b'CULTURE IS YOUR BRANDBut these two perspectives are deeply intertwined.The way your team feels shapes how members feel.(AND VICE VERSA) The way members behave reinforces how your team behaves.A healthy culture creates a virtuous cycle. Toxic culture creates a vicious one.Thats why alignment, between whats promised externally and whats practiced internally is the heartbeat of every exceptional club. COO is both Chief Culture OfficerTurnover increases even though and Chief Brand Steward. pay is competitive.HOW CULTURE BECOMES THEYou cant delegate culture. YouMember feedback starts to sound BRAND (MEMBER) EXPERIENCE have to live it. repetitiveIt just doesnt feel Every touchpoint tells a storythe same anymore. Marketing about who you are. Your team watches how youcampaigns promise experiences When a server remembers arespond under pressure morethat the day-to-day operation cant members favorite drink, thatsclosely than how you act at teamquite deliver.culture in action. appreciation night. They listen to what you tolerate, not just whatThese are not member experience When a manager takes the timeyou teach. or marketing problems. Theyre to help a new team memberThe most powerful message youcultural misalignments.understand why somethingsend isnt in your emails or pre- Culture breaks down quietly matters, not just how, thatsshift talks; its in your behavior through inconsistency, culture in action. when things get difficult. miscommunication, and small acts When a leader ignores gossip,Because culture is caught, notof neglect that accumulate over dismisses ideas, or rewards thetaught. time.wrong behaviors, unfortunately,Every time you recognize someoneBy the time it shows up in thats also culture in action. for demonstrating a core value,member surveys, the issue is Members dont read your cultureyou reinforce culture. Every timealready systemic.statement. They experience it. you let toxic behavior slide becauseThe good news: alignment can They feel it in the micro-momentsthats just old-school hospitality,be measured, monitored, andhow theyre greeted, howyou weaken it. restored.problems are solved, and howBrand standards and cultureTools like 360 feedback decisions are communicated. standards are not separate. Theyreassessments or member experience Culture whispers through everythe same story, told throughmapping can help identify the gap interaction, and over time thosedifferent mediums. between intent and impact.whispers become your reputation.WHEN CULTURE AND BRANDTHE RIPPLE EFFECT: INSIDE-OUT THE LEADERSHIP ROLE: LIVINGFALL OUT OF ALIGNMENT LEADERSHIPTHE BRAND INSIDE OUT You can feel it when it happens. Member experience is always a In a club environment, the GM orreflection of team experience.VOLUME 17 | NUMBER 6 JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2026 25'