The title question is a big fuzzy question, but one that should be important to you, as a manager, as an employee, and as a leader. Not much conversation in the ski industry about organizational culture, although I imagine it is thought about in Broomfield, CO. If you think about what many managers and leaders focus on, it is often on the smart side of the operation not on the health of the operation. Think about where most of the attention is put:
Smart Side Healthy Side
Mountain Ops Minimum or no politics
Lifts Minimal confusion
Grooming High levels of moral
Snowmaking Productivity
Finance Low turnover
Marketing
It is said that most CEO’s agree that focusing on the Healthy Side is important, but they get distracted and go to the Smart Side so that almost 95% of their time is spent on the Smart Side. In the ski industry a very solid case could be made that the largest differentiator between resorts is the culture within the resort such that it can be the biggest competitive advantage that a resort can have. With more time spent on on the Healthy Side the financial success of a ski area can be significantly improved. Think about it. How much time is invested on the Healthy Side? The good news is it doesn’t require significant or even moderate investment, just commitment and time.
If you think I am full of it, here is my favorite management guru, Patrick Lencioni, in a short video explaining what I have tried to impress upon you. It makes so much common sense.
