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Part of a great foundation is about being part of a family, whether it is biological or chosen. Creating a structure where you can support others and benefit from their support when you need it strengthens the person you can be. 

What does your family look like? Perhaps you are married with children. Perhaps you are single or divorced with children. Perhaps you are the child of parents. Perhaps you are a sibling? Perhaps you have grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. If you watched the television show “Friends” you could see and example of six friends who although only two of them were related biologically they became a family who was there for each other. When my wife and I were young parents we moved three thousand miles from our families to the West Coast. Two other couples that we knew from back home did the same and now twenty years later we have spent most family occasions together and our children have grown up together more like cousins than the relationships they have with their actual cousins.

Families can take on many configurations but regardless of what they look like they can be an important part of our personal foundations. For most people the reality is that jobs, material objects, acquaintances will come and go but family will be there when all else fades away. 

I have coached over three thousand people and I have been trying to recall if I have coached anyone who has told me that their family is just not important to them. I can tell you with great certainty that I have coached hundreds who tell me that their family is the most important thing to them. This can be a challenge when you work in a career that demands that you sometimes spend many hours and days away from your family. Some would say that their chosen career is one where their family suffers, while others in the same career have found that it has provided brilliantly for their families and given them flexibility to be there at times when others would have found it difficult.

What I would like you to consider is not how a career affects the strength of a family but rather how the strength of a family impacts a career, your health, your happiness and your prosperity.

In the book “The Greatest Salesman in the World,” Og Mandino talks about being present in the moment when one of the characters says “I will think naught of my family when I am in the market place for this will cloud my thoughts. So too will the problems of the market place be left in the market place and I will think naught of my profession when I am in my home for this will dampen my love.”

This speaks to the challenge that I hear from many of my clients is that perhaps their family doesn’t get the best of them when they do come home. If you come home exhausted after taking care of hundreds of people, if you come home with little patience and some irritability, or if you come home still engaged in some of the issues you have been dealing with during the day, good luck in strengthening relationships in your life. If our families are the most important thing, they deserve the best of us. When we can be present with them, having fun, listening to them, learning with them and truly being with them the family gets stronger. 

When people leave a turbulent home to go to work they may have trouble leaving the family issues at home when as Og puts it they go back into the marketplace. When they are not as present in the market place their energy, performance and decision making suffers which may mean they have to stay later to get things done. They may be bringing guilt into the workplace as they think about what they have missed doing at home.

When we strengthen the family our relationship becomes easier, there is less drama and less energy wasted.

Those who have built strong families will tell you that you truly know what you have when times get tough. When someone in the family is ill or someone has lost a job or experienced the loss of a loved one then we start to see the depth of a family. I was recently talking to a twenty four year old young man whose father passed away suddenly at a family event. I couldn’t get over his strength. He told me that he had lost his best friend but he said that there were over one thousand people at his dad’s funeral, his friends had all come to visit him every night of the week since his dad’s death and people he didn’t even know were dropping food off at the house so his mom wouldn’t have to cook. 

Conversely I knew an angry man that had alienated himself from family. He had no contact with any of his ex-wives. His parents were gone. His siblings would have nothing to do with him. He was alone. When he was dying of cancer I went to see him. I am not sure if anyone else did. 

These are two very contrasting stories. One about a man who lived a wonderfully fulfilling life where he could accomplish a lot outside the home with a strong family foundation and one never felt supported and who never seemed fulfilled and would make people in his path pay for it.

It is my hope for you that you can see the importance of taking the effort to build those relationships in your family so that it is a wonderful foundation, a refuge from the storms and joyous place to be.

As I wrap up this article I would just like to express how thankful I am for my family. I have an amazing immediate family and as I write this, my wife and I have been married for 12,500 days. We have three wonderful children. My parents and eldest brother are gone, but I still have a brother and two sisters. I am thankful for all of those who have joined my family over the years and my CMAA family as well.

Kevin MacDonald and Shelley MacDougall are the coaches for the CMAA. You can reach Kevin at kmacdonald@dccnet.com or Shelley MacDougall at newreality@telus.net. Or call the Toll Free Coaches Line at 1(866)822-3481.

Labor trafficking is a form of human trafficking that involves forcing individuals to perform labor or services against their will for little or no pay. Labor trafficking happens across many industries in the U.S. such as ag-riculture, food service and hospitality. It can also be called forced labor, involuntary child labor and debt bondage. 

Labor traffickers often present themselves as legitimate job recruiters or employers who lure victims with promises of an education, high for travelers to know what forced labor is, what it looks like and how to report it. Travelers are on the front lines of potentially observing labor trafficking at hospitality locations such as gas stations, travel centers, rest stops, hotels, motels and resorts. 

Victims of labor trafficking can be any age, race, gender or legal status. People most susceptible to becoming a victim of labor trafficking are those with undefined immigration statuses, large debts and those living in poverty. 

Indicators of labor trafficking include, but are not wages or exciting travel opportunities. Traffickers use force and coercion to gain and keep control of their victims, often taking passports or identification documents. Victims often experience physical and mental abuse by the trafficker, threats of deportation and/or threats of violence towards themselves or their families. 

As domestic travel increases during the summer, it is especially important limited to, the following: 

• Is the person not in control of his/her own money? 
• Is the person not in possession of his/her own identification documents (ID or passport) or defer to someone else when asked for their identification documents? 
• Does the person work excessively long and/or unusual hours? 
• Is the person not allowed breaks or suffers under unusual restrictions at work? 
• Is the person often in the company of someone to whom he or she defers? 
• Is the person fearful, anxious or tense? 
• Does the person avoid eye contact or seem afraid to speak? 
• Has the child stopped attending school? 

To learn more about the indictors and how to report suspected human trafficking, please visit our website.

Maria M. Odom is the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman for the Department of Homeland Security and appointed Chair of the DHS Blue Campaign.

During your next public speaking opportunity: interview, speech or presentation; follow these guidelines to help you look and sound more comfortable even if on the inside you feel terrified!

• • Move slower. The fastest indicator of nervousness will be your body language. Approximately 50 percent of your perceived confidence when speaking in public will be deduced from your hand gestures, posture, and facial expressions. When you walk, or gesture with fewer sporadic movements, you will be perceived as more in control of your energy.

• Talk slower. The second fastest indicator of nervousness is the speed of your voice. Approximately 40 percent of your perceived confidence when speaking in public will be deduced from three vocal dynamics: Volume, Pausing and Speed. When you say your words slower, you will be perceived as more in control of your emotions.

• Ask questions. Instead of feeling as if you have to carry all of the presentation, make it interactive. Ask questions, facilitate discussions and welcome immediate feedback. Answering questions and generating discussions can reduce your fear and increase the listener’s enjoyment of your presentation.

Being nervous makes you a human. Being prepared makes you a professional.

Vincent Ivan Phipps, is owner of Communication VIP Training and Coaching, He is an award winning trainer and speaker. His expertise is in the areas of: Communication, Motivation, Leadership and Customer Service. www.NoUms.com

So how are you doing in the process of building a personal foundation? In this series of ten articles this is the eighth. If you haven’t been following the series, here is a quick overview of the ten topics:

Clearing Unresolved Matters
Restoring Integrity
Getting needs met
Extending Boundaries
Raising Standards
Stop Tolerating
Seeing the Positive Side
Strengthening the Family
Building a Strong Community
Reorienting around Values

If this is the eighth article I am submitting then it should be about Strengthening the Family, but as I sat down to write this, I felt compelled to do number nine in the series. It is not that it is more important than strengthening the family but due to current events it is very timely. Number nine is entitled “Building a Strong Community.”

Let’s start by defining what a Community is. A community is a group of people that we coexist with. A community is a group of people that we care about and that cares about us. The members of a community have a vested interest in supporting the members of that community.

So, are you part of a community? Well, most of us are members of many communities. We live in a community, a neighborhood, a city or town. We have a community at work made up of members and staff. Our clubs have communities that live around them; many may be members, many may not be. We may have an ethnic, cultural or spiritual community. We may have a community that we have built through participation in a sport, a hobby or a special interest. Of course CMAA is an obvious example of a community that is industry-based. Our state or country is a community and for that matter humanity is a community.

Why do people put effort into building and supporting a community? Well there are lots of reasons. Many do it to make a difference or to affect the lives of others. Some do it to show gratitude for all that the community has done for them. Some do it because something needs to be done. When you look at it from a foundational perspective the reality is that sometimes the challenges we face are bigger than something we can or would choose to handle by ourselves. Knowing that we have a community to hold us up when we are feeling vulnerable, hurt or powerless can make a significant difference in our rate of recovery or in some cases our survival.

I have personal experience in the CMAA community as a member, a chapter leader, and, for the past thirteen years, as a coach for its membership. The fact that coaching services were set up is another example of a community providing a service to enhance the professionalism and security of its members and provide support when one of its members is in need. One of the motivating reasons to have coaching services in the beginning was to create another level of support for club managers who have lost their jobs. If you have ever lost a job you will know that your community can play a huge role in your efforts to move on to your next opportunity. My observation, from all of the vantage points that I have seen this organization from, is that there is a direct correlation between the amount of support you receive from the community and the amount of effort and support you put into the community. In this community there is a lot of support that you have access to regardless of the amount that you have put in, but it is quite amazing to see the way people reach out to support those who have reached out to them, stayed in touch over the years or simply were open to building a relationship if even for a moment.

Think about the different possibilities for a club manager who is going through a transition alone versus a club manager who is going through the process with the support of many people from his or her CMAA community. Now think about that person being supported by four or five communities outside of CMAA.

About a year after I lost my job as a club manager I was asked to speak at a local chapter meeting. Before I spoke I saw the list of 25 club managers that would be in attendance. I made note that 24 of the 25 had reached out in some way to support me. The one who didn’t had only been in his new job for a week and we had never met. I was supported with notes, phone calls, invitations for lunch or golf, introductions, information on possible jobs, encouragement, recommendations and perhaps most importantly, interest in how I was doing. I had one CMAA member who called me and told me that he would be calling me once a week to see how he could help me and that he would continue calling me until I told him to stop.

I had one person from my CMAA community say, “I am about to say something to you and I do not want you to respond in any way. I would just like you to hear this. If you and your family find yourself in a situation where you need money all you have to do is send me a note with an amount of money written on it and a cheque will arrive.” I never needed to write that note, but knowing that I could gave me the realization that years earlier when I accepted the position as a club manager of a club in Canada, my community expanded well beyond the suburbs of Vancouver.

How are you doing at building the communities that you are part of? There are so many ways! It could be a big effort in the wake of a disaster like a Tsunami or a Hurricane. It could be by opening checkbook and helping financially. It could be staying in touch. It could be spending time with the elderly person who has lost a spouse or coaching a child’s team. There are so many ways to do it, but just know that building community is an integral part of building a personal foundation.

Kevin MacDonald and Shelley MacDougall are the coaches for the CMAA. You can reach Kevin atkmacdonald@dccnet.com or Shelley MacDougall atnewreality@telus.net. Or call the Toll Free Coaches Line at 1(866)822-3481.

The golf industry has watched the meteoric growth of the golf entertainment company, Topgolf, with hopeful interest and excitement. With 27 venues worldwide including the new flagship venue in Las Vegas and more to open in 2016, Topgolf expects that more than 12 million guests will visit and play in 2016. Perhaps most exciting for the growth of golf is the fact that Topgolf has been able to attract two demographics that have been identified as primary growth areas for golf: millennials and women.

According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF) and its 2015 US Golf Participation Report, only 24 percent of the 24.1 million golfers are female and fewer than 30 percent are millennials. Onboarding more women and millennials to golf and keeping them engaged in the game would have a major impact on the current and future participation in golf. With 57 percent millennial and 32 percent female guests, Topgolf has clearly removed barriers that have kept these groups from traditional golf. Further, according to a recent study by the NGF, more than 50 percent of all Topgolf guests have expressed that interest in playing traditional golf has been positively influenced by their Topgolf experience, demonstrating the company is an ideal access point through which people are experiencing golf. However, to truly grow the game of golf, these casual visits and first swings need to convert to golfers who will develop their skills and potentially play traditional golf. Read more...

It’s an issue all employers face or will face—how, if at all, should we accommodate an employee who gives us notice that he or she is transgender and will be coming to work as a person of the other gender. (This morning on the news, I heard of a lawsuit against the federal government by a citizen who objected to having to identify as either gender.) In workplaces where the dress code requires only “professional attire” or a similar gender neutral description, the issue doesn’t seem too deep. (As a federal judge is reported to have said, “the sun will still rise tomorrow” even if a particular employee changes gender presentation.)  

But then, the employer thinks about restrooms or locker rooms. Can employers require transgender employees to use a restroom or locker room designated for persons with similar genitalia. Can employers require transgender employees to use gender-neutral, single user restrooms or family restrooms. How far should employers go to protect social norms of gender-specific privacy in the restrooms and locker rooms?

The EEOC has offered guidance on this issue. Employees are entitled to have access to a restroom, and denying access to a restroom designated for women, to an employee who identifies as a woman, is sex discrimination. See EEOC, “What You Should Know About EEOC and the Enforcement Protections for LGBT Workers” (last visited July 21, 2016). The same can probably be said for locker rooms. 

In one case involving a federal employee, the EEOC went further and suggested how employers should communicate with transgender employees and others in the workplace over these sensitive restroom issues:

[Employers] are certainly encouraged to work with transgender employees to develop plans for individual workplace transitions. For a variety of reasons, including the personal comfort of the transitioning employee, a transition plan might include a limited period of time where the employee opts to use a private facility instead of a common one. 

Circumstances can change, however . . . . [Employers] should . . . view any plan with a transitioning employee related to facility access as a “temporary compromise” . . . .

We recognize that certain employees may object - some vigorously - to allowing a transgender individual to use the restroom consistent with his or her gender identity. . . . But supervisory or co-worker confusion or anxiety cannot justify discriminatory terms and conditions of employment. Title VII prohibits discrimination based on sex whether motivated by hostility, by a desire to protect people of a certain gender, by gender stereotypes, or by the desire to accommodate other people’s prejudices or discomfort. 

Lusardi v. Dep’t of the Army, EEOC Appeal No. 0120133395, 2015 WL 1607756 (Mar. 27, 2015). 

In short, the EEOC’s view is that transgender employees have a right to access the restroom or locker room designated for those who share the employee’s gender identity. If an employer has visitors or other employees who object to using a shared restroom, the employer may suggest the objecting employee use a single-user or family restroom. 

To put a fine point on it, employers are free to offer special accommodation to employees who suffer from gender-based shyness, but the accommodation cannot restrict the rights of their transgender co-workers. 

This is an evolving area of law, and we will be keeping a close eye on any developments. In addition, purely private clubs are exempt from some federal civil rights laws, but in many states there are parallel laws from which they are not exempt. Regardless of whether the club is exempt from any such laws, all employers will be faced with conflicting rights and interests of a variety of employee populations, and the transgendered employees will continue to be one of those populations.

William A. Wright is a partner in the law firm of Sherman & Howard L.L.C. in Colorado and Arizona. Bill may be reached at (303) 299-8086 or by email at wwright@shermanhoward.com. This article is for informational purposes and is not legal advice.

What do a radio announcer, a cake decorator, a railroad operator and a theatre teacher have in common?  Believe it or not, they all have successful careers in club management and are all part of the success of the private club I presently manage. There are of course essential talents needed for various skilled positions, yet when adding to staff, do not discredit lack of experience in a certain area to mean lack of dedication. Talent exists in all shapes, sizes and forms so it is important to maintain an open mind and keen sense of emotional intelligence when adding to the team. The lesson here is, when it seems as if good help is nowhere to be found, don't be afraid to think outside of the box when looking to add to your team.

As a candidate, a positive attitude and enthusiasm for a position are a primary quality to show during the hiring and interview process. All the rest can be learned and taught with time. As managers, being able to recognize those candidates with these qualities is a valuable skill. Successfully hiring individuals from unlikely professional backgrounds, who show great potential to make a positive contribution to the team greatly contributes to lower employee turnover rates and can even improve morale with a contribution of new perspectives and ideas.

When interviewing candidates, read between the lines and connect the dots in career paths by ask questions regarding job changes and unusual moves. But above all, look for the "fire" and those intangible qualities in a person and be willing to take a chance. All the rest can be taught. If ever in doubt, the use of personality profiles are quite valuable in assisting in the hiring process if there is even a hint of trepidation in filling an important role. Getting the "right people on the bus" can take some time and mistakes can and will be made. That being said... it is always worth it. 

Once new talent is brought on board, employees need to be trained and trained well. Never assume that someone will simply know what to do by watching others in their work group. Initiative is one thing, but proper on boarding and ongoing training programs assures a new employee has been set up for success with the proper tools and resources to do the job well. This means that opening and closing procedures, checklists and well defined objectives and expectations need to be explained in detail.

And remember, as time passes, don’t get too busy to value each individual on the team. In addition to employee recognition programs, a simple wave "hello," 'happy birthday" and "thank you" expressed with a sincere smile speaks volumes.

Dana R. DiChiara, CCM, CCE, has been working at Mountain Brook Club in Birmingham, AL for the past sixteen years, leading in the role of general manager since 2008. She is a hospitality professional with a diverse background ranging from private clubs, universities, cruise ships, dinner theatres and amusement parks. Dana is currently serving her third year as president of the Alabama Chapter of the Club Managers Association of America.

Summer is the Saturday of the year! The longer days of sunshine along with the fun outdoor activities can bring promise and adventure to this season. Unfortunately, the increased temperatures and more people out and about can cause an increase in impatience and shorter tempers. This phenomenon is such a nomenclature it has become incorporated into our vernacular through common expressions/terms such as:

• Hot headed
• Cool headed
• Steamed (up)
• Hot under the collar
• Getting red hot
• Blow off some steam
• Keep your cool
• Cool as a cucumber
• Seeing red

According to an article posted on PsychCentral.com, “27 percent of us are summer haters. Summer haters are those who are more likely to get angrier when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees.”

In other words, for about 3 out of 10 people, the hotter they get due to the temperature the hotter they get emotionally. Read more...