Club Management - March/April 2008 - (Page 13)

Board Governance BPM and Club Culture:What You Need to Know Part three of an informational series on the new Club Governance Model Q: Our governance system isn’t broken. Why should we shift to the club governance model? For example, putting together a board policies manual (BPM) seems like a lot of bureaucratic effort for little return. A: All boards have policies – both written and unwritten. Often the written policies are tucked away in past minutes known only to a few current or past board members. With some clubs, the unwritten policies are simply “whatever the president says they are.” Boards that govern primarily from unwritten policies normally have a learning curve that new members are required to climb. Sometimes, the steepness of the curve is worn like a badge by the “old hands.” Mounting the learning curve is considered a sort of initiation or rite of passage for new members. Unfortunately, this is too often the mentality of those who like the oral tradition, who feel safer in subjectivity or who prefer to rely on “institutional memories.” Under the new model, there are only written policies – those in the BPM. There is no lore of unwritten policies or a steep learning curve for ﬁrst-year board members. Nor does the general manager need to guess what the boundaries are for her actions. If she is within the policies in the BPM, she is within her authority. The time taken to document the policies in the BPM is far less than the time wasted by various participants in the governance process trying to learn the unwritten policies. That fact is not changed by putting the pejorative label of “bureaucratic” on the BPM. T he Club Governance Model was introduced in 2007 and adopted by CMAA as its “standard of excellence” in November. Club Management highlighted the new model in the November/December 2007 issue, and in our January/February issue, we reported on Charlotte Country Club’s approach in making the transition. This new approach to governance has sparked interest and, as with any change in the club community, has prompted a range of questions. We passed some of these questions along to the CMAA Governance Study Group, and in the next few issues will share answers to these questions. If you have questions on the club governance model, the Study Group encourages you to e-mail them to governance@cmaa.org. You will receive a timely answer via e-mail. Q: The Club Governance Model seems over-engineered and the BPM too formal. Our club is known for its relaxed and friendly environment. Wouldn’t the heaviness of the new model and its BPM threaten our culture? A: For most clubs, their culture is their brand, and they guard it jealousy. And rightly so. The stronger the club’s reputation, the longer its waiting list for new members. As one of the primary determinants of reputation, a club’s culture is well worth preserving and protecting. A club preserves and protects its culture by clarifying expectations for club members, leaders and staff. The club’s values are reﬂected in the House Rules, in the mutual respect shown between members and staff and in the quality of service delivered to members and their guests. For culture to be protected, it must be intentional and clearly articulated. Rather than threatening a club’s culture, the Club Governance Model serves to clarify and preserve it. The values held dear by the club should be embraced by the board and repeated in its policies – in writing. Just as the House Rules state policies respecting decorum and behavior within the club, the BPM states policies that the board will honor in carrying out its duties. ❚❘ MARCH/APRIL 2008 • 13 Send governance questions to governance@cmaa.org.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Club Management - March/April 2008

Club Management - March/April 2008 Contents President’s Message Board Governance Technology Human & Professional Resources 2008 CMAA President Peter Homberg: A Profile in Courage, Perserverance Welcome, CMAA 2008 Board of Directors Club Events: Bring Magic to Your Members Club Adopts 'Dependent Parent' Membership Policy Paving a Path to Success Groundbreaking Project Measures Environmental Data for Golf Courses Paradise Preserved HFTP Insight New Directions Global Outreach Products and Services Marketplace Advertiser Index/Advertisers.com Club Wrap

Club Management - March/April 2008

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