Looking beyond credentials to identify leaders who elevate people, build trust, and strengthen club culture.

Every club has a culture.

It's reflected in the way members are welcomed, how departments work together during a busy service, and how leaders respond when things don't go according to plan. It's not something you create with a mission statement. It's built every day by the people who make up the organization.

That's why every hiring decision matters.

Experience is important, but if a candidate doesn't align with your club's values and leadership style, even the strongest résumé can fall short. Research continues to show that while technical skills matter, qualities like adaptability, collaboration, and attitude are often stronger predictors of long-term success.

Experience Gets Someone in the Door. Attitude Shapes the Culture.

We've all seen it happen.

A candidate checks every box on paper. They've worked at respected clubs, managed impressive budgets, and led successful projects. Six months later, communication has broken down, morale has slipped, and the team isn't performing the way it once did.

The issue usually isn't technical ability. It's a cultural fit.

The best leaders don't just manage operations. They build trust. They develop people. They create an environment where employees enjoy coming to work and take pride in what they do. That kind of leadership becomes part of the culture, and members feel the difference.

The Best Interviews Aren't About the Résumé

Too many interviews become a review of someone's career history. Where have you worked? How many employees did you supervise? What was your food cost?

Those questions have value, but they rarely tell you how someone leads.

The most productive conversations focus on behavior. Ask candidates to describe a time they inherited a struggling team, received difficult feedback, or helped another employee succeed. Listen less for the outcome and more for how they approached the situation.

Humility, accountability, resilience, and a genuine interest in helping others are difficult to teach. Those qualities often have a greater impact on culture than another five years of experience.

Pay Attention to the Small Things

Some of the strongest indicators appear before the formal interview even begins.

Notice how candidates interact with your team. Watch how they speak about former employers and colleagues. Pay attention to whether they're prepared, engaged, and respectful throughout the process.

These aren't insignificant details. They're often the most authentic glimpse into how someone will show up as a leader.

Just as importantly, notice what they're curious about. Candidates who ask thoughtful questions about the team, the membership, and the organization's values are usually thinking beyond the job itself. They're trying to determine whether they belong there, and that's exactly what you want.

Culture Fit Doesn't Mean Hiring People Who Are All the Same

Hiring for culture isn't about finding someone who thinks exactly like the current leadership team. Healthy cultures need fresh ideas and different perspectives. Growth depends on leaders who bring new experiences while sharing the same core values.

The goal isn't to hire someone who fits the mold. It's to hire someone who strengthens the culture you've worked hard to build.

Integrity, professionalism, humility, accountability, and genuine care for people look different in every leader, but those qualities create consistency regardless of background.

Interview for the Person, Not Just the Position

Technical skills can be developed. Systems can be learned. Every club has its own way of operating, and strong leaders adapt. Character is different.

The habits that define a leader, the way they treat people, respond to adversity, accept responsibility, and build trust, are already part of who they are when they walk into the interview. Those are the qualities that shape a culture over time.

When interviewing for leadership roles, it's worth spending less time trying to confirm what a candidate has done and more time understanding how they've done it.

The most successful hires aren't always the ones with the longest résumé. More often, they're the ones whose attitude, values, and leadership style make everyone around them a little better.

And that's how great cultures are built, one leader at a time.

Hiring for attitude over experience requires looking beyond credentials and taking the time to understand who someone is as a leader. The right questions and observations often reveal qualities that don't appear on a résumé: humility, accountability, adaptability, and a genuine commitment to people.

Finding those leaders takes intention. At RCS Hospitality Group, our Executive Search team partners with clubs to identify candidates whose experience, values, and leadership approach align with the culture they hope to build. Because the leaders you hire today will shape your team, your member experience, and your culture for years to come.

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About the Author: Amy Paris