Very recently, our team and I lost an industry colleague and friend in which he sadly lost his life to depression. I had not been in contact with this man in a few years and so the shock of learning of his journey was also tinged with a bit of not fully placed guilt. My friend was tender hearted, kind, and a good man who fostered friendship and sought community wherever he went. Like many of us, his work in this business served not only as a source of personal economic resource, but also served as a bridge to his soul in that it served him to feel a part of a larger community of energy and purpose. I am grateful to have known my friend. I also sympathize for the cost of his peace now paid by his family and friends.
His loss also leads me to an uncomfortable question. Does the chronic stress in this industry affect the emotional well-being and subsequently dim what life for so many? Recently Golf Digest published an article on the Club Pro Crisis and the reality is much of the experience described mirrors that of many in the club business, regardless of business discipline. None of the stresses noted are that of breaking news variety either. However, they are getting much needed further attention. The next generation of the workforce seems to have certainly taken note. Not only has there been a significant decline in enrollment in professional golf management programs, but the same holds true for culinary education and turf management programs.
As each of us navigate a cycle of both economic and emotional stress inflation fueled by an increasingly low trust society, one thing we can each control is how we respond and thoughtfully shift to the world around us. In order to help further a dialogue, consider the following three things:
- Do all committees and boards at your club need to meet at their current rates of frequency? Meeting too often presents a greater risk than not meeting enough. Too many meetings leads to too much personal agenda insertion. This creates heightened stresses where too much time is spent on what is allegedly wrong rather than what we are continuously creating. There is an art to this business of making people happy and oxygen is needed to allow it to flourish. Especially for house, golf and greens committees please take note that your management leadership in these areas is each more taxed than ever. Please let these leaders sing their songs in full before providing feedback at the end of each chorus.
- Adding mindfulness and emotional well-being education for all staff and making it available for all members is absolutely needed. Expressions and recognition of gratitude and self-gratitude is more needed than ever to combat the daily stresses. Helping each person find a more empowered path in our communities is a powerful opportunity today. There are a number of wellness program additions beyond that of an ordinary healthcare platform, 401(k), annual member holiday fund and tepidly attended employee gatherings.
- Membership and employment at each club remains a choice and privilege. Let’s remember that the club should be a place where people speak and behave in a manner close to those on a first date with someone out of their league. If everyone knows a particular person is chronically unhappy, why keep that energy? We once had a client years ago, that polled the staff annually to ask if there was any member that should be terminated for the club for being in not his words, “a jerk?” Ask the staff their thoughts and it will illuminate the chronic stresses beyond their employment structure.
The thing I am grateful of is that the talent and thoughtfulness of the leadership in each of our communities and industries is primed to make significant, generational changes. There is no better group of people to address an industry challenge than each of you in ours. This gives me great hope in our present and future, no matter what the world offers next.
Hugs to all. Sing your songs in full.
Robert J. DeMore, is president, Troon Privé. He can be reached at [email protected].