(Human resources) Work-force success

For many of you, the season is winding down, and next season is a long way off. Or is it?

The answer is “yes” and “no.” It’s “yes” because you need time to slow down, spend additional time with family and friends, and pursue a hobby. The answer is “yes” because the heavy lifting for next season is months away.

The answer also is “no” because some things can’t wait. At the Golf Industry Show, I heard superintendents say: “I had lots of great ideas for next year but no longer remember them.” Now is the time to collect those ideas. Implementing them can wait, but they must be recorded now. The second “no” relates to professional development.

When it comes to ideas, quantity is more important than quality. Collect ideas about all aspects of your business. Focus on improving the quality, performance and job satisfaction of your 2006 work force.

No doubt you have numerous ideas about your work force – recruitment, selection, training, performance, motivation, supervision, feedback, discipline – as you’ve observed and interacted with it during the season. Write them down – no idea is too crazy at this point. Analysis comes later.

Conduct exit interviews. As seasonal employees leave, discuss with them their experience with you and your course. Exit interviews are a proven source of great input. Those leaving are much more open and uninhibited in what they say. Focus on two questions: “What was good about working here?” and “what could have been better?” (This creates less defensiveness and more ideas compared with asking what was disliked.)

General questions, such as “what did you like best and least about your position,” also are valuable. These questions can be supplemented with more specific ones, such as those in the table on the right.

Visit with your employees. They might be filled with ideas and observations they’ll forget. Write down the ideas. The questions “what did you like most about how this season?” and “what could have been better?” should open the door to a productive discussion.

Visit with other stakeholders. Anyone who’s had frequent contact with your course and work force is a potential source of ideas – suppliers, golf pro and staff, green committee members, club members, etc. They have a different perspective and can bring ideas from other courses and businesses. Again, the questions “what did you see that worked really well?” and “what could have been better?” should initiate a productive discussion. To elicit more information related to the work force, you could ask something like: “How would you compare the productivity and job satisfaction of the employees here with those you observe on other courses or businesses?”

Most of us make our professional-improvement decisions based on whether to attend conferences, workshops, meetings, etc. As demands continue to take up our time and training dollars become increasingly scarce, we must be more proactive and directed. Every golf course superintendent, manager and employee should have a professional-improvement plan developed to focus on the greatest growth and development opportunities for each.

The beginning point for the professional improvement plan is an assessment of your strengths and areas for improvement leading to a delineation of the greatest opportunities for personal growth and development. The assessment should be completed for five areas: knowledge, experience, skills, behaviors and attitudes.

As you develop your plan, keep in mind the greatest opportunities resulting from your self-assessment. Following are ideas to stimulate thinking about opportunities:

Knowledge. Adult education is an amazing growth industry undergoing revolutionary change. GCSAA seminars are key, but consider GCSAA webcasts, other online opportunities and local educational offerings. Don’t limit yourself. Topics about leadership, management, supervision and customer orientation are available. These opportunities allow you to make your continuing education a process and not just a small number of events.

Experience. Be creative. Consider partnering with another superintendent or manager as a mentor, join a professional or community (nongolf) organization, and work with an executive coach.

Skills. Seek the training you need to learn skills that provide your greatest opportunity.

Behaviors. Behaviors that enhance your leadership, supervisory and coaching effectiveness can be understood and learned better.

Attitude. You lead by example with your attitude. If your attitude needs adjusting, make needed changes in your work or personal life. Maybe this is the time to work on career or retirement planning. Most people who consider other careers learn they love what they do.

Prepare for 2006 by collecting ideas to consider and plan to maximize your investment in your professional development. Enjoy your fall. GCN

Robert A. Milligan, Ph.D., is professor emeritus from Cornell University and senior consultant with Madison, Wis.-based Dairy Strategies. He can be reached at 651-647-0495 or rmilligan@trsmith.com.