SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/484138
www.stma.org April 2015 | SportsTurf 33 head before starting a project. There are several things to gain by formally going through this process with your team. The overall purpose of this phase is to identify all of the individual tasks that will be required to complete your project. These tasks will be organized into groups and eventually a sequence. Many software programs will link tasks that are dependent on one another. As mentioned, it is better to focus on keeping the project moving forward rather than focusing on using the soft- ware. A simple note will suffice when one task is dependent on another. When identifying tasks and sequences it is advantageous to work with the team as a whole. This will give your team owner- ship in the project. No one likes a manager who simply assigns tasks without consideration. Take the time and identify the tasks with your team. They are likely to have a better idea than you at some point along the way. When assigning tasks you may have more success by simply asking your team who is best for the job. Typically they will agree on a single person that is best- skilled to accomplish the task and often times that person will even volunteer. The point here is that it is always easier to urge someone to volunteer for a task than it is to forcefully assign one. You should also use this meeting time to brainstorm with your team to identify possible risks that will hinder the project. All projects will have risks that need to be mitigated. The team as a whole is best suited to identify them. Phase 3: execution of tasks Finally, the fun part! Now that the project has been well defined and properly planned it is time to set out on execut- ing the individual tasks. This is really the "face" of the project. It is what most people will remember looking back on the project. If it is managed incorrectly the project can appear to be a failure even if it is, on paper, successful. Some tips include monitoring the progress of tasks closely and ensuring the critical path items are moving along nicely. The basic software discussed earlier is very helpful with these tasks. There should never really be a point where you panic because something was not done correctly or on time. If you are surprised about a task not being completed then that is an indication that more communication is needed with your team. Similarly, if you find the project's critical path being interrupted too often that likely means more time should have been spent identify- ing and mitigating risks. Phase 4: The hand-off Once all of the tasks are complete it is time to wrap up the project. Some industries call this the hand-off and it is when the project manager officially passes the project to whoever will ultimately be responsible for its sustained operation. For field managers doing in-house projects this phase should be treated as a time for closure and reflection. You want to evaluate the project using various quantifiers to show your project met the goals initially established. Use this time to highlight your team's work and to show improved efficiency. The role of the turf manager has certainly changed over time. Projects that would typically involve contractors are now being done in-house with little or no additions to the staff. Taking some time with your team to plan a future project will greatly increase your success rate (and reduce your stress!) A history of successful projects that are done right, within bud- get, and on time is the best way to secure future funding for additional improvements. The next time you are knee-deep in a project wishing you had more time, money, or people take a step back and ask yourself if you could apply basic project management tools to more efficiently use the resources that you have. ■ ST Nick Janovich is a Golf Course Superintendent at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling WV. He holds a BS in Turfgrass Science from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Wheeling Jesuit University. He is an adjunct instructor at local universities teach- ing courses in Sports Facility Management and Professional Golf Management. He also serves as a Grassroots Ambassador for the GCSAA's Government Relations program. Follow him on Twitter @njanovich for all things turf. ST