Golf work culture tips that help leaders succeed

One of the reoccurring areas of interest that comes up as we speak to various industry professionals throughout the country is workplace culture.

What’s workplace culture? Here’s one definition:

… the shared values, beliefs, behaviors and practices that shape the social and psychological environment of a workplace. It influences how employees interact with each other, how they approach their work, and how the organization conducts business.

This definition is broad. But it does contain some key items that will shape a discussion concerning workplace culture, specifically in a golf course maintenance environment. To us, the key items within the definition are the shared values, beliefs, behaviors and practices that become intrinsic to the golf course maintenance team.

Questions that inevitably arise when discussing the topic of workplace culture:

• How do you establish culture?
• And how do you change a culture that is preexisting from the previous superintendent?

We are sure there are tomes of written material about this topic, with theories on how to establish or change culture. To us, it’s much simpler and highly dependent on the superintendent and the management team.

You dictate the culture of your work environment

With this understanding, if you’re a superintendent, you should embody the culture that you want your staff to demonstrate.

Identify the shared values and behaviors you intend for your staff to possess. Those values must be exemplified by you. If you value work ethic, employees being timely, a team atmosphere and executing work with a high level of detail, then you must be ready to demonstrate and demand that from your staff, as they will derive those behaviors from you.

Recognize what you value in a great employee or staff and demonstrate those behaviors to them in everything that you do.

Hire for your culture

We have always had the mindset that we would rather manage with fewer of the right employees than more of the wrong employees. Don’t simply hire bodies, hire those who fit your culture and who you feel could embody the core behaviors that you want your staff to embody.

When communicating during the interview process, don’t sugarcoat the expectations of the job and behaviors that are representative of your employees. On the contrary, we recommend slightly exaggerating the expectations.

Utilize the interview process to weed out individuals who don’t fit your culture. You want to communicate the expectations in a way so that there are only two outcomes: the potential employee says to him or herself “there is no way in hell I am working here,” or they say, “I have to be a part of this, and I can’t see myself working anyplace else.”

We understand it’s easier said than done, but working on a golf course maintenance staff isn’t easy. It requires long days, variable weather, weekends, holidays and early start times. You want volunteers, not hostages.

Hold your employees accountable

We realize this is very cliché. But we have all held on to an employee even though they are performing outside of values, beliefs or behaviors you have established because you feel like you need them, when actually maintaining their employment is the worst thing you can do.

There’s a common saying: “Nothing will kill a great employee faster than watching you tolerate a bad one.” Ample truth resides in that statement. If there’s a tumor in your staff, cut it out before it metastasizes. Your staff will recognize that behaviors outside of established culture won’t be tolerated, and your culture will immediately be reinforced. Be relentless in defense of the values, beliefs and behaviors that you establish.

Culture is one of those items that some individuals establish without ever recognizing it. Being aware that the superintendent is the embodiment and defender of the culture is key.

Be vigilant in your shared values, beliefs and behaviors.