Value, as in the value of a product or service, is a subjective concept that can be difficult to measure. When it comes to determining the value of membership in a private club, there are two forces at play. Members have certain expectations about what they will get in return for the dues they pay, and the club as a business must establish a dues level that makes it financially reasonable to meet those expectations. Finding your way to the dues level that will provide the necessary balance between happy members and the club’s long-term financial health begins with a look at three key benchmarks: Full Member Equivalents (FME), Dues per FME and Net Available Cash. more...

In November 2011, the Town & Country Club in St. Paul, MN, under the direction of General Manager Vincent J.C. Tracy, CCM, CCE, started working with the Green Restaurant Association (GRA). Less than two years later, in April 2013, the Clubhouse and the Pool House at Town & Country Club became 2 Star Certified Green Restaurants®.

Town & Country Club is the first country club in the United States to receive this designation with 163.35 GreenPoints™ on the GRA’s rigorous certification scale, having implemented 57 environmental steps. The Town & Country Club Clubhouse has gone 63.35 percent above and beyond the minimum requirements necessary for certification and hopes to receive their third star by the end of the summer. more...

 “No!” exclaimed the second Vice President as his fist crashed onto the boardroom table. The 11 board members sat silently as the General Manager attempted to regain his composure and continue his presentation. Moments passed before he spoke. 

    “What do you mean ‘no’?” inquired the perplexed GM
    “We’re not going to spend any money on the men’s locker room,” replied the second VP angrily. more...

Board Orientations are an integral part of ensuring that your volunteer leaders are engaged in your club. These orientations are the stepping stone for success. Many volunteers that serve in a leadership role have been long-time club members, but do they really know what happens behind the scenes? more...

Another court has held that the Obama Administration acted improperly with its recess appointments and thus has created a lack of quorum for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). On May 16, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held that the NLRB is functioning without a legal quorum and thus unable to issue legitimate rulings (NLRB v. New Vista Nursing and Rehab).  more...

In early May, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit struck down a controversial National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule that would have required clubs to post a notice advising workers of their right to organize a union. The posting rule had been on hold following an April 2012 emergency motion barring its enforcement (May 2013 Legislative Report ).   more...

At the CMAA World Conference held in San Diego in February 2013, club managers at the “Brain Wealth: Building a Fully Invested Brain” session asked about the benefits of meditation. In this article, we’ll explore how meditation can help improve working memory – the primary brain area that a leader is paid to use. more...

No one person can successfully manage a club by him or herself. Teamwork is essential to successful club management, which leads to an enhanced member experience. So, it’s only natural that managers would want to look at teamwork and find ways to improve it. 
 
Instead of looking at strengthening management with an initial goal of simply “improving teamwork,” what if managers approached this from the perspective of the end goal:  more...