Spending over 25 years at one of the world’s leading consulting companies teaches you a thing or two and I’m finding that some of the mantras forged during this time are more ingrained than I thought.
My latest ‘project’ has been to undertake an organisation and operational review at my Golf Club. Since joining ~4 years ago, I’ve helped out on a number of IT projects and other things and, I have to say, working for clients in the corporate world is relatively easy compared to this!
Management reviews always prove to be a difficult balancing act. They are being undertaken for a reason and, to serve any purpose, the messages they contain will not go down well with everyone. Therefore, whilst it was quite flattering to be asked, I have to admit that I did have some reservations about whether I should take it on.
In the first instance, working in your own back yard is worrisome. When done and delivered, I still want to be a respected member of the Club and to retain the new friends that I’ve made there. So, getting the balance right was going to be critical.
Clubs, Charities and Not-for-Profits are all similar
Similar to large charity organisations and many similar clubs and not-for-profit organisations, a traditional golf club provides management challenges that are otherwise rarely seen in the corporate world. A governance organisation consisting of ~20 members who are volunteering their time alongside a similar number of paid staff is in itself a challenge. Add to this the fact that the remaining ~750 member/shareholders also believe that they have a say in how the club should be run. Then, not only can you start to imagine why a management review might be required, you also have to keep in mind that you are one of those very members!
Other challenges also exist that require equal consideration and balance. A ~£1.2m business still needs to be managed with the professionalism and discipline expected and required of its shareholders and of corporate regulation. However, some balance may be argued when it comes to operational excellence versus the familiar nature of a members’ club. Maintaining tradition is also important to many in these organisations, but this too needs to be balanced with being able to attract younger members who will ultimately ensure the organisation’s survival and continue its good work.
There is little that is new in the world!
The management review was carried out in the context of the environment described above. The objective being to ensure that the time and expertise of our volunteers was not being wasted and that our paid team were working efficiently and to a common cause.
Without going into the specific challenges here, I soon realised that many of the same mantras that had seen me through my corporate career are even more pertinent in these types of organisation. These included:
- Agree and share a common set of ambitions and objectives that the whole Club can unite behind, whether they are members, leadership, paid or unpaid.
- Demonstrate that the current, traditional governance model has been proven by many other organisations to be outdated and that more modern models have been tried and tested by others who have found themselves in very similar circumstances.
- Ensure that roles, responsibilities and organisational boundaries are clearly defined and that the governance structures are easy to understand and maintain.
- Make the best use of the latest technology available: simplify administrative processes; reduce the need for technical support; provide flexibility to work remotely and engage members with self-service options.
- Ensure that management information and reporting is aligned to the accountabilities within the governance structure and supports effective, timely decision making
- Communicate, train, build the team and celebrate successes regularly.
The report has been delivered and seems to have been received well. The degree and pace to which change is embraced will be the next challenge with equal need for balance.
Final mantra: There is very little that is new in the world!
About
Ian Page is a Managing Director at Selida. He works with small and medium sized organisations, using his 25 years’ consulting experience, to improve their operational performance.
