“Culture” can be a broad term, encompassing many intangible elements of what it means to work at and be a member of a private club. Culture affects everything from the club’s distinct style of service and member interaction to its signature events and offerings. Finding leaders who exemplify the club’s core values and who work well within its unique environment—who are able to cater to the specific needs of the club’s membership base while understanding how to motivate and engage its employees—takes careful consideration and a thorough understanding of the elements that contribute to and distinguish your club’s signature culture.
There are any number of respected scholars and industry experts who have addressed the importance of “cultural fit” as a critical component in the recruitment of senior level managers. While volunteer Boards and Search Committees may have different opinions of what makes a candidate ideal, there are certain key elements of club culture that they should consider when determining which candidates are good fits with their club environment.
Know your Culture
While it may be tough to put a finger on what defines your club’s culture, you should think carefully about those elements that contribute to making the club special. When candidates visit the club, you should be prepared to both show and tell them what distinguishes the club experience at your club from the rest of the competition. Often times, an expression of that differentiation can be found in the club’s mission, vision and value statements. Though some missions and values may sound lofty or vague, others truly define a club’s identity and its community of members.
To help define how the club will present its culture to potential leadership candidates, have each member of the Search Committee write down three to four brief statements that, in their opinion, describe the club’s culture and work those statements into the position’s profile/description. Don’t be concerned if this process turns out to be more difficult than it sounds. Especially in newer clubs, an identity crisis is not uncommon. Sometimes, clubs try too hard to reflect a future ideal, rather than provide a fair representation of what the club’s culture actually “is.”
Interview Issues
Ask the candidates to describe the culture in their current clubs to determine if there is common ground. Ask them to give specific examples of what defines their club’s culture and how it is reinforced within their club’s environment. Ask candidates to reflect on the different elements of your club’s culture, as identified by the Search Committee. Different people interpret certain words and phrases differently, so it’s important to make sure that each candidate is on the same page. Asking candidates to put your descriptions into their own words can help distinguish whether or not they really understand what makes your club special and if they think they would fit well within the environment.
Pinpoint Personality
Consider using any number of personality profile assessments as another tool to examine potential club leaders. Look for particular personality traits and patterns throughout the tests to help you understand a candidate’s personality and whether or not they would mesh well with the club’s culture. Given distinct cultural elements, such as management style and employee attitudes, as well as the personality traits of the candidate, you might be able to make note of glaring disparities or identify a compatible fit.
Use “Culture” as Your Reference
As your club considers the candidates for a position, think about how they have integrated into other organizations’ cultures in the past. In your conversations with candidates’ references, briefly describe your club’s culture and ask if they think the candidate in question would fit in over time. You can expand on that idea by using specific situational examples and ask what they think the candidate’s response or reaction would be.
Finally, you should be aware that there are many examples where quality managers, regardless of their current and past experience, quickly acclimate to a club’s culture and enjoy long and mutually rewarding careers—even if they may not seem like a good fit at first. Be sure to look for a candidate’s “potential,” and put that into perspective as you look at the all of the factors in the hiring process.
Charlie Hoare, CCM, is a principal at GSI Executive Search, Inc. He can be reached at 850-997-6979 or [email protected].