Special thanks to Jim McLoughlin for allowing us to share his article from his Career Corner Blog on Turfnet.com.The prevailing myth that disorderly maintenance facilities and sloppy offices are justified because of the hectic unpredictable nature of the work golf course superintendents engage in every day is the kind of thinking that could cost you your job.
This is a dangerous myth because the vast majority of those responsible for employing and monitoring superintendents’ work are successful private sector managers requiring well-organized work environments 24/7 throughout their day jobs who will instinctively think less of superintendents who tolerate disorder.
Don’t Give Them An Excuse
Through my 25-plus years of visiting America’s golf course maintenance facilities, I have seen the good, the indifferent and the bad in about equal proportions. Accordingly, I am concerned in this fiscally driven era for the job security of superintendents who marginalize facility order to whatever degree because – like being pregnant – you are either organized, or you are not and you will be judged more so now than ever before in this light in the coming year or so.
“Your employers will be entitled to conclude that your crew is likely to adopt the same indifferent commitment to excellence that you exhibit throughout your maintenance facility to their daily work assignments…“
My concern for the job security of superintendents who tolerate disorder centers around three themes: first, knowing that loosely managed maintenance facilities will always offend a segment of the people charged with the responsibility of judging your work; second, realizing that your employers will be entitled to conclude that your crew is likely to adopt the same indifferent commitment to excellence that you exhibit throughout your maintenance facility to their daily work assignments; and finally – understanding that disorder undermines crew pride in their work. Orderliness grows pride and all the good things associated with it.
You never want to give your employers another reason to take a deeper look into the prevailing question of day; i.e., whether they can justify your salary in today’s already difficult economy that everyone, including the President, advises will continue to decline for at least two more years? Accordingly, now is the time to hunker down “every which way” organization-wise to get ahead of the survival curve before circumstances deny you this opportunity.
“The organizational quality of your maintenance facility will be judged across the board at the “weakest link” level of the following three maintenance facility elements: the grounds immediate surrounding the building(s), within the equipment storage building itself and your personal office…”
The above-mentioned “every which way” concept references your need to present order over disorder throughout each of the following three elements of your maintenance facility: the grounds immediate surrounding the building(s), within the equipment storage building itself and your personal office. Borrowing from the often-used “chain” analogy – the organizational quality of your maintenance facility will be judged across the board at the “weakest link” level of
the three facility elements listed immediately above.
In this instance, one strike and you’re out.
Article shared with permission from Career Corner with Jim McLoughlin: http://turfnet.com/career
URL to article: http://turfnet.com/career/index.php/2009/08/job-securing-tip-3-order-over-disorder/
URL to article: http://turfnet.com/career/index.php/2009/08/job-securing-tip-3-order-over-disorder/
