Why it’s important to be all in with your staff

Everything moves so fast in business today. We are asked to make decisions on marketing, purchasing, and people as if the right decisions are on the tip of our brains ready to move us to high-speed success. No matter the day, there are issues that turn a once planned day, into a map filled with crooked roads and even more crooked decisions.

Clubs leaders and department heads spend too little time in areas involving people and the team. From the outset, it feels like a race with no directional sense. We hire only when it seems there is an emergency set of needs. We are far too busy to work with this new person, so we assign someone to shadow, coach and mentor. Now we have both a new team member, and someone you trust, each uncertain of the next moves and longer-term goals of this new relationship. This probably sounds familiar, as I have seen it often during several decades of work.

Although we won’t solve all people issues in these 500 words, we can begin with this: serve the entire person when you interview, hire, develop, coach and recognize. There is a saying that says: it’s just business, it is not personal. I am here to tell you that in this world of today, it is all personal! It is time to hire the entire person, not only their talents/skills. It is also time to understand that knowing more about your team will create a better team, a better business. Here are 5 thoughts about the people on your team:

1)    Know that every person has challenges, in addition to the talents/skills and as the leader you must work with all of each person, 100%.

2)    Your rules may be better served as willows and not oaks. When you work with your people and their situations, they will work better with your members and guests.

3)    You should look after every new hire and not hand them off to a “coach.” The first 30 days are especially vital, and you should manage your schedule with this new person in it.

4)    When times get tough for a staff member, they need understanding more than ever. Being a helpful ear and hand will help create better team members. Be all-in with your team.

5)    People crave recognition, so be close enough to all members of your team so you know when it is time for a pat on the back, kind word, thank you card, or reward. There is no more important person on property than the leader. They are watching you and crave encouragement and recognition.

 In summary, be all in with your people. Be there for their highs as well as their lows. The process of hiring is not about liking team members on only their best days, but to recognize the highs, and be a support for the low times.  Being 100% in means being the leader we all want to work for, look up to, and talk about decades later. Leadership is about each of us and all of us. 

Jack Dillon writes the highfives series.  Jack is a golf expert, Toastmaster, speaker, blogger. He can help you and your team. Jack can be reached at: 407-973-6136. He resides in Orlando.