Skills Needed to Recover

Clubs have been through  challenges before, however the changes in weather, economy, technology, political landscape, legislation etc. bring a new level of unfamiliarity, uncertainty and global interconnection.

For the moment, this is a reflective time for boards to think about how they do business when the industry is under pressure with cashless gaming, facial recognition and other reputational damage, to identify the skills needed to support their management teams.

How a business handles any disruption of service will determine how they are judged and the confidence of stakeholders. If boards get this right, it presents a unique opportunity to establish and build trust within the community.

In meeting and rebounding from the crisis, the board isn’t just in oversight mode. All board members have a direct responsibility to anticipate threats and make quick, far-reaching decisions.

Another valuable skill a board member may bring to crisis recovery is having been through one before. Whether the crisis ended well or poorly, first-hand experience can be worth more than knowledge. It also instils confidence under pressure. It’s true that crisis experience may not be at the top of the checklist when boards recruit new members, however experience is a valuable quality to have when planning for the future.

Boards need to be proactive with understanding the range of potential outcomes impacting members, suppliers and dynamics within teams.

The board should oversee the club’s communication strategy. Clear communication and planning will allow the club to communicate internally and externally in a calm and thoughtful manner, which will help build confidence in a volatile situation.

Directors and management can better mobilise their clubs by setting clear priorities and empowering others to discover and implement solutions that serve the priorities. Focus on empowering the right people. Decide where authority is to be granted without having to seek approval that delays a proper response.

Provide support by endorsing the key strategic decisions and actions of the CEO and the crisis recovery management team, and level oversight regarding these key decisions. Also, ensure the ability to liaise with key external stakeholders, including the regulators, members and the media, as agreed upon by the crisis recovery management team.

A crucial part of each director’s role, especially in the emotional, tense environment that characterises a crisis, is to promote psychological safety so people can openly discuss ideas, questions, and concerns without fear of repercussions.

In summary, ensure your board has the skills and experience to:

• deal effectively with disruption
• identify and mitigate risks
• respond to a crisis
• proactively contribute to the recovery process
• communicate effectively both internally and externally
• set clear priorities for the club
• empower the right people
• promote the psychological safety of management and staff.