TORONTO, Ontario (May 12, 2014) – Research has proven strategic thinkers to be the most highly effective leaders in any business or organization. But how does a private club encourage strategic thinking and create a strategic culture?
Those were questions examined recently by Henry DeLozier, a principal of Global Golf Advisors, at the National Club Association’s annual conference in San Francisco. Global Golf Advisors is the leading authority on successful ownership and management practices for golf and private club businesses.
Emphasizing the importance of strategic thinking, DeLozier cited a Management Research Group study in which 97 percent of a group of 10,000 senior executives said strategic thinking is the most critical leadership skill for an organization’s success.
“Without strategy and strategic thinking, we could employ all kinds of tactics. We could execute from dawn to dusk. But to what end? And, in the absence of strategy, how would we know if we accomplished the most important things? DeLozier asked.
In his presentation to club executives and leaders from throughout the U.S., DeLozier identified five steps club leaders should take to encourage strategic thinking and culture:
• Set aside time to think strategically. Schedule it just as you would any other activity.
• Provide information to employees regarding the market, industry, customers, competitors and new technologies. Keep people informed about what’s happening inside the club and then connect it with the outside information. This gives people the background for informed decision-making.
• Communicate the club’s mission and goals regularly and consistently to make sure key decisions are weighed against the plan agreed to by club management and the board of directors.
• Encourage cross-function sharing of information and results. Meet with your department heads on a regular basis to keep them informed about internal issues and external trends that tie directly to strategy.
• Reward strategic thinking. Don’t let it go unnoticed when someone anticipates problems or opportunities and devises creative ways of addressing them, all the while considering the consequences to the club.
In a strategic culture, people are encouraged to dream and to fail productively, DeLozier said.
“Foster an environment that imagines new possibilities, bigger aspirations and opportunities,” DeLozier said. “Try, fail, learn from the mistakes … and try again.”
About Global Golf Advisors
Global Golf Advisors is an international consulting practice that helps golf course owners, private clubs, financial institutions and real estate developers solve problems related to course management and operations. The Toronto-based firm takes a 360-degree view of management and operational issues before developing a strategic plan that establishes benchmarks for success and identifies potential outcomes of recommended actions. In its 20-year history, GGA has consulted on more than 2,000 golf-related projects worldwide. For more information, please visit www.globalgolfadvisors.com or call 888-432-9494.
Contact:
Bill Bryant, Bryant Marketing Communications
bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com
Henry DeLozier, Global Golf Advisors
hdelozier@globalgolfadvisors.com
602-739-0488
