Throughout my years in the club industry, “club culture” has been a general topic of conversation among my friends, peers, members and staff. Oftentimes, what distinguishes one club from another and gives each club a unique character can be hard to see. At most top clubs, the differences in terms of operations are marginal. The grooming and conditioning of the golf courses are nearly identical; the food and beverages are of the highest caliber: fresh, appealing and professionally served; the maintenance and appearance of the club-house, club grounds, tennis courts, aquatics and fitness facilities are difficult to distinguish from one operation to the next, as they are all of superior quality. So what is it that gives a club that certain exclusiveness that sets it apart from its competitors? Club culture.
Unfortunately, while culture can be easy to experience, it’s hard to put a finger on what actually contributes to its formation. In a general sense, culture can be defined as, “the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group.” In a club environment, the culture is the intangible aspect of the club, staff and member experience that contributes to the overall impression that a club has on those who frequent it. Now, it’s all well and good to recognize culture when you see it, but in order to influence and develop culture formation, you need to know what elements factor into establishing a strong club culture.
Club Tradition, Values & Mission
Crafting, establishing and eventually guiding club culture is an evolutionary process. As one of my past presidents aptly put it, “River Oaks is a big ship, and she takes a long time to turn.” This analogy truly puts the issue into perspective: while club facilities and offerings make up the hull of the ship, culture acts as the rudder—determining the club’s long term direction, guiding member and guest experiences, and influencing perceptions of the club environment.
Before we can attempt to influence this evolution, we must first understand the existing culture, how it developed to where it is today, and how it will continue to progress. Many establishments have been around for quite a while, and their cultures are part of the institution and take a considerable amount of time and energy to influence. You must understand the foundation on which your club stands, appreciate the unique ideals your club values, and consider the many differing human characteristics that make up your club’s community. Once these three vital factors are identified, you can begin to clearly define your club’s culture.
Ultimately, creating a satisfying, desirable environment for members is the overarching purpose of all private clubs. Defining member desires, and evolving club services and offerings to accommodate those desires, is where clubs have the ability to differentiate themselves. Most clubs have defined vision and mission statements, as well as organizational goals to provide direction for club efforts. The way in which clubs approach their future development, to a large extent, dictates the underlying path to establishing culture.
For example, if a club’s mission is to cultivate an elegant atmosphere to serve as a sanctuary from the stresses of the outside world, the overall effect and ensuing club culture will be drastically different from that of a club whose mission is to foster an inviting, family-friendly environment geared towards encouraging social interaction. Though at first, the tangible impact of the club’s mission statement on everyday operations may not be immediately obvious, these long-term goals provide an anchor for staff efforts and serve as guidelines for member expectations and behavior.
Despite the important role a missionor vision can play in the foundation ofclub culture, many clubs’ mission statements are often too vague to be of anydefinitive use, out of date, or no longerrelevant to current member needs. Clubleaders can work with members to helpclarify what members want to takeaway from the club experience—helpingto determine and solidify the long-termgoals and direction of club growth.Reevaluating the club’s mission andvision statements is an excellent place tostart when looking to strengthen, defineand shape a club’s particular culture.
Evolving Member Needs
Another element to consider is theimpact of evolving members’ desires onclub tradition. Culture often derivesfrom shared experience, and sharedexperiences are rooted in tradition andhistory. Some aspects of tradition can beincredibly valuable to members, but tradition, like anything else in club life, isonly as valuable as members want it tobe. If the current membership loves theway that things have been done in thepast and finds real joy in the nostalgiaassociated with longtime tenants of clublifestyle at a particular club, then it’simportant to preserve those valuableand meaningful traditions. On the otherhand, if current members resist doingthings in a certain manner “just becauseit’s always been done that way,” it maybe time to listen to members and consider appropriate alterations to clubprograms, rules or policies. Change forchange’s sake alone can be harmful to aclub’s history and established culture,but tradition for tradition’s sake can bejust as harmful to a club’s future.
Staff & Member Relationships
Club culture is determined by a confluence of the defining individual elements of the club at hand. At the verycore, club members and staff set theprevailing tone of club interactions.How each group views the club—members who see the club as a destination,or employees who see the club as ajob—contributes to the club culture.The best club cultures evolve whenmembers begin to think of the club asmuch more than a place to use, and thestaff begins to see their employment notas just a job, but as a defining characteristic of their life—shifting the culture(thoughts and beliefs) in a more meaningful and positive direction. As thesepositive thoughts and beliefs take rootwithin the organization, they begin toinfluence the behavior of both membersand staff. Members go out of their wayto recognize the efforts put forth by thestaff to improve the club experience,and staff appreciates the respect afforded them by the members who recognizetheir efforts on a professional level. Thisjoint recognition and appreciation is onecomponent that evolves into practicesand behaviors that set a club apart fromthe masses. Mutual respect and sharedvalues among members and staff are amajor component of a positive, strongand evolving culture.
The Service Culture
Culture establishes acceptable formsof interaction between members andstaff and among members themselves,in addition to many other tenants ofclub life. Creating a clear culture surrounding club service is an integral partof meeting member demands, realizingtheir vision of their ideal club, anddeveloping the overarching culture thatdefines it. The best service adapts itselfto the needs of each and every member,while still harkening back to the uniqueculture of the private club at hand.
Some clubs require a passive serviceculture to keep members happy.Members drive staff interactions, and,though staff is always on hand if needed, they don’t intrude in the memberexperience. Other clubs work betterwith a more high-touch service culture,where staff engages in conversation withmembers and constantly strives toexceed member and guest expectationsby providing attentive and thoughtfulservice. Determining the right type ofservice culture to meet member needs isthe first step—the second is to guidestaff in supporting the culture and rapport with the members. When membersare happy with staff service, the stafftakes pride in their work. This sort ofshared experience, recognition andrespect among both members and staffis a primary element of club culture.
As with any voyage, knowing yourlaunching point is just as importantas knowing where you need to dockat the end of the journey. Researchingmember needs and establishing acoinciding mission and vision to guidefuture club development is just asimportant as implementing the programs and policies that help a clubreach its end goal and actually establishthe desired culture. Figure out whereyou need to go, set your course, andstart steering your ship.
C.J (Joe) Bendy, Jr., CCM, CCE, is the ChiefOperating Officer and General Manager of RiverOaks Country Club near downtown Houston.