As with many non-profit organizations, effective governance is a key to achieving overall success for private clubs. Those that are the most successful are generally the ones that create strong partnerships between the board chairman and the general manager communicate effectively and follow best practices. And, much like in private clubs, the governance function of NCA and the NCA Foundation (NCAF) has achieved success over the years by focusing on many of the best practices that we recommend for our members. In the areas of board development and engagement this has involved:
- Maintaining a close working relationship between the board and senior staff to develop a shared vision, with strategic direction provided by the boards and action plans and strategies implemented by the staff.
- Encouraging board involvement through the committees, with leadership support from the staff, so that the board and staff are working together to address agreed upon goals and objectives.
As noted in our cover feature, “On Course: How a GM and Board Find Equilibrium,” leadership transitions pose opportunities and challenges as experience and leadership styles influence this crucial relationship. Over the past two decades, I have had the honor of working with 15 chairs of the NCA Board, as well as several chairs of the NCA Foundation Board. Clear communication, a well-defined board structure and nomination process, and thorough orientation have all helped avoid some of the biggest impediments to a healthy board-CEO relationship. Whether an incoming chair was a club GM, a board president from the private sector or an industry leader, each approached their role with the tools in place to be successful.
This governance-themed issue of Club Director addresses ways to foster better, more productive board-manager relations and provides sound advice for successful club governance.
On a related NCA governance topic, I am very pleased to report that the NCA and CMAA Executive Committees met together at the CMAA World Conference in San Antonio to discuss how we can better coordinate our efforts on behalf of private clubs. Our leadership is helping to set a course for closer coordination in areas including advocacy, research, messaging and professional development in order to provide more value for the club industry. It has been a long winter for many of us. Now that spring is finally here, I look forward to seeing you at NCA’s National Club Conference, May 3-5 in Washington, D.C. I encourage you to visit www.nationalclubconference.org for all the details.