Reference no: EM133101195

CASE STUDY

Chris Miller is the new general manager of the Mountain View Country Club a 1000-member club just 10 years old the club's board fired the previous general manager because it was unhappy with the way the club was run. When Chris interviewed for the job, several board members mentioned that the club operation seem chaotic and that the club was bogged down with one problem after another. They wanted Chris to turn things around despite some misgivings Chris knew that he would be the Cubs fourth general manager in 10 years, Chris took the position because he felt the close potential was worth the risk. 

It didn't take Chris long to realize the one of the biggest problems with the club was the board itself. At Chris first monthly board meeting, he had been surprised at how Ted Fisher, the board president, ran things. First, there was a generic agenda that consisted of extremely simple outline: Call meeting to order; Read previous minutes; Finance Committee reports; House committee reports; greens committee report; And so on. There were three new board members at the meeting, but they were not formally welcome, and they obviously had not been given any orientation because they look lost throughout the meeting. The meeting itself wandered from subject to subject into three hours to accomplish from almost nothing. It was obvious that many of the committee chairs had nothing to report, but for obligated to say something anyway. After the meeting, Chris had asked president Fisher above the generic agenda. We always go in the same order Fisher said, so that's all we really need. What about the new board members had they been given any orientation? We've never bothered with that, Fisher replied what is there to learn, really? They've been members for years

After that first board meeting, Chris had asked his assistant manager, Linda, for some background information about the board and how it operated. Unfortunately, his worst suspicions were confirmed. some of the board members are retired, Linda said, and have a lot of time on their hands, so they want to micromanage everything. On the other hand, many of the board members are very busy executives and they present an opposite problem, they are so pressed for time they hardly give the matter that comes before the board any attention. Julia, the club's only female board member, had promised her friends that if she was elected to the board, she would do something about the men only Saturday morning tee times. Her proposal to open the Saturday morning tee times two women was defeated early in her term and she had a poor attitude ever since, she took scant interest In other club business and appeared to be just going through the motions until her term ended. Other board members, 2, tended to focus on their pet projects 2 the exclusion of everything else. 

Christ Also learned that board members had a history of abusing their power and matters both large and small not because they were deliberately trying to disrupt the club, but because they didn't know any better. Many board members habitually gave direct orders to club employees, for example. This bad habit had gotten started after the first general manager left the club and the club struggled without one for six months. Apparently the members didn't realize the havoc they caused when they contradicted a club manager's directives, or asked valet on duty to take them to the airport, or told a banquet server to drop what he was doing and drive by their house to pick up the wedding gift they forgot.

Some board members asked to be seated in the main dining room during busy periods without making reservations. last year the club's dining room manager quit because she received a tongue lashing and then a very harsh letter of reprimand from a board member. Her crime? She had refused to sit this party because some of his guests were wearing blue jeans and the club has firm policy against blue jeans in the main dining room.

One of the board members tends to drink a little too much, Linda went on, and sometimes discusses the club bartender things like the previous general managers bonus plan and why the club fired its last golf pro. Around Christmas time and outbreak of food poisoning had occurred at the club, and a board member thought it would be help helpful if he went to the medium and explained the situation. Without the boards or anyone else knowledge, he went to the local newspaper and told such a confusing contradictory tell that the newspaper launched a full-blown investigation and turned and unfortunate but minor incident into front page story. And last but not least, boards vice president had almost gotten the club involved in a lawsuit because he repeatedly made inappropriate advances towards one of the club's female servers. Because this was another period when the club was between general managers, the server went directly to the board with the complaints, but the board ignored the problem period soon afterward the server graduated from college and then did another job, and it looked like she would not be pressing charges, but one never knew if the problem would reoccur more seriously.

All in all, it was a picture of an undisciplined board that was doing more harm than good to the club. Chris knew that if he was going to make a positive changes at the club, he would have to start with the board, and he had his work cut out for him. Chris also knew from working at other clubs that timing was critical factor period since he had just been hired, he had the board's attention in a brief window of opportunity in which to address the issues that needed immediate action.

1. What challenges does Chris face with the club's board?
2. Which of these challenges should Chris address immediately (priority A challenges), and which are not so critical and can be addressed overtime (priority B challenges)?
3. How should Chris address the immediate, priority A challenges?
4. What Can Chris do immediately to encourage the board president to run more effective meetings?
5. How can Chris help the board president see the need for an orientation program for new board members?
6. What elements should a new board member orientation program contain?