The following article is adapted from Duncan McGilvray's motivational seminar of the same name held during Harrogate Week 2009. It focuses on the present, very negatively perceived financial situation which, if accepted, is self defeating and does no-one any good


Two fingers to the DOWNTURN!


is not easy to manage an establishment such as ours and that you may be of some help in getting the whole organisation through this difficult time.


This is the sort of headline which has been reported recently and fills us with fear. We do not, however, have to accept it! We can be in control of our own destiny, we just have to be positive and not become one of the statistics. Over the course of this article we will cover why our industry is particularly prone to being affected by any financial downturn and how you can avoid becoming a victim.


The situation and the way we are


The leisure industry in general, and golf in particular, is perceived by the general public as money rich, therefore, we do not get any sympathy when times are difficult ... so don’t expect any help from the government! We grounds managers are a strange bunch indeed. There appears to be a tendency for us to work very much in isolation. Perhaps not as isolated now as in the past but still, probably, the most prone industry to depression and failure to seek help. We think we can do it all ourselves without any assistance. There is also a tendency to accept someone else’s plan for us, whether that be from officials or bosses who invariably do not know anything about the job that we do.


This all adds up to a situation where


we are extremely vulnerable to not being in control of our own destiny. For us to be comfortable, confident and happy in our professional positions we have to be in control of our own destiny.


Staying positive and communicating


The first, and the most important, point to make is please do not accept what you are told by the ‘doom and gloom merchants’ - take control and stay positive.


Communicate with your employer.


Approach them and suggest a meeting to discuss the situation. Tell them you are concerned about the overall financial situation in the country, that you know it


62


Communicate with your staff. You may be surprised just how much they can help if you are honest about the situation within your organisation. People will rise to any challenge if you ask for their help and everyone pulls together. Communicate with your colleagues. Locally, they will be experiencing similar problems and there is no point in reinventing the wheel. In my experience, if you ask a colleague for help they will gladly give it - it may not have been the case a long time ago when we experienced insular attitudes, but it certainly is now as witnessed on the various forums and message boards used throughout the profession, as well as the late night conversations and heated discussions experienced during Harrogate Week.


It’s simple - communicate,


communicate and communicate some more! Overcoming problems. Where would we be without encountering problems? We wouldn’t be able to solve them if they never happened, so just tell yourself there are no problems, just opportunities to learn and move forward!


“If you want to stay positive don’t join a union!”


Now a very controversial statement - if you want to stay positive don't join a union! - just my opinion, but based on my observations and backed up by the following reasoning.


When you have a body which acts on your behalf in matters of employment it invariably transpires that you do not bother trying to stand up for yourself, and there is less chance of you seeking training in presentation and


communication because someone is there to do it for you. In my experience if you are considering joining a union then you have not been communicating effectively with your employer - employers will not get rid of you if you are key to the success of the organisation. So, put your efforts into making your organisation more successful and not looking for other people to fight your corner for you. Stand up for yourself.


What to do to ensure survival


In the short term just get involved - and the best way to get involved is to speak to your employer as previously stated. Make yourself indispensable; become part of the team.


In the medium term plan to be the best. If you are having problems and finding it difficult to justify your existence, then the only way to ensure you stay long enough to influence your employer is to make plans and inform your employer.


This may even mean accepting that you have not been as good in your position as you could have been, but are planning to take the necessary steps to ensure the organisation thrives in the future with you on board. In the long term become the best. Simply do what you have promised to do!


Here’s a survey statistic which is very


interesting. 83% of people who write down what they wish to achieve in their life actually achieve it. If you simply say it or think it, only a very small percentage actually get there. So plan it, write it down and go for it!


The importance of training


The successful have been trained - training in both communication and professional presentation is essential. You may have the skills to do the job but, if you cannot present and communicate the need for the tools and resources you need to carry out the job successfully, you will fail.


I know many well skilled grounds managers who do not reach their full potential because they are not trained in communication and presentation. Your staff. You can learn so much from


“Redundancies in the leisure and sports world - 100s of golf and sports clubs in trouble”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124