Job Securing Tip #3: Order Over Disorder
The prevailing myth that disorderly maintenance facilities and sloppy offices are justified because of the hectic unpredictable nature of the work golf course superintendents engage in every day is the kind of thinking that could cost you your job.
This is a dangerous myth because the vast majority of those responsible for employing and monitoring superintendents’ work are successful private sector managers requiring well-organized work environments 24/7 throughout their day jobs who will instinctively think less of superintendents who tolerate disorder.
Don’t Give Them An Excuse
Through my 25-plus years of visiting America’s golf course maintenance facilities, I have seen the good, the indifferent and the bad in about equal proportions. Accordingly, I am concerned in this fiscally driven era for the job security of superintendents who marginalize facility order to whatever degree because – like being pregnant – you are either organized, or you are not and you will be judged more so now than ever before in this light in the coming year or so.
“Your employers will be entitled to conclude that your crew is likely to adopt the same indifferent commitment to excellence that you exhibit throughout your maintenance facility to their daily work assignments…“
My concern for the job security of superintendents who tolerate disorder centers around three themes: first, knowing that loosely managed maintenance facilities will always offend a segment of the people charged with the responsibility of judging your work; second, realizing that your employers will be entitled to conclude that your crew is likely to adopt the same indifferent commitment to excellence that you exhibit throughout your maintenance facility to their daily work assignments; and finally – understanding that disorder undermines crew pride in their work. Orderliness grows pride and all the good things associated with it.
You never want to give your employers another reason to take a deeper look into the prevailing question of day; i.e., whether they can justify your salary in today’s already difficult economy that everyone, including the President, advises will continue to decline for at least two more years? Accordingly, now is the time to hunker down “every which way” organization-wise to get ahead of the survival curve before circumstances deny you this opportunity.
“The organizational quality of your maintenance facility will be judged across the board at the “weakest link” level of the following three maintenance facility elements: the grounds immediate surrounding the building(s), within the equipment storage building itself and your personal office…”
The above-mentioned “every which way” concept references your need to present order over disorder throughout each of the following three elements of your maintenance facility: the grounds immediate surrounding the building(s), within the equipment storage building itself and your personal office. Borrowing from the often-used “chain” analogy – the organizational quality of your maintenance facility will be judged across the board at the “weakest link” level of the three facility elements listed immediately above.
In this instance, one strike and you’re out.
Superintendents, want to help your assistant(s) on their career path? Print out these Career Corner posts and responses on an ongoing basis and assemble them in a hard copy binder for your assistants and crew.Job Securing Tip #2: Increase Your Visibility
The era of the little-seen golf course superintendent is over because today’s economic pressures require golf course superintendents to be out front to sell and defend their programs. Out of sight can quickly translate into being out of a job in today’s economy.
“Campaign” like a successful first-term mayor who has to run for re-election next year…
Accordingly, increased visibility is a key to job survival. The necessities of today’s job market suggest that golf course superintendents should “campaign” like a successful first-term mayor who has to run for re-election next year; i.e., don’t over do it, but be out front, educate and engage your constituents. Following are suggested ways to expand your job visibility:
1. Dedicate several hours a week to spending time at the first tee on weekends and sometimes during the week briefly engaging golfers before they tee-off; i.e., basically, show interest without being a distraction.
2. Schedule “open house” visits to your maintenance facility several times a year (i.e., similar to the way the local firehouses do, etc.) for Board and committee members and for the families and children playing your course. Develop these open 
house visits into memorable “teachable moments.” Create a “buzz” about your program.
3. Play golf with members/players via a weekly “sign up to play with the superintendent” format where the pace and comfort-ability of your game will be more important than your score. Invite and answer questions about your program before, during and after these rounds; i.e., create additional “teachable moments” without delaying play on the course.
4. Minimize your “CEO” role. Rather, be seen taking more of a leadership role out on the golf course; i.e., to the point where an assistant’s job might be phased out the next time the job opens. (The economy might dictate this move in any event.) FYI – virtually every survey taken for years has indicated that employers (Board and committee members, owner-operators, etc.) prefer to have their golf course superintendents spend more time on the golf course and less time in their office.
5. Attend and report at Board Of Director meetings where “teachable moments” will abound. (See my August 13th blog entitled, “Get To The Board Meeting.”)
6. Initiate a personal blog to create an interactive teaching medium to connect you with your Board/committee members and those playing your golf course as suggested by Chris Lecour’s (The Raven at Lora Bay, Ontario, Canada) TurfNetTV video on the subject.
Teachable moments are one of the more effective ways to enhance your job security because they present you in a most favorable (highly visible) light…
Teachable moments are one of the more effective ways to enhance your job security because they present you in a most favorable (highly visible) light. Identify and cherish these opportunities. Remember, no one is respected more than an effective teacher.
Superintendents, want to help your assistant(s) on their career path? Print out these Career Corner posts and responses on an ongoing basis and assemble them in a hard copy binder for your assistants and crew.Job Securing Tip #1: Get To The Board Meeting
If you are not regularly attending the Board Of Director meetings at your club you’re missing a job securing opportunity each and every meeting you miss. The fundamental reason why this is true is because if you are not attending Board meetings you will remain an “impersonal” entity to Board members. How much easier is it to replace a superintendent for salary-savings purposes that you never meet with face-to-face than an alert informative superintendent you do see face-to-face at every monthly Board meeting?
Based on conversations I have had with superintendents through the years, I estimate that about half of the country’s golf course superintendents attend their clubs’ Board meetings. Of course, virtually all attend their clubs’ Green Committee meetings.
Benefits Of Attending Board Meetings:
1. As implied above, the Board will get to know you personally and through you your family as well. Absent just cause, no one wants to put a family they know up close and personal out on the street.
2. Whether you have been attending Board meetings but have not been given the opportunity to report for your department, or you’re attending Board meetings for the first time – seek the opportunity to report about your maintenance program yourself (be informative and concise) because this will present you with the unique monthly opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism; i.e., to present your management, budget efficiency, future planning, communications and leadership skills in a manner that Board members would otherwise have little or no opportunity to witness firsthand.
No committeeman can educate as effectively as an experienced golf course superintendent . . .
Furthermore, your presence at Board meetings will encourage/facilitate Board members asking direct questions of their golf course superintendent about their club’s golf course maintenance program, which is the cornerstone of every private golf club’s operations. No committeeman can educate as effectively as an experienced golf course superintendent. Accordingly, an educated Board is the best job insurance policy a superintendent can have because the last thing appreciative Board members will want to do is to dismiss a respected teacher.
An educated Board is the best job insurance policy a superintendent can have …
Of course, we know that some Green Committee chairmen and general managers prefer to report on the status of their course maintenance programs themselves for control and self-serving political purposes. Should this be the case at your club, don’t give up on the idea of some day attending and personally reporting at future Board meetings because the benefits to be gained are invaluable to securing your job and sustaining your career.
When you are faced with this challenge: (i) continue to sell the concept that having a professionally trained golf course superintendent report and available to answer Board questions will present the program and all parties affiliated with the program (committeemen and GM, etc.) in a best light and win-win scenario; and (ii) negotiate guaranteed Board attendance into future employment agreements.
Be professional, patient and you will gain access to Board meetings in due course – not only because of the merit of the situation, but also because Board and committee members continuously turn over.
Superintendents, want to help your assistant(s) on their career path? Print out these Career Corner posts and responses on an ongoing basis and assemble them in a hard copy binder for your assistants and crew.
