MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Personal Touch
What are you doing to take care of your people?
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first paragraph my editorial
draft read like so:
People, people, people… Without people, our jobs
would be quite mundane and boring. Imagine a
club without members and without staff. Whose
lives would we try to enrich with new experiences
and whose minds, abilities and skills would we
attempt to nurture? Who would challenge us,
who would frustrate us, who would amaze us and
who would fulfill us?
Looking back less than a month later, I realize that many of
our clubs are now closed until further notice because of the pandemic
and we are, in fact, faced with the challenge to lead and connect
with our people in so many new and innovative ways. How
the world changed in such a short time amazes me.
The effect of people is prevalent through this spring edition
of Club Manager Quarterly. The mentor/mentee relationship is
explored in depth and this issue even explores how food and beverage
minimums are changing and how that affects people.
When clubs care about people, trust is built. A staff member’s
faith in a club has an impact on their overall job satisfaction,
engagement and longevity. Your teams deserve a great experience
that allows them to be healthy, productive, motivated and their
EDITORIAL ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
CHAIR Paul Morrell, CCM
COMMITTEE
Brice MacDermott, PGA
Eric Sargent, CCM
Ryan Tracy, PGA
Ciara Glendon
best while at the club. In clubs, where there is a people-first focus,
it is very important to create a base on which one’s club life can
positively affect home life and life at home can improve one’s club
life. If this can be achieved, there are endless options of what your
people deliver.
The same can be said for members. If your members know and
feel that you care, they are more likely to be engaged and enthusiastic
about your club. It goes without saying that prospective
members need to feel important and cared for, as well. Creating
a culture where people feel valued only enhances the standing of
a club and makes people feel positive about becoming a member.
When it come to your staff, the best motivational tool for
them is passion. Staff strive for much more than a good paycheque.
As club leaders, it is our responsibility to get to know our employees
better to understand what they need to succeed in their respective
roles at the club. We use this information to interweave with
the club’s culture and values as well as build better engagement
with our teams.
To achieve a balanced and open club experience for staff, we
must encourage open communication and a willingness to accept
feedback. Staff must have a say and their ideas should be heard by
the leaders of your club and evaluated for implementation. You can
achieve a great sense of teamwork if you are open to this type of
feedback and positive groupthink.
I started this editorial piece by asking you to imagine club
life without members or staff, the people who comprise the fabric
of our individual club’s culture. Before the COVID-19 pandemic,
I thought this was a near impossible task. People are the reason
clubs exist and the reason we should be cognizant as to how we
interact with them to ensure the success of our clubs. I still can’t
imagine a club without people, but I now know how we interact
and lead can change at a moment’s notice and we will still be
alright, even when we are not okay.
I hope you enjoy this spring issue. Take care of yourself and
your loved ones and stay safe in this difficult time.
By Paul Morrell, CCM
“I’ve learned that people will
forget what you said, people
will forget what you did,
but people will never forget
how you made them feel.”
– Maya Angelou
CMQ § Spring 2020 § 3