People vs. process

A question has been taking up space in my head for a long time—about twenty years. It was a question laid out to me as part of a conversation with a friend, a PGA golf professional. He had been speaking with a golf management company executive about how best to operate a golf course while creating a memorable experience together with a profitable bottom line. The question: does it take people or process to successfully operate a club? I was all about the people side of this conversation, while my friend argued the executive was a staunch believer in process. He felt, it was stated, that once a solid operational plan was in place, just about anyone could be plugged into the various roles to operate a club effectively. Really? Plug in any person with no regard for attitude or proper skill set. 

Although many golf properties appear to be quite similar from 2,000 feet, we know that each one has its unique fingerprint and mission. Some owners will spend lavishly on their club to create a one-of-a-kind experience. Others look to save anywhere and everywhere to increase their bottom line, drive every dollar of margin. Although I believe people are essential to any operation, a playbook is no doubt a necessary piece to any story with the goal of a happy ending. In this In My Opinion post, I look at the idea of people vs. process: 

Developing a quality team is essential in creating a long-term successful operation. No matter the industry or the times, people hired with care and attention to mission make a difference. When you add the element of ongoing development, you are providing your organization with its best chance of winning. People recruited for specific skills to fit each essential role are paramount for great hospitality and personal job satisfaction. Long before you hand out even the best playbook, you will need talent that fits each position. No matter the greatness of a Tom Brady, the Patriots required position players to complement his skills. Duplicating his skill set would have caused real friction, chaos, and countless mistakes. It is about required and complementing skills to enable a club to operate most effectively. 

So what’s the plan? Playground basketball happens in every schoolyard with two or more baskets. Kids show up, divide up into teams, and go at it. There is no playbook, no plan. It is freewheeling, playmaking at the most basic, individual level. Nothing more. No business could last playing schoolyard ball. There must be direction, a mission, a teachable strategy. When you add an operational plan built for real life, you have a scheme your managers and team can buy into and rally around. A plan that can live in the day-to-day of club operations. The mission of that playbook must include the idea of adding scribbled upgrades/changes constantly over time. Can you imagine operating a club today with a playbook written before 2018? It’s easy right: hire the best available people, add a personalized playbook for implementation, moving forward executing what you believe to be the plan that will create great hospitality for your members and guests. The plan that will offer your team direction, satisfaction, and joy. 

The argument ends here. Moving back to the question posed at the top, the answer; it is not solely about people, it is not only about process. The answer is both of the above. Yes, you must have good people, with the specific set of skills for each position. These people then require direction, a map to follow, to move the club where you, the operator expects it to go. No playbook can work with people not ready for prime time. The same holds for a group of talented people without direction. Without a plan, the huddle becomes a free-for-all, where everyone is in charge. Where no one is in charge. The answer is both: people with process.

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Jack Dillon writes the In My Opinion post. Jack is a long-time industry buyer, operator, and manager. Today he consults with clubs and golf brands. He is a speaker, introducing his latest presentation on Communications: Speaking of Speaking. You can learn more at www.youdontknowjackd.com. You can also call Jack at 407-973-6136. Jack lives in Orlando.