The Hidden Power of Membership

As a golf fan, I can't ignore the membership controversy surrounding the 2003 Masters. The concerns over the restricted membership of organizations like Augusta National Golf Club are serious and will continue to arouse public opinion. But what's at the core of this concern? In my view, the controversy only exists because membership at Augusta National is a privilege that is coveted by many. As they say at American Express, "Membership has its privileges." We all want to have some privilege in our lives.

While you wouldn't want anyone threatening to picket your company, my guess is that you would love to have your employees all feel like members in an exclusive organization. What would this mean, what would it look like? As I see it, your employees would enjoy belonging because they are treated with respect and are given both the responsibility and the freedom to do their jobs well. Everyone would act in the best interests of the organization, often sacrificing their own egos or individual success. Everyone would work together selflessly.

Many companies have achieved this very thing. Their employees genuinely feel like members of an exclusive club and work hard every day to continually deserve that membership. Further, they work hard every day to make the organization prosper. Sound like the kind of company you'd like to run? I'm not surprised. Here are a few suggestions for creating an environment where membership is both a privilege and an honor.

Five Keys to Creating a Sense of Membership

1. Call everyone a "Member." A few years ago it became fashionable in big-box retailers to call their employees "Associates." I worked with enough of these firms to know that most employees considered the term just another insincere management gesture. If you're going to call your employees "members," you'll want to make the name stick. Do this by holding true to your principles and the goal of making the organization worthy of the employees' membership.

2. Welcome new Members in style. Every employee's hopes and dreams are at their highest on the first day in their new jobs. Make this a memorable day. Consider celebrating each new Member over a meal because eating together is a powerful means of making people feel included. Consider gathering and telling stories that show your pride in the company's successes and values. Give the new Member plenty of your completely undivided attention. Consider putting off the new-hire paperwork to another day and make the first day a tour of the world's greatest operation.

3. Trust everyone. Everyone wants to be trusted. To make membership in your company a privilege, you'll need to create an environment where everyone is trusted. Look at your policies and regulations. Are they written to accelerate the work of good people - or are they written to inhibit the actions of people you don't trust? Start today to make your policies encourage good work.

4. Establish and work by a set of values. I firmly believe that most people want to be great and do great work. To do this, we need to know that our environment supports greatness. If you establish a set of people values (such as Trust, Honesty, Fairness) and then live by them every day, your Members will take pride in knowing that they belong to a company that does the right thing. Every day, every time there's a challenge.

5. Mentor and train constantly. If you can establish an environment where your Members are trusted and can take the responsibility to do their jobs well without constantly checking with their supervisors, then you'll have the time to focus on everyone's development. As a manager, it's your primary responsibility to ensure that the Members who work with you develop into stronger and more effective people. As they grow under your care, their loyalty will increase along with their knowledge and skills.

These are just a few suggestions, a few ideas to spark some thinking on your part. If you look at your organization objectively, you'll know how much your employees value their membership. Getting to the point where membership in your firm is a privilege that your employees will defend with their sweat may take some work and may take some time. But it will be worth it. I promise you that.

A Few More Tips on Creating Pride of Membership

Identify every employee as a "Member Since ..." This could be with a door plaque or a name tag. This identification could be especially powerful if you're in a retail business. Customers will notice.

Make sure you get a picture of your new employees on their first day at work. If possible, make this a picture with you or the most senior executive present on that great first day. Give them a framed print to display in their work space.

Whenever a challenge arises, ask all employees involved how the company's values could direct their actions. In many ways, shared values create and maintain communities like no other glue.

Consider rotating the role of presiding at certain company-wide or staff meetings. Give everyone an opportunity to be responsible for assembling the agenda and facilitating the meeting.

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