managers at work one kitchen, three kitchens, four

www.masterclubadvisors.com

hen I accepted the positionas General Manager atDataw Island, one of the

Board members commented that Iwould be the new Mayor of Dataw,"says Terra Waldron, CCM, GeneralManager of Dataw Island and theDataw Island Club. "We laughed thenand yet, with the way this wonderfulIsland is structured, it feels like I amthe Mayor with two Boards to reportto and a great staff to support me."

Terra has held increasinglyresponsible management positions inthe club industry for over nineteenyears, and her enthusiasm and passionfor this business is very evident. Shemanaged the Sedgefield Country Club,Country Club of Charleston, CedarPoint Club, and Engineers’ Club ofRichmond, respectively. She left herposition as General Manager/COO ofthe prestigious Sedgefield CountryClub in Greensboro, NC, lastNovember to fill the GeneralManager/COO position at the DatawIsland Club on beautiful Dataw Islandin South Carolina.

Terra is one of the most recognizedand respected club managers in theCarolinas and beyond. She wasawarded the 2003 "Outstanding

VOLUME IX, NUMBER III

Managers at Work

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006

Manager of the Year" for the CarolinasSection of Club Managers Associationof America (CMAA). She joinedCMAA in 1984; and during her tenureshe has served on national committees,including Certification, Premier ClubServices, Executive Career Services, At-Conference Career Services, At-Conference Voting, Membership, andSergeant-at-Arms Committees and waselected to the Board of Directors at theDecember 2004 Annual Meeting.

Terra is a Community Association

any club managers yearnfor a single kitchen,which would help them

manage their staffs more efficientlyand reduce the cost of operation of their clubs. Because of thedevelopment of a club over time,however, a single kitchen rarely ispossible. New informal or privatedining rooms have been added, or pool and tennis complexesexpanded, and sometimes totallynew services such as health andfitness complexes have been built.Along with those new member-oriented spaces, there is amembership desire for food service.Sometimes this starts as a sandwich,hot dog, or soup and saladoperation, but frequently it expandsinto a new, and often remote,kitchen operation.

Our kitchen consultants havefrequently said that all clubs haveessentially a minimum of twokitchens if they have the normalmember a la carte dining facilitiesin addition to banquet facilities,even if they are housed in the samespace. But then added to thosefirst two kitchens, there are Men’sGrilles, Ladies’ Grilles, MixedGrilles, the Turn, the Pool, Teenrooms, Tennis facilities, andHealth/Fitness facilities. A la cartepreparation for member diningareas is very different from theassembly line approach to mostbanquets. But storage,refrigeration, beverage service

n an industry continually striving to improve itself, the true goal is consistentservice. Nowhere is this objective more applicable than the private club sector,where guests, clientele and, specifically, members are continuous repeat

customers.

It is fair to say all Managers and Directors seek out the most qualified leaders andexperienced mentors to train and direct their staff. All have sought out that magic,comprehensive service training program, provided materials and scheduled employeesin an effort to achieve the noble goal of 100% customer satisfaction. HarlingenCountry Club in Harlingen, Texas, has subscribed to deliver these commendable yet

FeaturingTERRA S.H. WALDRON, CCM

Dataw Island Club

continued on page 6

One Kitchen, Two Kitchens,

Three Kitchens, FourEugene L. Surber, FAIA

"Concepts for Success"

continued on page 10continued on page 8

"

By Terry Kreider

n the Sunday sports section of mylocal paper there was a recentarticle about Lou Holtz

reminiscing about his tenure coachingthe Norte Dame football team; moreabout that later.

Being a tenured manager myself, thearticle sounded very familiar. In fact, Iimmediately related it to a clubmanagement career, specifically to thestages a General Manager goes throughwhen accepting a new position in aClub. I believe there are three distinctstages – the Getting Acquainted stage,the Building Stage and the MaintenanceStage.

The Getting Acquainted Stage, alsoknown as the Honeymoon Period, isperhaps the simplest. The Board isanxious to show off their new manager;the members, although a bit curious, areexcited about potential changes tocorrect service problems. The newmanager takes time to observe theoperation without accepting completeresponsibility. After all, it wasn’t his partythat went wrong; that’s the way it’salways been. I am not sure how this wasdone, but I will look into the matter foryou is often the company line. Usually,the first year goes by with minimalblood, sweat, and tears.

The second stage is perhaps the mostfun. The Building Stage is a time whenthe manager shines above all, fixingthings that needed adjustment, revisingpolicies, and even implementing thefacility’s renovation that was put on holddue to the lack of confidence in theprevious management. This is what theGM was hired to do and it’s exciting.New twists are added to traditional clubevents, the menus receive new covers, afew of the old, tired staff are replaced bya couple of super stars, excess fat istrimmed from the operation so thebottom line beats budget; why didn’t theprevious manager install an in-houselaundry, it’s much less expensive thanoutsourcing? The members are thrilled

Partner’s PerspectivesLou Holtz Almost Got It Right!

By William A. Schulz, MCM

In This IssueManagers at Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

One Kitchen, Two Kitchens, Three Kitchens, Four . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

“Concepts for Success” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Partner’s Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Stroke Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Idea Fair – Want Results? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Ask Mr. Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Child Care at the Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

How To... Win Someone Over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Quotables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Don’t Fall into the I’m-Not-Creative Trap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Learn From Your Mistakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

and love the new-look newsletter andgetting their food and drinks a bit fasterthan before. Life is good!

The third stage, and probably themost critical, is Maintenance.Maintaining high standards and meetingexpectations on a consistent basis iswithout question; where good managersfocus on maintaining the operation, butgreat managers continue their pursuit ofexcellence. Lou Holtz referred to it as"Keep Dreaming."

Lou Holtz, who led the Irish to theirlast national championship in 1988, told

the team at its annual awards banquetthat one of his biggest regrets is thatinstead of seeking to make it even better,he never went the extra mile after herestored Notre Dame to an eliteprogram. "The thing I truly regret is, wemaintained," Holtz said. "You’re eithergrowing or you’re dying. The minuteyou start maintaining, you start dying."

Lou Holtz, of course, was referring tofootball; but coincidently, being aGeneral Manager in a Club is verysimilar to coaching a sports team.Managers who attempt only to ride onpast successes often find themselves onthe outside looking in. Today’s clubenvironment is defined by a “what haveyou done for me lately” mentality. Mymessage to you, especially those tenuredmanagers who have been in their clubsfor an extended period, is to heed thewords and wisdom of Lou Holtz. Neverstop dreaming of ways to improve theclub and to keep yourself at the top ofyour profession. Don’t allow yourself tobecome complacent; approach every daywith the excitement of the BuildingStage. You won’t regret it. •

2www.masterclubadvisors.com


IDEA FAIRWant results?

Slap a Post-It on thatnext assignment.

Those little Post-It notes canbe mighty persuasive, accordingto a study by psychologyprofessor Randy Garner at SamHouston University in Texas.Participants were asked to fillout a survey. Some of thepackets handed out to theparticipants had a note hand-written on the cover of thesurvey, and some packets hadPost-It notes with a hand-written note written on it.Garner found that participantswere more likely to comply andfill out the survey if there was ahand-written note on a Post-It.Not only that, but participantsalso returned the materialsmore promptly; and they gavehigher quality responses. Amore personalized Post-Itincreased returns when thesurvey was more complex, butwas no more effective than anon-personalized Post-It whenthe survey was a simple task toaccomplish. The researchpoints to the conclusion thatrequests made on Post-Its areinterpreted as a request for apersonal favor, and people aretherefore more likely to complywith requests written on them,even if the person making therequest is a stranger.

Stroke Identification(We ran across this in an email and thought it was worthwhile to share.)

Scenario: During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall.She assured everyone that she was fine – they offered to callparamedics – and just tripped over a brick because of her newshoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food.While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoyingherself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later, tellingeveryone that his wife had been taken to the hospital. At 6:00pm,Ingrid passed away. She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had theyknown how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid wouldbe with us today.

It only takes a minute to read this-

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim withinthree hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. Hesaid the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, andgetting to the patient within three hours, which is tough.

Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps. Read andlearn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify.

Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The strokevictim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail torecognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by askingthree simple questions:

1. Ask the individual to SMILE.

2. Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

3. Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE. If he orshe has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately anddescribe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers couldidentify facial weakness, arm weakness, and speech problems,researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions.They presented their conclusions at the American StrokeAssociation's Annual Meeting last February. Widespread use of thistest could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the strokeand prevent brain damage.

Ask Mr. Manager"How do you get your management team to work together achieving Club objectives rather thanpursuing personal or departmental objectives?"

Response # 1 – Ed Henderson, MCMThis is a challenge I find in many, if

not most clubs. All too oftendepartmental managers are dug deepinto their foxhole of personal concernand resistive to giving up anything forthe good of the whole.

Yet I believe the answer can besurprisingly easy if the general managertruly has authority over all of the club’sstaff. The best solution that I found over time was to drive theprocess through a focused bonus program that required cross-pollination for rewards. I would take the key players and pairthem up in year one, then change the pairings in year two. Forexample, a system where a significant portion of the golf coursesuperintendent’s bonus hinged on the executive chef meeting histargets, and vice versa, in year one, then pairing them withdifferent department heads in following years.

Talk about team building and making allies out of adversaries– that’s precisely what this system did for me. My last clubbefore retirement had operated with a deficit averaging $150,000per year for eight years prior to my arrival. After implementingthe above plan, the club averaged $150,000 a year in profit pluspaid out an additional $60,000 in bonuses to key staff. Mycomment to the key players was that I took a bunch ofbureaucrats and made mini-capitalists out of them. Amazing,huh?

A word of caution about any bonus program: It must beperceived as attainable, and it must be large enough to make itworth while to the participants.

Response # 2 – Norm Spitzig, MCMDuring my years as a General

Manager, I always tried to hiredepartment heads with both the arsenalof technical skills to succeedspectacularly in their particular position(obviously, a given) and, just asimportantly, people who also genuinelyenjoy seeing all departments at the clubflourish. If my department heads didn'ttruly exhibit both of these qualities,they soon were looking for new opportunities elsewhere - no ifs,ands, or buts.

Once I had the right team in place, I used several strategies toinsure that the team concept permeated the operation:

• We had regular, candid staff meetings where everyonelearned about the challenges facing their fellow department heads(and the group often proposed potential solutions).


• We had many opportunities throughout the year fordepartment heads to get together on an informal basis awayfrom the club to better get to know each other (e.g., meals,planning sessions, team-building challenges facilitated by aprofessional, etc.). I always tried to keep the club a fun place towork!

• Every department head's annual performance bonus was, inpart, tied to the success of everyone else’s. For example, thesuperintendent could have a great year on the golf course; but ifthe food and beverage operation did not also meet all their goals,the superintendent might get only 80% of his maximum. (Asyou might expect, this approach increased the desire and specificassistance of all department heads to make sure that everyoneachieved their goals!)

The bottom line is this: A club management team that knowstheir jobs, likes and respects each other, and has some fun alongthe way will help make the club a more enjoyable place for themembers. Isn't that what it's all about?

Response # 3 – William A. Schulz, MCM

I aspire to the philosophy that respectamongst department heads is critical toachieving a cohesive management team.To begin with, I suggest surroundingyourself with the right players not onlyfor you, but taking the otherdepartment heads into consideration aswell. Team players do not need tosocialize together. However, gettingtogether ocassionally for organized events outside of work is agood thing; team players must respect each other for what theycontribute to the operation. As the General Manager, there aresituations you can orchestrate to assist the team building process.Develop goals and objectives that overlap where multiplemanagers are working towards the same or similar goals. Forexample, have the Golf or Tennis Departments work on trainingprograms in conjunction with the Fitness Center; the FitnessCenter working with the kitchen on a nutrition program; Chefworking with Controller on improved controls etc.

Open communication is vital. Department heads shouldnever be hesitant to talk with their counterparts in the otherdepartments. If you sense hesitation, get the individuals togetherto discuss any problems and get the issues on the table.Department head meetings where each manager provides areport about new developments in their particular area andopenly shares problems looking for input can go a long waytowards uniting.

If you have a challenging question for Mr. Manager to address ina future issue of Club Management Perspectives, please forwardto [email protected]


Child Care at the Club

continued on page 9

o you are consideringdeveloping and implementing aChild Care Program at your

Club. Before you get all excited aboutthis possibility, you need to be aware ofthe pitfalls of having a Child CareProgram at your Club.

While there are many benefits tohaving this type of program for yourmembers, there are a few caution areaswith liability concerns that you need toconsider.

Following are suggested guidelines thatyou should think about before engagingin this type of program:

a) Insurance – Check with yourinsurance company to see if theywill insure your club with this typeof program. Then check to seewhat the additional premiums willbe.

b) License & Permits – In most statesit is specified that your "ChildCare" program cannot extend past(4) four hours per day. Otherwise itwill be considered a Day CareFacility that must be licensed bythe state and will fall under anentire set of very strict regulationsand will require operating permitsand licensed staff / employees.

c) Hours of Operation – The hoursof operation at all Clubs weredifferent for their Child CareProgram and were based onmembership usage. Some Clubswere open at 8:30 AM until 9:30PM, where some Clubs were openfrom 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM andthen they closed and then re-opened from 6:00 PM until 9:00PM. It all depends on your usageand demand. One thing toremember is the four-hour rule.

d) Child Age Groups – Rememberthat you will be taking care ofchildren of all ages, so you willneed to establish what age groupsyou are willing to care for. Onceyou have determined age groups,you will need to provide specificareas at the Club to care for these

children. Smaller children mayrequire a crib, diaper changingstation, etc. Older children need tobe entertained, so consider toys,games, video players, educationalprograms, reading corner, etc. MostClubs require that the childrenmust be out of diapers to stay inthe facility.

e) Staffing – Most Clubs manage theirChild Care Program in-house withregular club personnel. ThoseClubs that use outside services havealways gone back to using theirown personnel. The average hourlyemployee makes $8.00 per hour,with the Supervisor making $10per hour. Most Clubs have a ChildCare Manager / Supervisor alongwith two to three additional staffmembers who fill in and take turnssupervising the program. They alsohave additional staff cross-trainedwho know how to supervise thisprogram when called upon, so thatwhen staff members are sick, theyare covered.

f ) Training & DevelopmentPrograms – Most Clubs requiretheir Child Care Employees to betrained in CPR, Basic First Aid,and AED (Automatic ExternalDefibrillator) training.

g) Fee Structure – The fee structure atmost Clubs is an hourly rate perchild, averaging $6.00 per hour toa monthly fee of $45 per memberper month for a single child, andan additional fee of $25 per monthfor an additional child (twochildren in the same family). Themonthly fee provides unlimitedusage. There is a tiered system atmost Clubs for the second child(brother or sister only in the samefamily), at an average hourly rate of$4.00 per hour per additionalchild. When signing up for themonthly fee, members had toguarantee they would be in theprogram for one year; otherwise theprogram was not available to themon an hourly basis. Those Clubs

with an hourly program were moreliberal in their approach andpermitted members to drop theirchildren off without a reservation,space permitting.

h) Late Fees – Most Clubs charge alate fee of $10 per every five-minute period the child is notpicked up past the 4-hourmaximum time limit. This isimportant from a legal standpoint.

i) Disclaimers – Most Clubs have awaiver / disclaimer stating thehours of operation are subject tochange and may be changed at thesole discretion of the Club, askingmembers to please call in advance(as opposed to just dropping yourchild off at the Club) for hours ofoperation for that day. The Clubalso has the right to refuse a childwho is sick, or if the nursery is full.

j) Waivers/Hold HarmlessAgreement – Most Clubs have awell-written "Hold HarmlessAgreement" which is signed eachtime a member drops their child offat the Club, releasing the Clubfrom any liability for a child gettinghurt while in the care of theattendant. Of course in a court oflaw this agreement wouldn’t standup, but it does give the parent theopportunity to take the child to aprofessional / licensed day carecenter.

k) Budgets – Annual income forChild Care Services at your Clubcan be anywhere from $54,000annually to $75,000. At $54,000annually, this equates to 100members paying $45 per month for12 months. The monthly feestructure was the best program toimplement because you can budgetmore effectively and plan yourprogram accordingly. Most Clubslost money the first (4) four yearsof the program and then brokeeven fifth year. The Clubsoperations with an hourly fee lostanywhere from $30,000 to $40,000a year with the program.

By Don E. Vance, CCM

Managers at Work Continued...

Terra checks out the buffet prior to the party.

America. With a proud 20-year history,this secluded and gated 870-acre islandis surrounded by water and pristinemarshes, offering a world classclubhouse and new fitness/activitiescenter; two outstanding 18-hole golfcourses; tennis and croquet courts; afull service (privately owned) marina;and a community of active, caringpeople with diverse interests who enjoya rich and rewarding lifestyle in aunique place they call home. Terrabrings her expertise to this specialisland and offers a leadership thatprovides trust and commitment to eachand every task undertaken.

Unlike other private residentialcommunities, Dataw Island does nothave a property manager. Terra is theChief Operating Officer, overseeing theresidents and staff. Included in thelayout of the island are 38 ponds, 870acres of home sites, common areas, andgolf courses, as well as a detailedinfrastructure of cart, walking, andbike paths. There are even the localalligators to deal with.

When interviewing for this positionone Board member noted, "Terra hasextensive food and beverage experience;her answers to questions on clubmanagement and financial controlswere right on the mark. Sheunderstands and has had hands-onexperience in bringing and keeping golfcourse conditions up to members’expectations. Her references spoke ofher leading by example; being highlyvisible and accessible to members and

staff; willing to make timely and toughdecisions; being a good, open, andreliable communicator; and builderand motivator of staff. She is a believerin and a practitioner of long-rangefinancial and capital and strategicplanning. All of these qualities becameevident during the interview process."

To achieve success, Terra hasmastered a positive attitude and not letobstacles such as gender hamper hercareer path. “When I started my career24 years ago, club managers tended tobe predominately male,” she said. “Iwant to continue to break down thebarriers and offer career opportunitiesfor the best person for a job at Dataw,whether male or female.”

Terra believes in surrounding herselfwith the best possible team ofemployees and providing continuingeducation and resources for her staff.One of her many assets is the ability torecognize employee strengths and skills,then allow the opportunity for use inthe work place. Promotions andcreation of new positions enable thestaff at Dataw to develop a strong teamand communication for a smoothrunning club.

Terra is in the process of implement-ing a program she has used previously to provide the staff a means ofcommitment to their jobs and the

Member, guest lecturer at USC-HiltonHead Campus and USC StudentChapter mentor. She is a member ofBob Southwell’s Think Tank, NCA, andBeaufort Chamber of Commerce. She is an article contributor to CMAApublications and published "A Woman’sWay–Mary Ellen Drummond." In 2000she received the Excellence in EducationAward in San Diego, CA.

"When considering the GeneralManager’s position at Dataw Island,"Terra said, "I knew that I wanted achallenge that would utilize my talents,education, and knowledge."

The gated community of DatawIsland is in a transition with thedeveloper pulling out and changeshappening daily. Previously, the clubmembers owned the club and theresidents owned the island. In 2001 the"One Island Concept" was implementedas a means to bring the island together.

The Island is unique in itsdevelopment and club structure. The"One Island Concept" brings everyonetogether and on the same page. Nownew residents are also club members.The club has classes of members, fromSocial to Sports and Golf. With theremoval of the developer, there are only65 lots out of 1,100 that will betransitioned. The forward movementwill decrease the two Boards to one thatwill oversee both the club and theresidents.

Dataw Island, nestled in the LowCountry along South Carolina’smagnificent coastline, is one of the mostsuccessful private club communities in

Terra greets her guests as they arrivefor the cocktail party


Hurricane Katrina left its mark at the Dataw Island Club.

ability to be held accountable for their specificduties. "It is a living document that relates to theIsland and club as a whole," she said.

Along with overseeing staff, Terra has two setsof Boards of Directors. The Dataw Island OwnersAssociation (DIOA) and the Dataw Island Club(DIC) include all the residents and members ofDataw Island. Terra has found that identifyingeach Board member’s preferred means ofcommunication has enabled her to provide thebest, most accurate service to the Board. SomeBoard members prefer to communicate in personat a sit-down meeting over lunch; other Boardmembers like e-mail or phone communications.Terra provides flexibility even to accommodate adrop-by Board member. "I have an open-doorpolicy and welcome staff, club members, andBoard members to stop by my office anytime,"she explained. "Getting to know the Boardmembers is like getting married every year!" shesaid. "It’s important for healthy communicationto know my audience and for my audience toknow me. It is an ongoing learning experience."With the search selection committee at Datawand my recognized strengths, Norm Spitizigwould best know the answer (she laughs)!

The Dataw Community is a very friendly,caring group that takes pride in their island andBeaufort as their town. Their generosity is veryevident, both with the community and thecountry. Dataw Island residents contributed morethan $15,000 to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts,with contributions going specifically forrebuilding efforts to Long Beach, MS. A team ofsix residents traveled to Long Beach to help withclean-up and tree removal in September. Thisresidential community is able to put theirdifferences aside and see the bigger picture.

Working with residents who have a passion fortheir homes and amenities as well as a staff that isa team has enabled Terra to recognize resourcesand utilize them to the betterment of all of DatawIsland. She presented one of two programs peryear to her staff to educate them on the events ofthe Island. "The State of the Island" addressprovides information to all staff about the islandand the staff ’s role. Information includesemployee benefits, senior staff introductions,Board member introductions, and informationabout continued education resources.

When Terra is not working or volunteering hertime with CMAA on the Board of Directors, shespends time with her husband of 26 years, alongwith her two Maine Coon cats and one bunnynamed Bilbo. She also enjoys riding her bike onsunny days in the Low Country.•

Managers at Work Continued...

Dataw Island, South CarolinaFounded in 1985

# of Members 972

Initiation Fee $35,000 (Equitywith home purchase)

Annual Dues Income $2,129,098

Food & Beverage Sales $1,490,000

Golf Revenue $650,000

Tennis Courts 8

Fitness Center 17,000 Sq. ft.

Swimming Pool 32,000 Sq. ft.

Golf 36 Holes13,445 Yards


facilities, receiving, preparation, andbaking areas can generally be sharedbetween operations.

Can the proliferation of kitchens belimited, or kitchens combined in arenovation? Can new constructionreduce the number of kitchens, andcan clubs be planned so thatexisting kitchens can beexpanded to serve newneeds? We will attempt toanswer some of thosequestions in this article bylooking at a case study andothers in future articles.

For the case study, I wouldlike to describe the changesto the Dunwoody CountryClub in suburban Atlanta,Georgia. Founded as a smallsuburban club, it expandedas the city grew. There hadbeen several expansions inthe 1980s that added fitnessfacilities and a new ballroom,enlarged the locker roomsand added a grille room, andbelow the grille and lockerrooms, added a new proshop as well as bag and cartstorage. The originalclubhouse had a receivingand kitchen storage area on a lower level under thekitchen, with a serviceelevator connecting the twolevels. The major 1980’sadditions also had lowerlevels that included service areasconnected with an elevator, but thenewer lower levels were not connectedto the receiving and storage area underthe original kitchen. The grille kitchenwas about 500 square feet withdumbwaiter service to a dishwashingarea on the level below. The grille wasthe main dining area for members. Itssmall kitchen was across a member hallfrom an even smaller "turn" kitchen.Supplies for the kitchens were receivedon the lower level of the originalsection, moved up through the banquetkitchen, across the ballroom pre-

function space, and down a membercorridor to the grille and "turn"kitchen. Trash moved in the reversedirection. The recent renovations andadditions addressed the disconnectionbetween the service areas and the lackof space for the grille kitchen.

The clubhouse straddles a hilltopand had a one-story section thatincluded the ballroom connecting thetwo multi-story wings. The single-story 80s ballroom was removed. In itsplace was constructed a two-storyelement to include a new ballroom andterraces on the upper level (adjacent tothe existing kitchen); on the new lowerlevel, a new grille room, club lounge,family dining area and a new grillekitchen adjacent to the originalreceiving and storage area were built.A new private dining/formal diningarea was added at the front of the club

on the upper level adjacent to theoriginal kitchen, with storage andemployee facilities below connected tothe original service areas. The newconnecting two-story element alsoallowed the addition of a servicecorridor on the lower level that serves

all three major sections of theclub (the original building, the1980s, and the 2000 additions).The new lower level grillekitchen serves a new "turn,"and is directly connected to theservice area so no food serviceor trash goes through memberareas. Although in fact twoseparate kitchens serve the mainclubhouse, they are one abovethe other, sharing outsideservice areas, storage areas, andemployee facilities, being moreeasily supervised by management.

In addition to the mainkitchen, the turn, and the grillekitchen, the DunwoodyCountry Club has separatetennis and pool food service.The Master Plan for the clubproposes combining the pooland tennis facilities in thefuture.

Not every club will befortunate enough to have a sitethat allows the addition of anew lower level. However manyclubs do have poorly- or under-used basement areas that can beimproved to serve as connectors

between service areas or separatekitchens, permitting them to sharestorage, refrigeration, and other back ofthe house functions without passingthrough member areas.•

Eugene L. Surber, FAIA is a principal ofSurber Barber Choate & HertleinArchitects, an Atlanta-based firmproviding programming, master

planning, and design services for newclubhouses and for clubhouse expansions

and renovations.

One Kitchen, Two Kitchens, Three Kitchens, Four Continued...



HOW TO…Win Someone Over

If you want to win people overto your way of thinking, here aresome guiding principles to helpyou.

• If you want to get the best outof an argument—avoid it.

• Always show respect for anotherperson’s opinions.

• When you’re wrong—admit it.• Be friendly.• Find a way to get the person to

agree with you on somethingright away—even if it’s just asmall point.

• Let the other person talk—alot.

• Allow the other person to thinkthe idea is hers.

• Try to see from the otherperson’s perspective.

• Be truly sympathetic to whatthe other person is saying.

• Try to appeal to noble notionsin the other person.

QUOTABLES

"Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they thinkthey can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe,remember, you can achieve."

– Mary Kay Ash

"You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would likethem to go."

– Jeanette Rankin

l) Security / Observation Programs – All Clubs who have a Child Care Programhave installed a closed circuit television / security camera monitoring system thatis on 24-hours a day, monitoring the room where the children are cared for. Afew Clubs have a separate security system that is independent of their Clubsecurity monitoring system. This way if the main system goes down, theindividual system, which operates on a battery back-up power system, stays on-line, should there be any incidents. Most Clubs have a digital security monitoringsystem as opposed to a VHS system. The digital system is more accurate,efficient, and reliable. You can expect to pay around $25,000 for this type ofsystem, which includes your video monitoring equipment and cameras.

m) Incident Policy – You need to have an Incident Policy in place, along with anincident form that logs each incident, so that you have it on record on a dailybasis.

n) Medical Insurance Form – It is recommended that you require a medicalinsurance form for each child, which is kept in file at the Club in the Child Carearea for quick reference. Children who are sick are not permitted to be droppedoff at the Club.

o) Member Comments and Complaints – You need to have a member comment /complaint form and suggestion box in the Child Care area for those moms anddads who always have great ideas on how you could improve the program. Thelocation of your facility is critical and should not be located next to your Men’sGrille, Card Room, Locker Rooms or other locations that are deemed non-appropriate locations (noise issues, etc.) for a Child Care Facility.

p) Club Rules / Member Bylaws – Each Club has a well-written program outlinedin their Club Rule Book with regard to Child Care at the Club. If you adopt thisprogram to your Club, you would have to update your Club Rule Book andBylaws to accommodate the specific language that protects the Club with thisprogram. Most Clubs have a policy where the member cannot leave the property,leaving their child at the Child Care Program. A few Clubs do permit membersto leave Club property, but they have an emergency contact form that thesemembers fill out that includes the member’s cell phone, office, or businessnumber for emergency purposes. They also limit each child’s visit to four hoursor less per visit, specifying this in the Club Rules.

q) Child Care Policies – It is recommended that you have a well-written Child CarePolicy Manual / Handbook stating the Club’s Child Care policies. One policythat you need to make sure to include should state that non-members’ children

Child Care at the Club Continued...

continued on page 12

CMAA 2006 WORLD

CONFERENCE ON

CLUB MANAGEMENTFebruary 23 - March 1, 2006

When at conference be sure toattend partner Norm Spitzig, MCM,

and Paul Skelton, CCM,presentations.

~

Monday, February 27th6:00 to 7:30 a.m.

“Everything Your Always Wantedto Know About Developer-Owned

Clubs but Were Afraid to Ask”

~

Tuesday, February 28th7:00 - 8:30 a.m.

“Equity Transition Panel Discussion”


continued on page 11

“Concepts for Success” Continued...

difficult to achieve standards to ourmembers and guests

After researching several servicetraining programs, we ultimatelyincorporated aspects of each into aprogram which we determined fit ouroperation. Shortly after beginning oursessions, the Assistant Manager and Ireviewed what we had discussed andthe employees’ reception of thematerial covered. We had bothobserved a glazed, go-through-the-motions, detached demeanor staringback at us at our training sessions.Perhaps some material was resonating,but realistically, most was notremembered. We were lacking a levelof dialogue that examined the crucialpoints of service but communicated ina fashion "where the rubber meets theroad." That is to say, we neededapplicable conversation in terms whichour employees could relate to in themode and language they understood.

The first order of business was tocreate a Harlingen Country Clubservice motto stating our goal: "Toprovide all members and guests with apleasant and enjoyable diningexperience from the beginning to theend, each and every visit."

Secondly, we isolated what wethought were crucial elements andmindsets needed to achieve our goal.Hence, the "Concepts for Success"were born. These concepts consisted ofteamwork, sincere care, common sense,professional attitude, continuousevaluation, and anticipation anddeliverance.

The following are examples of theconcepts we used to "hit home" withour staff:

Teamwork – We typically subdivideour dining rooms and banquet facilitiesby stations, a common practice in mostoperations where small teams ofemployees are directly responsible forspecific areas and guests. Weemphasized practices such as if you'rerefilling tea and you notice a table in

the section beside yours needs to berefilled, by all means cover for your co-worker and refill the tea. Communi-cation was stressed in areas such as thetaking of food or drink orders for yourco-worker adjacent to you when he orshe was perhaps busy elsewhere. Theold adage, "You're only as strong asyour weakest link," hits home whenpersonal ownership and responsibilityfor the overall event are incorporatedinto daily practice.

Sincere Care – This expression isevidenced by a friendly smile and truedesire to please. We emphasize eyecontact and name recognition ascrucial elements in demonstrating thisconcept to our members and guests.Also, familiarity with menu items anda willingness to provide and deliver"special requests" are stressed. We alsoincorporated role-playing whichdemonstrated indifferent or unfriendlyservers and how dramatically evidentthat negative demeanor portrays itself.

Common Sense – We emphasizethinking beyond the task at hand. Ouremployees are competent, responsiblecitizens capable of managing familieswhere decisions are continually madein the best interest of those at hand.We stress bringing this "ownership"mentality to the workplace with a "dowhat it takes" attitude. The element of timing is stressed in this portion,pertaining to ordering and delivery ofcourses at the correct times.

Professional Attitude – In a worldwhere food and beverage servers areperceived as a transient workforce, Ibelieve we lost some of the glamourand prestige once owned by thisvaluable element of society. I relate apersonal story of knowing severalwaiters during my apprenticeship yearsat Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania wholiterally put their kids through collegeworking as professional waiters. Keepyour chin up! The industry andsociety need you, and you are valuable.

And, oh by the way, you lookmarvelous in that pressed uniform!

Continuous Evaluation – Weemphasize, whether we know it or not,that someone is always watching us.Do you know we are generallyremembered for our deeds, not ourwords? Perhaps we think evaluationonly takes place twice a year whenwe're "called on the carpet" by ourboss. Not so. Our co-workers oftenknow exactly what we're doing (or not)at all times! Members and guests areliterally monitoring our every move.Management has made an effort toupdate our employee handbook andjob descriptions to inform ouremployees of their responsibilities. We also place a strong emphasis onworking together as a well-oiledmachine, cheerfully executing ourmission, covering for each other, alwayskeeping our members’ needs in thefore-front. I ask, when walking downthe hall and no one is watching, "Doyou stop and pick up the crackerwrapper or walk on by?" I've begunpracticing what I preach recently bymaking a little game for myself. WhenI enter or exit the Clubhouse to orfrom my vehicle, I look for a piece ofpaper, a Styrofoam cup, a cigarettebutt, a straw or any other debris in theparking lot, and try picking upsomething each time. Sometimes, Ifind nothing; other times there’s a lotto pick up and it's my job, too!

Anticipation and Deliverance – Thiscould perhaps be the finishing touch toour members’ or guests’ overall clubexperience. I had learned of thesignificance of this concept from awaiter I had worked with years ago,who told me, "You know, I really enjoytrying to figure out in advance whatmy guests are going to ask for. I enjoytaking it to them and watching theexpressions on their face as if to say‘How did you know I needed that?!’Or, ‘did you read my mind?’" Bottom


Don’t Fall into the I’m-Not-Creative TrapOne thing that is true about all people is that we are born with a great

core of creativity at our center. Creativity is paramount in clubs due tothe "what have you done for us recently" syndrome. The trouble is thata lot of us have lost our ability to tap into this core. Sometimes peoplespend years pining after their desire to be creative.

There are lots of reasons this happens. Sometimes people havesuffered a trauma early in life, some people were never nourished orencouraged in any way, and some people were criticized so severely thatthey abandoned all hope of doing anything they really wanted to do.

If you grew up believing that you were not creative, it is time that youabandoned that belief. Of course you’re creative; everyone is. Believingthat you are not creative is often an excuse for not using your creativeabilities. Believing that you have no talent holds you back from usingwhat you do have.

If you’ve ever taken a class in what you want to do, say creativewriting, and you’ve dropped out because you felt like you were the onlyone who couldn’t write, you might believe that you were born withouttalent. Julia Cameron, the author of The Artist’s Way, says this is theequivalent of dropping out of a foreign-language class because you can’talready speak the language.

You can develop your talents, and you should, because it will giveyour life meaning and help your Club to prosper.

Learn from YourMistakes

Many people tout "learningfrom your mistakes" as animportant skill. But first, mostpeople need to be able torecognize a mistake. While thismight sound easy, often it’s not.

Most people probably need toredefine what they think areproblems. It would be helpful tothink of certain experiences in theclub as mistakes rather thansomeone else’s problems. In theclub, when a co-worker orsomeone else comes to tell ussomething—and we don’t likewhat we hear or we become toodefensive—we need to take note.Redefining this kind of experienceas a problem allows you to dealwith and improve a greaternumber of negative situations.

Take the initiative to askyourself and others what youcould have done differently.Explore options for prevention ofproblems with others.

Make a commitment and planto use your new knowledge in thefuture to avoid making the samekind of mistake again.

“Concepts for Success” Continued...

line, that effort translates into an extremely large tip! And, to no small degree for ourstaff, it's all about making a living. A simple example I use is when a member orders aburger and fries, don't make them ask for the ketchup. Everyone's a winner when youtake it to them before they ask.

In summary, I hope that my comrades in Club Management are able to glean a fewuseful practices from our experiences at Harlingen Country Club. Ultimately, as weknow, there must be a consuming love for our profession, a literal desire from theheart to dedicate one's self to that consistent, pleasurable accommodating of ourfellow man. When we find co-workers with equal enthusiasm towards this passion, wehave found a good thing.

Terry L. Kreider is the General Manager at the Harlingen County Club, Harlingen, TX.


MASTER CLUB ADVISORS“Search Consultants to

the Private Club Community”

Principals & Senior Partners

Edward Henderson, MCM731-668-4322 • [email protected]

William Schulz, MCM713-252-2753 • [email protected]

Norman Spitzig, MCM352-735-5693 • [email protected]

“FRIENDS OF THE FIRM”

Club Managers Association of AmericaDedicated to providing education and

advancing professionalism

National Club AssociationAdvocates for private clubs

Club EssentialLeader in interactive websites for clubs

David Meyers Associates, Ltd. Executive chef searches for clubs

Michael G. Leemhuis, CCMGolf Operations

CLUB MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES

Editor & PublisherWilliam A. Schulz, MCM

[email protected]

Contributing EditorsEdward Henderson, MCM

Norman J. Spitzig, Jr., MCM

MASTER CLUB ADVISORS

Executive PlacementSymposiumsPublicationsConsulting

SupportRita Jo Kuehnert, CCM

Midge Young

Child Care at the Club Continued...

are not permitted to use the Club Child Care facilities, nor are guests ofmembers permitted to use the facility. In addition, most Clubs do not permitunauthorized individuals to drop children off at the Club, unless they are theparent or guardian of the child. In addition, unruly children will not bepermitted and may be expelled from the Day Care Program at any time atthe sole discretion of the Club.

r) Business Considerations – While most Clubs have stated the Child CareProgram has been effective at their Club, they said they couldn’t gaugewhether the Club’s business has increased in the dining rooms, or on thetennis courts, or on the golf course. The program is more of an amenity andconvenience for the membership and not a moneymaker.

s) Facility Amenity Considerations – Most Clubs have provided two areas inthe Child Care Facility to accommodate younger children and older children.All Clubs provided video games, child play centers, lockers, shoe blockstorage facilities, toys, games, televisions for movies, etc., for the children.

t) Children File System – Most Clubs keep a file folder on each child, alongwith a digital photo of the child or a Polaroid photo. The file also includesthe emergency information, the age of the child, weight, height, race, and soforth. If you have any problems, the supervising employee or a member ofmanagement can access the file.

Conclusion – Child Care at the Club is a great program, but again it has itsliabilities which should be highly considered and reviewed before you open yourdoors to this type of program. Each state has a list (book) of minimum standardsthat they require, along with an accreditation criteria. You can search on-line toobtain this information.

Donald E. Vance, CCM is the General Manager/Chief Operating Officer at theCountry Club of Mobile, AL. Don first presented his report on Child Care at the2005 Great Country Clubs of the South Symposium.

MAKE SURE YOUR EMPLOYEES KNOW

YOUR CLUB

Being a manager, there’s one thing you’ll want to be sure that youremployees are armed with—and that’s knowledge about the club and theproducts or services you offer. A fatal flaw for many clubs and managersis that they assume that employees already have this knowledge, but thetruth is that lots of times they don’t. So take it upon yourself to meetindividually and communicate with the staff. Go over some of the basicswith those you feel it is necessary for – employees to understand. Makesure you do this tactfully. There is a natural way to deliver thisinformation through conversation without making people feel they arebeing singled out in some way. Make sure that employees understand theoverall goals of the clubs and how what they do fits in the big picture.Sometimes employees just don’t get this for one reason or another, andit’s your job to make sure that they have what they need to do a goodjob for you and the club.•

managers at work one kitchen, three kitchens, four

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