I OFTEN ENGAGE in conversation and even debate the question of what comes first: process or people? Should we focus on recruiting, hiring and retaining the right people or on improving business processes?
Early in my career, I was always frustrated as to why people did not understand the level of attention to detail that I expected. I soon realized that the problem was with me. By not having defined standard operating procedures and processes, nothing would change. I went on to create thousands of pages of standard operating procedures and processes from how to clean the toilet bowl to how to cut a cup on a green. I was such a process-driven guy that I figured that we could hire just about anyone and as long they followed our standard operating procedures everything would be great.
As I have matured (and gotten much older), I take a look back now and understand that if you don’t hire the right people, the processes and procedures don’t mean a thing.
In this industry we rely a great deal on planning and time management to ensure member satisfaction. We are a 365-day a year business with continued demands on performance and excellence. In this environment it is easy to forget that your staff members are the backbone of the club. It is my belief that an organization cannot just design a process and hope that it will get implemented successfully. People who are part of the current process in the organization are the best people to come up with suggestions and improvements of an existing process. The people are those who do the work. Without people nothing can happen.
Of course, the importance of hiring the right people for the job cannot be stressed enough. Hiring an employee can be a gamble, as they can either prove to be a tremendous asset for an organization or slow both the company and their fellow employees down if they are not a good match. It is important to evaluate a potential employee. Don’t hesitate to hire better people that have better skill sets than you already have, the result will be well worth it, but also do not be afraid to go for someone who seems aligned with your values and goals but might lack the experience as they can be developed via the processes.
I have long held that developing people is an important component in an organization’s success and that a mentoring relationship is a valued part of the process. This formal or informal relationship established between an experienced, knowledgeable employee and an inexperienced new employee helps the new employee quickly absorb the organi- zation’s cultural and social norms and the processes. Mentoring helps the continuing employee grow in their current position and become ready for new jobs and career opportunities. Mentoring can also assist an employee, new to a specific job or area of responsibility to learn quickly what they need to know to succeed in their new position.
So where does this comparison of process and people leave us? Of course, both are important. But, the answer is great people. However, when you can get great people to embrace the process and contribute to the team’s culture of excellence—that is a winner every time!
Michael McCarthy is CEO and general manager at Addison Reserve Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla., and serves on the NCA board. He can be reached at [email protected].