Job Securing Tip #3: Order Over Disorder
August 27th, 2009
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.7 Responses to “Job Securing Tip #3: Order Over Disorder”
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Jim: My wife and I visit more maintenance buildings than a USGA agronomist. At some I won’t even let her out of the car, never mind the washroom! A good mechanic sets the tone for a tidy shop but that’s only the beginning. The superintendent must be vigilant and rule the roost with an iron fist to make sure that order and cleanliness prevail.
When interviewing potential employees, I always checked the backseat of their cars. A sloppy interior was good cause for rejection. Invariably a messy maintenance building is reflected on the golf course.
The most pristine maintenance center I have ever visited was in Naples, Fl., governed by Tim Hiers.
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Jim- I was fortunate to visit a pristine maintenance facility managed by the late Bill Wagner in 1975 at Tequesta Country Club in Tequesta, Florida. You could eat off the floor, walls and ceiling. He did not have a big budget but felt that cleanliness and organzation in the maintenance facility would carry on to the golf course and its daily operations. He told me that anyone visiting your facility (fire marshall, OSHA agent, board member, club president, etc ) could easily form an opinion about your overall operation based on the condition of your facility. He said “you have only one chance to make a first impression and what do you want it to be?” I have seen operations with large budgets and unsightly, unorganized facilities and I have seen low budget operations that were clean and organized. The attitude of the employee that is forged in the maintenance facility will usually be carried onto the golf course. I have had to serve as an expert witness in a few cases in the state of Florida and when describing the care taken in maintenance facilities I was told by members of the public that was not what they had experienced. They had seen piles of dirty rags, broken down equipment, oil leaks, open fertilizer bags, ect. I believe you can maintain a golf course in very good condition with a poorly maintained facility but it will not be as efficient and it sends a mixed message to the staff. At the risk of being redundant: I have seen low budget operations that are extremely clean and organized. It would be interesting to compare workers comp cost with clean facilities vs unkept facilities.
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Jim:
You’re spot-on again! I have an opportunity to visit many Turf Care Centers throughout the year. Now I have witnessed some maintenance shops that are kept pretty tidy, some very disorganized and of course most are somewhere in the middle.
The Turf Care Centers that have “a place for everything and everything in its place” reflects the culture projected and practiced by the golf course superintendent. The golf course does not necessarily have to have the best and most modern facility but the good ones don’t have 8 pieces of rusting equipment “out-back” along with oil and grease coating the floors and my favorite, every corner pack and filled with miscellaneous junk.
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Jim, I’ve had the experience of working out of 6 maintenance facilities in my 30+ year career. The last 3, I was the Superintendent of the facility. None were large by any standard but we made due with what we had. One thing I stressed was to keep the shop and surrounds clean and organized. I even assigned various areas to one or two fellows to tidy up as part of their daily routine. You are correct, having an organized shop definitely carries over to the course. Often, golfers would stop in to get out of the rain or lightning, or to check the DTN weather monitor. It always made me feel good when the shop was presentable for visitors whether it be a sales rep or a member. When the guys waited to punch out at lunch or quitting time, they knew they could always grab a broom.
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Jim,
We could not agree with you more. As a provider of outsourced maintenance, we take our responsibility to maintain a neat and orderly shop seriously. Not only is it a reflection of the overall operation which often carries to work on the course, but we see it as proper management of our customer’s/owner’s asset. All GCS should view it this way. Thanks for sharing!
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