparent and authentic relationships, establish clear expectations and provide ongoing feedback aligned to the purpose, values and expectations. They also hold colleagues accountable and give recognition and fair reward.

Some leaders try to assert their authority in a topdown fashion, forcing their employees to follow along or face punitive actions. Others go to the opposite extreme, trying to befriend their employees rather than providing the leadership and vision they need.

As a leader, you must strike a delicate balance between these two extremes. The following four Guiding Principles will help you strike that balance, while ensuring the ship stays steady in all weather conditions.

1. Be committed To engage and enroll a group of people, you must be fully committed to them, the purpose of your club and to the goals you want to achieve. Are they confident that you care and that you are not going to be gone tomorrow and the focus gone too? Can they trust your commitment to them and what you are asking them to do?

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ter how ugly it is! – with the positive intention of making the culture fully transparent and the very best it can be. This includes letting go of the behaviours and processes that no longer serve your club’s goals.

3. Engage in deep dialogue Deep dialogue requires focus and vulnerability.

You cannot ask powerful questions without opening yourself up to honest answers. This requires that you, as a leader, be absolutely secure in who you are and in your own commitment to what is best for the club.

Deep dialogue can be uncomfortable for some people, but in high performing cultures, people are actually comfortable with being uncomfortable once in a while. This is realistic when you as a leader are demonstrating commitment and cultivating similar commitment within your employees.

Susan Stevenson You must exercise your choices in the best interest of the club and those who work there, whatever that involves. When your employees see how truly committed you are AND that all employees can perform and contribute to their full potential, almost all will respond in kind.

2. Be fully present with ‘what is’ Leaders must be fully present with what is going on at the moment. Do you get into the midst of the employees, pay attention, observe and be genuinely curious? Do you ask questions without expectations of the response; give employees your full attention when you are interacting with them; acknowledge their responses without judgment or defending; and genuinely care about understanding them?

High performing cultures create an openness to addressing the good, the bad and the ugly – no mat-

4. Look for answers within As their leader, you have to be willing to let employees know that you don’t know all of the answers and are open to feedback, suggestions and ideas. High performing cultures always look for the answers to their challenges from within the organisation first.

Employees are consulted on answers to everyday problems, while embracing the differences of opinions.

High performing leaders are not constantly searching for the mythological ‘perfect employee’ who will be able to perform well despite a dysfunctional organisational culture. You must be devoted to transforming the culture so that you get the most out of everyone you already have. None of this is to say that a high performing organisation will never have to fire anyone. However, when you do, it is because the individual has failed the organisation, not the other way around.

If you are motivated to make your club everything it can be – to build something that will retain loyal employees, exceed customer expectations and weather any storm that comes around – these guiding principles are irreplaceable. They take time and effort to incorporate into your leadership style, but they will deliver dividends that will be more than worth the investment.

CONTACT DETAILS Susan Stevenson is Co-Author of Polar Bears and Penguins – Transforming Organisations into High Performing Cultures • Visit www.pbpbooks.com/assessments.

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TIME MANAGEMENT

Time management – acrucialtoolforsuccess The golden rule of business says that effective time management is the key to success.

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indings from an Instantprint report reveal that 53% of those surveyed found that admin and report writing were taking up a disproportionate amount of time when compared with growing business.

“It is interesting to see from the research that it is the management of our hours, minutes and seconds that have the biggest effect on the running of a successful enterprise,” said co-founder of Instantprint James Kinsella.“Every business is unique, but improving time management and optimizing working hours can only bring positive outcomes.”

So how can you make sure you’re getting the most out of your time?

1. Discover your most productive work hours Finding your most productive time is crucial, and can be achieved by listening to your body’s natural energy spurts. Things that kill productivity include: routine activities and continuous work which can demotivate you. Go a maximum of two hours and then tune out to tune back in.

2. Just say no Many of us are just too polite, but sometimes it’s important to simply say no. Distractions steal your time from important tasks. People may ask you to do a quick thing here and a quick thing there, but suddenly your hours disappear. If you’ve got an important task, keep at it and don’t let anyone interrupt; you’re busy. One in three decision makers claim they struggle to do everything they need to in a day, so make your ‘everything’ list shorter.

3. Go step-by-step Don’t think of your to-do list as one huge item to complete. It’s overwhelming and will only put pressure on you. Take one thing at a time and this will allow you to give each task the attention it deserves. As a bonus tip, make sure you establish a method to classify tasks that need to take priority over others.

4. Know what gets you through Some days you’ll need a boost to power through your workload. Whether it’s because you had a bad night’s sleep or you’re especially busy that day, find what gets you through. Nearly half (46%) of those

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People may ask you to do a quick thing here and a quick thing there, but suddenly your hours disappear. If you’ve got an important task, keep at it and don’t let anyone interrupt; you’re busy.

surveyed say having coffee or tea on the go helps them through their daily tasks, and 1 in 3 have a playlist set up to get them in the zone.

5. Exercise and eat well It may seem unrelated but taking care of yourself

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will have a direct impact on your mood and concentration. A healthy diet with regular exercise increases dopamine in the brain, making you feel better and more alert. Also sitting at a desk all day can really take a toll so it’s important to get moving when you can.

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DRINKS REPORT – SPIRITS

Spirits fly high as they raise the bar The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) aims to identify upcoming spirits trends. Following this year’s competition, IWSC presents four of the most ‘in-vogue’ categories that members can raise a glass to. ince its inception in 1969, the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s (IWSC’s) Annual Spirits Tasting has analysed and explored key trends which may shape the drinking habits of members in the year ahead.

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focus to the art of the blend, rather than the prestige tied up in age, the trophy this year was awarded to Richard Paterson’s The Dalmore Valour Single Highland Malt – a rich, chocolatey elixir with warm orange and cinnamon aromas.

Age is nothing but a number The world of whisky has expanded and diversified far beyond the traditional Scotches and blends associated with the category. This year’s IWSC results have debunked the long-standing myth of ‘the older the better’, with a range of no-age statement whiskies taking the sector by storm. Turning the

The proof is in the provenance From India’s ‘Feni’, to China’s ‘Baiju’ (pronounced Bye-joe), Asia’s spirits market is thriving, and the continent has plenty to offer western palates.

Testament to consumers’ enthusiasm to explore new offerings – both in flavour and in provenance – recent years have seen Baiju, made from the fer-

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mented grain sorghum, arrive in style on the world stage. With an increasing number of Baijus being entered each year, IWSC officials have even introduced the Baiju trophy, this year won by the Yushan Taiwan Kaoliang Liquor – thought by the judges to have ‘soft lavender and pine needles on the nose, followed by a delicate palate that has a touch of baked bamboo and Chinese pickle.’

Slow and artisan wins the race Possibly the greatest success story to have come out of this year’s awards is the rise of Tequila’s partnerin-crime, Mezcal.

IWSC 2017 Spirit Trophy Winners Product Awards

With certain craft Mezcal producers using agave plants matured for up to 35 years, some of the resulting liquids are now ready to compete with the best tequilas. For the first time ever, this year even saw the ‘Tequila Trophy’ being renamed the ‘Mezcal Trophy’ – reflecting changing appreciation of the drink. The top prize was awarded to the Corte Vetusto Mezcal Espadin, hand-crafted by fourth-generation master mezcalero, Juan Carlos Gonzalez Diaz. Seeking to capture the essence of artisanal Mezcal, the leading producers within this category are set to challenge consumers’ perceptions of agave spirits, positioning them as a genuine sipping alternative to single malt whisky. David Shepherd, co-founder and director at Black Sheep Spirits, said: “Mezcal is niche. It’s about two percent of tequila sales – but it’s coming out of the darkness. It’s made that transition from bartender’s secret to being requested by consumers.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Vodka Trophy – Purity Vodka 51 Limited Reserve, Purity Vodka AB London Dry Gin Trophy – Swedish Rose Gin – Hernö that boutique-y Gin Company, Atom Brands Contemporary Gin Trophy – Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin Navy Strength, Atom Brands Fruit Spirits Trophy – Lörch Hocharomatischer Waldhimbeergeist, Bimmerle KG Pomace Brandy Trophy – Grappa Le Giare Gewürztraminer, Distilleria Marzadro Baiju Trophy – Chinese Spirits Baiju Yushan Tawiwan Kaoliang Liquor Aged 5 years, AOW Shochu Trophy – Shasharakuraku Aka, Nishi Sake Brewing Co. Mezcal Trophy – Corte Vetusto Mezcal Espadin, Corte Vetusto Cognac Trophy – Cognac Roullet VSOP Grande Champagne, SAS Maison de Negoce Charentaise Rum Trophy – Rhum Agricole Vieux Neisson 12 ans d’âge, Distillerie Neisson Bourbon Trophy – Big House Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Sazerac Company Liqueur Trophy – Mozart Chocolate Cream, Schlumberger Wein-und Sektkellerei GMBH Worldwide Brandy Trophy – KWV 15 Potstill Brandy, KWV Blended Scotch Whisky Trophy – Syndicate 58/6 12 YO Blended Scotch Whisky, Syndicate 58/6 Ltd Single Malt Scotch Whisky no age statement Trophy – Dalmore Valour Single Highland Malt, Whyte & Mackay Ltd Single Malt Scotch Whisky 15 years and under Trophy – The Balvenie 14YO Caribbean Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky, William Grant & Sons Distillers Ltd Single Malt Scotch Whisky over 15 years Trophy – Glenglassaugh Highland Scotch Whisky 40YO, The BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd Single Malt Scotch Whisky Cask Strength Trophy – Bunnahabhain 18YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Distell Worldwide Whiskey Trophy – Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Distillery Aquavit Trophy – Gylden Akvavit, Pabst & Richarz Vertriebs GmbH

Mixer Awards The gin bubble This year, the IWSC received nearly 400 gin entries from 35 different countries – a 571% increase since 2013. With consumer loyalty yet to wane, gin has continued to dominate the aperitif scene as producers experiment with new craft creations and evermore obscure botanical concoctions. Professor Ampleforth’s Bathtub Navy Strength Gin (winner of the Contemporary Gin Trophy, 2017) packs a botanical punch thanks to the ‘bashing up’ of the ingredients, including orange peel and cinnamon, to release even more flavour. Eco-friendly Brighton Gin, who bike bottles straight to customers’ doors in the city, also walked away with an award, with its quirky packaging catching the eyes of the judges.

• • • •

Gin & Tonic Trophy – Spritfabrikens “G” Gin, Skånska Spritfabriken Rum & Ginger Beer Trophy – Worlds End Rum Dark Spiced, 2240 Social Club Vodka & Tonic Trophy – Gustav Dill Vodka, Lignell & Piispanen Rum & Cola Trophy – Rom Rincon, Cadushy Distillery

Packaging Awards • White Spirits Trophy – Brighton Gin, Brighton Gin Spirits Company Ltd • Brown Spirits Trophy – (Joint winners) Glenfiddich Project XX Single Malt Scotch Whisky / Glenfiddich IPA Experiement Single Malt Scotch Whisky, William Grant & Sons • Contemporary Trophy – Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, Italicus Ltd • Traditional Trophy – (Joint winners) Cap Mattei Grande Réserve Quinquina Rouge 2015 / Cap Mattei Blanc 2015, La Distillerie • WoW Trophy – Padró & Co. Rojo Amargo Light Box, Unión Vegas SL • Storytelling Trophy - Ableforth’s Bathtub Cut Gin, Atom Brands

Reader competition – Whisky in a nutshell Clubhouse Europe has five copies of 30-Second Whisky to give away. Part of the bestselling 30-Second series, the book highlights 50 essential elements of producing and enjoying world whiskies. In 300 words and one image, this digestible 30 second whirlwind beginner’s guide is served up in 50 small nips, ideal for part-time staff or club newbies.

The author, Charles MacLean, has been described by The Times as ‘Scotland’s leading whisky expert’. He has published 15 books on the subject and has won numerous awards. He was founding editor of Whisky Magazine (1997), was elected a Keeper of the Quaich in 1992 and elevated to Master of the Quaich in 2009.

The book published in October, 2017.

For your chance to win a copy, email info@alchemymedia.co.uk with your name and club details by February 28.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 33

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

2018 The trends to watch in 2018 As club leaders throughout Europe launch plans aimed at navigating the challenges that lie ahead in 2018, observations drawn from Global Golf Advisors’ research could prove valuable in advancing success at your club, says the company’s Rob Hill.

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very year, Global Golf Advisors (GGA), in collaboration with CMAE, host club executives and leaders from Europe’s most esteemed private clubs for a symposium to identify and discuss emerging trends and best practices within the club business sector.

GGA then solicit feedback from attendees on key topics and discussions raised during the symposium via a post symposium survey. The most recent survey results and findings are consistent to what GGA is observing in leading clubs around the world, with the trend being a gradual shift to a more business-like management approach emphasising data-driven decision-making and diligent monitoring of key performance indicators and member satisfaction.

Due to the emotional nature of a membershipbased organisation, there will always be aspects of clubs that do not and should not operate like a business. However, there has been a change in recent years and many clubs are more strategically refining their approach in areas relating to governance, capital planning, membership programming, and data collection.

Governance trends Governance is the engine which drives the club and preserves the culture of the club. The survey findings

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More than 68% of participating clubs reported having a Strategic Plan. indicate that many clubs are now taking a more structured approach to governance. Trends show that the function, size, tenure and decision-making authority of the Board/Council and Committees have been changing to ensure more efficiency and professionalism, and to ensure that a sound business model is in place (for example, smaller Boards with longer terms and fewer Committees). Some of the key survey findings were: • More than two-thirds (68%) of participating clubs reported having a Strategic Plan.

– 42% update their plan every three years.

– 50% update their plan at random or only as needed.

• More than half of clubs (55%) keep their strategic plan active and relevant by reviewing their plans each month while 45% report performance results annually. More than one-third (36%) of clubs implement a General Manager incentive programme tied to achieving strategic aims.

• In the last decade, more than nine out of 10 clubs (92%) have changed or revised their vision statement.

• Club Managers make their strategic plan part of their Board orientation process by reviewing the plan one-on-one with each new Board member (70%), requiring Board members to read and review the plan (20%), or conducting Board retreats (10%).

• Roughly nine out of 10 (89%) Club Managers involve the Board before setting annual goals. At half of clubs, the Board is responsible for setting annual club goals while one-third (31%) rely on the Club Manager for goal setting.

– 75% of Boards use written goals to monitor/ evaluate GM performance.

– 63% of GMs report progress on their goals each month.

• The average Board size at participating clubs is approximately 10.5 Board members; 11% of clubs have reduced the size of their Board in the last five years.

• The average number of standing sub-committees is approximately 7.14; 22% of clubs have reduced the number of committees in the last five years.

• Only 6% of Boards self-evaluate their performance at the conclusion of each meeting. The Board is always evaluated as a whole, rather than as individuals.

• More than nine out of 10 (94%) of clubs provide a performance appraisal to the Club Manager each year, with half (50%) of clubs providing both a verbal and written appraisal.

• On average, clubs reported that 39% of Board meeting time is spent on operational matters.

• Two-thirds of clubs (67%) empanel their Board through elections while 22% rely on the standing Board to appoint new Board members.

Capital trends Club operations and capital funding will continue to challenge Europe’s private clubs in 2018. Many clubs are pressured to evolve and stay relevant, which requires anticipating future capital needs, adhering to maintenance schedules, and allocating financial resources well in advance. Survey findings demonstrated the following: • One-third of clubs (33%) fund capital by allocating a portion of annual subscriptions/dues to capital while 17% charge a separate capital due to members. Half of clubs don’t allocate or charge for capital funding at all. The greatest capital challenge for more than half of clubs (53%) is funding capital improvements.

• Six in 10 clubs (61%) have an up-to-date capital reserve study. Nine in 10 (89%) have a capital reserve fund for capital maintenance, with more than half (56%) funding their reserve through a calculation of expected maintenance. Clubs spend an average of 9% of gross revenue on capital maintenance annually.

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The greatest challenge for more than half of clubs (53%) is funding capital improvements.

• The most significant deferred capital maintenance issues at participating clubs relate to the overall clubhouse and golf course; clubs are primarily focused on adding or improving both over the next five years.

– Clubs are focused on improving existing facilities rather than adding new ones.

– Improvements/upgrades will be directed toward clubhouse and dining facilities.

– New facility additions relate to childcare, spa facilities and racquet sports.

Membership trends Gone are the days when most clubs were operating with waitlists and a pipeline full of members lined up to join the club. The reality is that most clubs must now aggressively seek and find new members.

Successful clubs are adopting a more data-driven approach to membership recruitment/retention and are adjusting membership and amenity offerings to be more competitive in their business space.

• 61% of clubs map the location of their members to identify trends and areas for new member growth.

GGA recommends that clubs do this annually to maximise membership sales effectiveness.

• Six in 10 clubs (61%) have encountered challenges with an aging membership or growing senior member category. Two-thirds of this group has adopted a set of tactics to address these challenges, among which adjustments to age bands and entry fees are most common solutions.

• More than one in four (28%) of clubs have experienced a decline in their total number of members in the last five years.

• The top three factors for creating a sustainable membership strategy include (1) improving overall amenity quality, (2) embracing modern technologies to complement modern lifestyles, and (3) further enhancing the club’s platform for connecting its membership.

Strategic Intelligence Strategic Intelligence relates to the methods and means of gathering, analysing, and organising data useful for informing key strategic decisions made by clubs.

• Clubs see the greatest value in gathering metric data related to better understanding their members and evaluating their club’s operating performance.

– Mapping where members live and work (78% support).

– Detailed analysis of members’ satisfaction, attitudes, expectations, capital preferences, and pricing sensitivity (78% support).

– Formalised, detailed comparative benchmark analysis of club’s performance (72% support).

– Deep understanding of local household trends (61% support).

– Analysis of trending golf demand in local area (56% support).

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61% of clubs map the location of their members to identify trends and areas for new member growth. GGA recommends that clubs do this annually to maximise membership sales effectiveness.

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• Clubs feel that their current club management software systems are somewhat limited with regard to their ability to impact strategy. Six in 10 Club Managers (59%) feel that their current software system does not meet the needs of their club.

Talent Labour is a serious challenge for many golf course owners, superintendents and club managers. At most golf-oriented clubs and courses, labour costs range from 52 to 55 percent of the overall operating budget.

That alone makes recruiting and retaining capable workers a top priority. Beyond the financial implications, there are the service and reputational significance that make staffing your most important management issue.

• 72% of clubs have found it more challenging to source talented staff over the last five years. More than half of clubs attribute this change to (1) a greater demand for talent in the hospitality sector, (2) that other hospitality specialties are more attractive than the club industry, and (3) an overall lower supply of talent in the hospitality sector.

• The two most important critical factors in retaining existing talent of the next five years are the ability for clubs to provide for professional development (65%) and improvements to remuneration/compensation (53%).

CONTACT DETAILS Rob Hill is a partner at GGA (formerly KPMG Golf Practice), the largest professional advisory services firm in the world dedicated to clubs and golf-related businesses. From their offices in Dublin, Toronto, Sydney and Phoenix, GGA has served more than 2,900 clients worldwide. The firm specialises in; strategic business planning; governance; market analysis; membership planning; and operational performance analysis.

• www.globalgolfadvisors.com

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 35

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ADVERTORIAL

Home of the Ryder Cup is now home for ESP Leisure Verulam Golf Club, situated in the historic city of St Albans, is affectionately known as “The Home of the Ryder Cup”. The James Braid designed course offers a challenging par 72 course that first opened in 1905.

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erulam Golf Club is known as “The Home of the Ryder Cup”, because this is the first club that Samuel Ryder himself joined in 1909. In poor health, Samuel took up golf to get some exercise and fresh air to help aide his recovery, but was unenthused at the prospect of playing golf. His thought process soon changed when he got a golf club in his hands and quickly fell in love with the game. The Ryder Cup story was born!

As a prestigious club, with a huge history that helped pave the way for team golf events around the world, Verulam had struggled in recent years to attract members and retain them. With this in mind, the club made the decision to bring in some experience to help steer the club in the right direction, by way of new general manager, Paul Keen.

Paul, has already spent time at a number of other clubs in the region,including Luton Hoo, Woburn, Harleyford and Hanbury Manor. His experience in small private members clubs, right through to resort style proprietary businesses, has provided Paul with a lot of industry knowledge and best practices. His aim... to put them in place at Verulam.

The club had been using the Clubminder solution for a number of years, but with Paul’s plan to take the business to the next level, this solution wasn’t the best fit for their planned growth. As with any big decision for a club, making this transition from one provider to another can be a daunting task.

With this in mind, one of Paul’s main concerns with implementing a new system was to the disruption this change over can cause, both to the club’s members/customers, as well as the staff. To put Paul’s mind at rest, he worked closely with the ESP project

36 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

management team prior to the installation to ensure this disruption was kept to a minimum.

ESP’s installation, training and project management team have completed hundreds of software installations. Their expertise, knowledge and best practices allowed Paul and his team to not only make the transition of system providers, but also to provide Paul with the time and project management to maintain the day to day running of the business.

Paul commented: “As with any big project for a club, maintaining services and service levels are key to getting staff and member ‘buy in’ to a new system.

But, with ESP’s project management skills and their wealth of knowledge in replacing our clubminder system, the transition was very smooth and required less resources than expected.”

Paul’s three main focuses for the club were designed to improvemembership management, food & beverage and functions.

Firstly, membership management. The only way for Paul to streamline this element of the business was to offer the members more value and services. He did this the best way he knew how; to introduce a new club management system. Paul had used ESP Elite at Harleyford and Beadlow. Knowing its capabilities, implementing Elite at Verulam was top of his list.

The incumbent system was not fit for purpose, with poor management information, lengthy renewals processes and no revenue tracking. Paul knew if he had the right information he could make informed decisions about the strategic direction of the club, speed up the renewals process and understand what, where and how much his members were spending, allowing him to provide them with goods and services they actually wanted.

His second major introduction, was to bring the food and beverage operation back in house as it was previously franchised out. His dedication to make this offering first class for the club’s members, guests and visitors is clear to see throughout this transformation which has been a complete success. ESP’s Elite system has been a fundamental element of this change.

Providing EPoS, members’ levy cards and revenue tracking, giving Paul the tools to make this major change, one of which the members have really embraced.

Thirdly, Paul has introduced member functions and events. These events are regularly attended by 100+ members and guests and have been a huge success at the club. Using ESP’s Elite system has allowed Paul to set up and manage these events and functions very easily. From concept to delivery, Elite manages every aspect, including ticket sales which can be sold at the club or online.

Paul commented: “We are delighted at Verulam

Golf Club to be working with the best IT system in golf and leisure. The system itself helps drive our club forward, but the support from ESP is second to none, assisting with not only technical issues, but providing a consultative approach, sharing ideas and industry best practices.”

Paul has helped to turn Verulam Golf Club around, which is testament to his experience and drive. He has helped transform the club both at site and online, offering services to members through the ESP Elite Live portal. Members can now book golf,

enter a competition, manage handicaps, buy a ticket to an event, check their levy statement and top up their levy card, all online.

• For more information about ESP Leisure’s Elite system for clubs, please contact Hayley Bennion on 0208 251 5100 or email them at info@e-s-p.com. Their systems are in place at more than 250 clubs across the UK and Ireland, including private member clubs, golf clubs, sailing clubs and leisure clubs. See website for more information at www.e-s-p.com.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 37

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ALLIANCE PARTNERSHIPS

CMAE members in action In this issue we share news from CMAE colleagues in Spain, Finland and Sweden, from facilitating MDPs to new opportunities.

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ast year saw 17 Spanish Club Managers attend the first ever Management Development Programme (MDP) in the Spanish language, facilitated by Alfredo Calle CCM. Here he shares his thoughts on the MDP specifically and the CMAE in general.

Alfredo, did you enjoy the week and the first ever MDP in Spanish?

I enjoyed it a lot. It has been a unique experience that I definitely recommend to any of our colleagues. I know from attending these courses myself that we never think about everything that goes on behind the scenes; I can assure you that it is a lot of work! The amount of work that goes into developing an MDP Programme before, during and after it is delivered is intense. It is also extremely rewarding.

I think the most rewarding thing was to see those 17 colleagues sitting there with the same enthusiasm you yourself had a few years ago, but with the same doubts, the same concerns, the same scepticism (why not?) about something unknown. Will it be worth their investment – both time and moneywise? That responsibility is amazing. It is indescribable, really. You are responsible for ensuring that they go home with all those doubts resolved, with a great experience, more motivated and hopefully wanting more.

What was the toughest challenge of being the Facilitator?

I’ve personally taken all five CMAE Programmes and in all of them I have always found the same organisation, the same folders, the same posters with the same names of the assistants, the same schedules, the same set up of the room, the same methodology regardless which country the programme was being carried out in, or who the Facilitator was, or which Association collaborated with CMAE in the development of the Programme. That is what distinguishes these programmes. The contents will be homogeneous so that all the professionals of this industry fol-

low the same line, the same objective set by the CMAE Training Council. Do it in Dubai, or do it in Scotland, we will always cover the same topics in the same manner, all with that ‘special touch’ of the individual speakers.

My ‘special touch’ is that I am very focused on customer service in my day to day work, so the experience lived during this course had to be total. For that reason, I tried to encourage networking and disconnection from the hard days’ work with evenings in different restaurants, discovering the local cuisine alongside good company, chatting about concerns with colleagues and – why not – friends that are made forever. They will be there for you when you have doubts or want to share thoughts on the day-today issues of our solitary work managing clubs. And what better place to tighten those ties than in a local restaurant with a glass of wine.

Are you looking forward to doing more facilitating?

Without any doubt, I would love it! I discovered this type of training many years ago through Club Manager Spain and its founder Daniel Asís. Without any doubt I would not have travelled this ‘path’ without him, and I feel it my duty to continue facilitating

NEW COO AT GAF SWEDEN Anna Tidén is the new COO of the Swedish Golf Club Management Association.

She takes over from Torbjörn Johansson who left last year to become the CMAE’s new Director of Education.

Anna has been working for the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences since the mid 1990s. She has been lecturer and also principal for the school’s coaching, teaching and sport management programmes. A passionate golfer, she has also been President at the school’s Golf Club.

“This new opportunity will be a big challenge for me, since I love education and meeting people. I want to be able to develop our members and help them through education and networking,”says Anna, who began her new role on 1 January this year.

Anna also aims to develop still further the excellent cooperation GAF Sweden has with the Swedish Golf Federation and partners as well as other relevant organisations.

38 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

THREE IN ONE FOR GOLF IN FINLAND The Finnish Golf Managers Association (FGMA) has appointed Antti Hiltunen as Manager. He is also Manager at the Finnish Owners Association (FGCOA) and will undertake a number of activities for the Finnish Golf Federation out of whose new offices Antii will be operating.

By spanning the three organisations the FGMA hopes to improve the efficiency and information flow between the bodies and to improve cooperation in achieving the common goals for golf in Finland. The alliance will be reviewed after a three year period.

Antti, 37, has worked a long time in the golf industry, including as Club Manager at Kullo Golf as well as Sales Manager at Golf GameBook. He has also played golf at national level as a junior.

this path for other club colleagues.

In addition, I believe that, as we move forward in our lives and therefore, in our professional career, we go through different phases. The experience of helping young people in their professional development and, for me, mentoring, is very rewarding. I think we have a duty to do it, and being a facilitator can be considered one further step on the ‘path’ and for that once again I thank the CMAE for giving me this opportunity.

I would also like to thank the Board of Directors of CMAE and AEGG for the trust placed in me to start this important project of the MDP in Spanish.

Special thanks must go to James Burns, as Head of Education at CMAE, Ignacio del Cuvillo as Head of Education at AEGG and to Torbjörn Johansson as CMAE’s Director of Education, for always being there, helping and supporting me. And at the risk of sounding repetitive, I once again thank Daniel Asis from Club Manager Spain. Without his effort and dedication I would not be here today.

Finally, many thanks to all of you reading this and for the opportunity to share my experiences.

See you at the next MDP! Share your career news with Clubhouse Europe magazine. Email Torbjörn Johansson, CMAE Director of Education at Torbjorn.Johansson@cmaeurope.eu

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TRIBAL TUESDAY – INTER-PERSONAL SKILLS

From theory to practice CMAE member Carlos Ladios Boluda CMDip offers up tips on communicating new ideas and on successfully putting theory in to practice.

L

et me preach to the choir for a second. MDP Courses are such fantastic things! A whole week of networking, meeting peers and making friends, learning and returning to your place of work with half a rainforest in a binder and so many ideas. Suddenly, you find yourself back at your desk, wondering if bringing about change is even possible in your club.

Now more than ever, we have access to many tools that will support us in making our new aspirations and ideas an impressive reality, and with the Tribe at our fingertips, help is just a ‘Send’ away. I present to you, the key tips that make or break implementation, as told by a front-liner.

CMAE member Carlos Ladios Boluda CMDip is a Management Trainee at the 126 year-old Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club.

(Tribal) Drum your idea Our tribe is vast, knowledgeable and experienced, so use it to your advantage. Share your idea with the Tribe; peers/associates may have implemented a similar idea and can share their experience with you, giving you a solid base to work on and maybe even avoid mistakes that are not obvious at first sight.

Bounce it We all have colleagues/peers that perhaps are more resourceful and or have greater experience within your own work environment, so use this to your benefit and seek their opinion. Colleagues can help you shape your idea and adapt it to your particular environment. Share your ideas with them and listen to their feedback. After all, it is often front-line team members that are more aware of the shortcomings and opportunities within their own workplace – they live, breath and eat in it every day, invaluable handson experience that can help you fine tune your idea.

Get it across This is the really important one. Your staff and club members must understand how this ‘new, scary thing’ is going to affect them. No matter what it is what you want to implement, communication is king. Teams and club members are alike, in that change can create fear, uncertainty and doubt so clearly communicate your goal and reasoning – the sense of understanding creates a receptive attitude and a willingness to embrace change. Be transparent

42 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

with your expectations and the outcome. Be personal and address their worries. And don’t be afraid to ask for feedback and discuss any doubts as you will probably be reliant on front-line team commitment to achieve the desired success. Members, meanwhile, respond positively to ‘education’ rather than instruction and/or direction – their enjoyment is your success.

As you can see, the recurring theme of this article is two-way communication, whether it be with your peers, your friends, senior staff, front-line team staff and/or club members. Effective communication will hugely influence the successful implementation of your idea. This is the cornerstone of successfully putting theory in to practice!

Carlos Ladios Boluda Carlos Ladios Boluda (CMDip), is a 23-year-old aspiring club manager. Having recently gained his CMDip, and using the Tribe network to his advantage, he now works at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club as a Management Trainee. With a growing thirst for knowledge and practical experience gained Carlos aspires to lead by example.

•For more information contact Carlos on carlosladios@gmail.com

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