Bet you never thought you would see the words Amazing and Processes in the same sentence, did you?
The Amazing Power Of Processes
Ever wonder what makes a sports club successful? Is it their coaches and athletes? Their community relationships? Their spot-on marketing?
The universal answer to all those questions is, yes.
They are all important for success. But what truly sets a sports club apart from the rest is structure and organization, supported by strong processes.
I mean, you can have the best coaches, but if you can’t get them to a competition on time with little stress…it won’t make a bit of difference will it?
Nothing kills a club faster than poor planning. Having clear-cut processes allows your club and your members to be effective and successful.
Processes can cover anything from running a report, how fundraising, hiring a new employee or being clear about what volunteers should be doing. Honestly, there’s really no part of the operations of a sports club that shouldn’t have some form of a process in place. Nothing is too small or insignificant.
Processes don’t have to be big boring documents, they can be videos or a combination of the two. A lot of companies I work with use Loom to record their processes. The point is that it doesn’t have to be an overworked structure, they just need to be done. And here is why:
They make you efficient
Not only do you not have to reinvent the wheel every time, you know that steps won’t be missed or done incorrectly. Nothing worse than re-work or trying to figure out what you did last time.
You will have excellent member delivery
This is to say that you will have a bar set and no matter who is doing the task on any given day, the end result is the same for the member. This could be for anything from information dissemination and collection to introducing new programs, or implementation of changes.
They give you the ability to manage staff shortages
Whether someone on your team has a planned holiday or you have an unexpected departure, having processes in place ensures that coverage in the important areas isn’t lost. While they might be slower, they can still be done which means you won’t have a backlog of work or unimpressed members/stakeholders.
Accountability is not ambiguous
If your processes are in place (And are fit for purpose, I have to add that little disclaimer!), then there’s little room for apathy, misunderstandings, or poor quality.
Now maybe you are a smart one and you have plenty of processes in place. Have you tested and re-tested them to ensure they are fit for their purpose? You may have some form of processes in place, however, if they were written at a time when the club was new or in a different place with regards to the staff, members, and revenue, then they need to be revisited.
In addition, processes need to go through consistent reviews, a process improvement…. a process, so to speak.
Poor processes lead to all kinds of errors and issues, and most of all it can lead to frustrated staff, members, and stakeholders. Their frustration doesn’t mean the process is bad. Again, it might just be outdated. These same people can end up being the perfect ones to make the required updates.
Processes are meant to create a workflow that’s effective, productive, and simple. They shouldn’t be looked at as something that is a chore to complete.
Remember, the better prepared you are, the better you and your staff and volunteers can perform. That results in happy members and club growth.
Want to know more? Get in touch and find out how we can help you achieve your operational process goals.
