Successful private club governance is not something that occurs once a month, or however may times a club board meets annually. Rather, it’s constant, ongoing and integrated into every day club operations. Good governance starts with a sound strategic plan. Like good governance overall, strategic planning is not “one and done.”
Club leaders should refer to their club’s plan throughout the year, especially when important decisions need to be made, and keep strategy discussions at the forefront of each club board meeting. This article will offer best practices, enabling you to commit to making 2014 the year for successful club governance.
Zero in on Top Goals
A comprehensive plan will consist of a mission statement, a strategic vision and goals. It is typical for a club to identify a dozen goals that serve the club’s strategic vision. Then, the board must prioritize its goals and develop an action plan for the goals that have been identified as the most important to tackle first. A club should limit the number of goals to be addressed based on what is considered manageable by the club team. Due to limited time and resources, it is usually best to limit that number to three to seven goals, depending upon the complexity of each one and the resources their achievement will demand.
The prioritized goals will typically need a little refinement to make them SMART goals, that is: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-specific. For example, the goal, “improve food quality,” might be refined to, “improve the food quality scores on the club’s surveys from 7.5 to 8.0 by January 1.”
Develop Action Plans
An action plan is then developed for each of the refined high-priority goals. An action plan is a new document that restates the goal and identifies who is responsible, what authority they have, what resources are available to them and when the board expects reports and results.
These action plans then become the core of the board’s meeting agendas. Certainly, the board must continue to review financial statements, accept new members, handle disciplinary action, and approve policies. However, beyond these on-going responsibilities, nothing is more important than keeping track of the club’s progress towards its most important goals.
The Role of Good Governance & the Mission and Vision
The successful implementation of the club’s strategic plan is dependent upon an effective governance system. A review of the club’s governance system is often one of the prioritized goals. Even if it is not one of the goals, this is still a great time to examine any opportunities the board has to strengthen club governance. Part of the governing role of the club’s board is to craft and commit to a meaningful mission and vision statement. This is a priority that cannot be overlooked.
The mission statement articulates what the club is, what it does, why it does it and for whom. It quickly and concisely communicates the club’s reason for being, and should be prominently and frequently communicated to the members and the employees. Place it in the newsletter, on the web site, in the employee and member handbooks, and on membership and employment applications.
A well-crafted strategic vision paints a picture of the club’s best possible future. It is important to keep it top of mind for all the team-members and stakeholders that will play a part in achieving the vision. Place it prominently in employee areas of the club, on the cover pages of board and committee meeting agendas, in the newsletter, and in regular communications to the members. Reinforcing the vision will help to keep the team focused on the big picture, and will help everyone make decisions with that big picture in mind.
Revisit and Update Annually
An annual review and update of the strategic plan is the final step to successful implementation. Many elements can impact your club’s operations, such as new laws and governmental regulations, changing community demographics, the local economy, new competition, and changes in member expectations. To keep up with the impact these changes might have on the club, it is important for the club to revisit the plan once a year.
All the steps that were taken during the initial strategic planning process will be followed again, but can be abbreviated. Focus on the elements that have changed and on issues or ideas that have come to light since the last review. This is also the time for the board to pat themselves on the back for accomplished goals, to recognize others for their contributions, to broadcast the achievements to the members and employees, and to select the goals that are now the highest priorities.
A board that has successfully completed the strategic planning process should be proud. It can be a lengthy and difficult process. Effective implementation is the key to realizing the benefits of this incredible investment.
John Kinner has 30 years of experience as a private club manager and is the General Manager at Tedesco Country Club in Marblehead, Massachusetts. He has spoken at regional and national club management conferences on strategic planning and governance. John can be reached at [email protected].