20
October
2022
Jim Overend, founder of The Gameplan, says only one in three clubs get it right when it comes to management systems and reporting. But he believes those who confront the issues can anticipate a big lift to their bottom line... A recent survey of golf club managers has revealed big areas of improvement are needed in club governance and staff engagement. But far from being cause for concern, commercial sports specialist Jim Overend says the results present an opportunity for golf clubs to fine tune and improve operations and increase profit – all for a relatively small outlay in cost and time. “Managing people can be one of the toughest and most time-consuming things to do,” said Jim. “But get it right and it will lead to your club running on autopilot, with engaged and enthusiastic staff and board members working together towards shared goals. “Results from our survey of managers showed fewer than one in three clubs are getting it right when it comes to management systems and reporting. This presents a huge opportunity for those not yet reaching the standards – invest in this area of your business and you’re guaranteed to see a big lift on your bottom line.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B3nnLTMIQg The survey, which was conducted earlier this year as part of an exclusive workshop delivered to GCMA members by Jim, revealed that: Only 32% of managers had formally checked in with club stakeholders: members, staff, board members.Just 37% knew what their club objectives were.42% knew their value proposition (making it hard for the other 58% to ‘sell’ their club and stand out against local competition). Only 16% of clubs had clear reporting structures and targets.Just 37% of clubs had written plans in place for staff and key operational areas. “When stakeholders are on board and everyone’s clear on the club’s aims and objectives as well as what their personal and team targets are, you’ll see your operations transformed. But getting this right is a common problem across all sports, it’s certainly not unique to golf,” said Jim, who has worked in professional sport for 25+ years building high performing teams for commercial gains and now uses that experience to help businesses (as well as sports clubs) do the same through his unique programme The Gameplan. “Whilst getting systems in place to start with can take time and effort, do it well and it will pay dividends, and as leaders you’ll be taken away from the day-today and can focus on more strategic activities. It’s a win-win!” Jim says clubs can turn their operations around in as little as two to three months by doing the following three things: Be clear about your vision and make sure you communicate it. Set clear goals at both organisation, team, and individual level. Get everyone engaged by involving them in the process and asking for feedback and opinions. Jim expands on these steps plus the survey results in an exclusive GCMA Webinar, which you can watch in his article. Are you ready to get... Please LOGIN to read the full article.
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