A Matter of Trust

A few weeks ago, while on a morning walk, I was listening to a podcast, expecting to hear one specific word. This particular podcast featured a conversation between a garage door entrepreneur and a marketing expert representing several industries within the home improvement sector. They talked and talked about communications, walking the walk, creating and maintaining a successful workforce. In a podcast that lasted over an hour, I never did hear that most valuable of words in business and in life: trust. 

Before a business can improve its communications, build a better pay plan, or retain a team of quality employees, it must earn people’s trust. Without trust, customers stop coming: employees cease taking risks, suppliers stop delivering. Think about it: when you start a business, sign on a new member, manage a new department, or take on a leadership role, isn’t your first order of business to build trust? Who are you? What are your intentions? What’s in it for us? Certainly, critical questions for those on your team. 

Trust must be 360 degrees. You must trust your leadership team. Your employees must trust you, plus their manager, and the operation as a whole. Of course, your members and guests must trust the club to provide them with a frictionless experience on the course, in the restaurant, and throughout every property touchpoint. In this In My Opinion post, I offer three thoughts on this key essential in any business. 

Candidates are placing their trust in you. Taking responsibility for people and their careers is a big deal. When a person accepts a role, collaboration should be the path. Certainly, the new hire should be all-in. They are giving their time, talent, and future to you and the club to nurture, protect, and grow. It is important, I believe, not simply to offer placeholder positions but instead to create a collaborative plan of growth for each member of your team, realizing that many today treat jobs as stops along the journey. Positioning each employee for their future growth and success is one way to develop your reputation as a great employer. 

You are elevating people into management roles. When doing so, you must trust they have the best of intentions. As you build your department teams, you are in search of those men and women who will understand the values of the club, your goals, and then work not only to carry out the mission, but to help expand that mission. One of the keys within this management group is trusting your team of leaders to do their jobs well, to stay within the communicated foul poles. When a department manager makes the decision to become an independent thinker outside of the leadership group, it may be time for a change. While you provide trust, you should consistently check in, poke around, and make sure the core mission is being carried out.  

Your supplier network is a most valuable asset in your success. Whether the supplier provides products and services to the restaurant, the maintenance side, or the golf shop, these supplier teams touch hundreds of like businesses every month. It is essential, I believe, to consistently tap into your local network of those who simply pass by on most days. Buying these folks a cup of coffee and asking a few key questions can provide you with timely market detail and content on what’s happening beyond your gate. You obviously know the business. Much of that detail can be local knowledge. Getting to understand what is happening in the wider community can, I believe, enable you to make better decisions.  

Trust is an important word. It is likely the most essential value for each and every person coming through your gates. With unique goals and aspirations, every person you hire and meet at the property has the common thread of trust at the core of why they may commit or not. Be sure to do a constant review of how your property is viewed in the area of trust. It is what matters!  

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Jack Dillon writes the In My Opinion post. Jack is a longtime merchant, operator, and member of the golf community. Jack speaks on the value of the cadence of business. His day job is at The Happiest Place on Turf, where he buys and works with the most iconic characters in entertainment. Contact Jack to learn more. Go to www.youdontknowjackd.com. You can call Jack at 407-973-6136. He lives in Orlando.