9.5 Club Management

12 May 2009


There are five principles of good club management.


1. Leadership

Leadership means:

  • good management
  • your values, purpose and goals
  • taking an active role in your community
  • making sure that everyone in your club understands how you operate and knows what is going on.


Leadership is important because it:

  • ensures that your club manages its resources efficiently and effectively
  • provides inspiration and maps out direction
  • develops motivated and committed volunteers and staff
  • recognises and fulfils the needs and expectations of members
  • ensures that the club operates positively and constructively within the broader community.

 

 

2. Planning

Planning sets out:

  • what you want to achieve
  • the actions and resources required
  • a method for working out how successful you were.


Planning is important because it:

  • determines where an organisation is going over the next year or more, how it is going to get there and how it will know if it got there or not. For example, one goal could be to double the number of volunteers in your club within ten years
  • allows all members to be aware of what the club wants to achieve
  • helps to define your club's goals and the ways in which it will monitor and evaluate its performance
  • helps to improve financial performance and the efficient and effective use of resources.

 

 

3. People

Put your people first -- volunteers and paid staff who are involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of your club's activities and services.
People are important because:

  • they make things happen, particularly in relation to meeting your members' needs and expectations. Looking after the people in your club will help inspire motivated, committed and satisfied volunteers and staff. These people are more likely to make a positive contribution towards meeting the needs and expectations of the members they serve.


To develop committed and motivated volunteers and staff, it is important to:

  • identify the skills and qualifications required to meet your club's goals
  • allocate roles and responsibilities
  • provide education and training opportunities as required
  • regularly acknowledge efforts and achievements
  • seek and respect opinions.

 

 

4. Members

Members are important because:

  • they -- participants, spectators, coaches, officials, patrons and sponsors -- are involved in the club and benefit from its activities and services. Members are the club's reason for being. A member focus builds services and activities to satisfy the needs of members.


To develop a member focus, it is important to:

  • identify your current and potential members
  • identify their needs and expectations
  • provide and evaluate activities and services
  • establish a process for member communication.


A member focus is important because:

  • satisfied members are more likely to stay with a club, tell their friends about it and help attract new members to boost participation.

 

 

5. Overall Performance

Overall performance is:

  • monitoring, reviewing and evaluating your club's overall performance against its goals.


Measuring overall performance is important because:

  • as part of its planning process, your club should develop measurable targets (performance indicators), which will tell you whether you have achieved your goals. These targets allow everybody to see that the club is 'on track' and, if not, where there are gaps in performance. This information should be used to ensure that the club continually improves its activities and services.