Month: June 2025

Club Leaders’ Perspectives

Date:

Club Leaders' Perspectives

Insights from Club Leaders:
Navigating Member Value, Effective Governance, and Generational Differences Successfully

Leaders in the private club industry face various complex challenges while also needing to embrace opportunities to enhance member experience, strengthen governance, and bridge generational divides.

Drawing on insights from the 2025 Club Leaders’ Perspectives research, conducted in collaboration with the Club Management Association of America (CMAA), this report explores how forward-thinking clubs are addressing these strategic priorities to meet current and future challenges.

Key Themes & Insights
  1. Why leaders today are confident in the value they deliver, and how many struggle to measure and effectively communicate that value.
  2. While governance practices are evolving, gaps remain in strategic oversight and risk management.
  3. Although generational differences continue to shape expectations, clubs can continue to foster connections through inclusive communication and social programming.

Together, these themes illustrate a broader narrative: that clubs which invest in clarity, cohesion, and adaptability will be best positioned to thrive. The articles that follow offer data-informed perspectives and practical strategies to help club leaders act with intention and lead with impact.

BUILDING BRIDGES TO CONNECT GENERATIONS

Private clubs face growing generational divides due to differing priorities. Older members often focus more on value for dues, while younger members seek modern amenities and new experiences. Clubs can create connections through social events and effective communication to bridge these gaps.

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KEY INSIGHTS TO STRENGTHEN CLUB GOVERNANCE

Private clubs are making progress in adopting governance best practices, but significant opportunities for improvement remain. Club leaders can focus on strategic oversight, risk management, and improving member communication to increase governance effectiveness.

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MAXIMIZE VALUE: MEASURE. COMMUNICATE. ALIGN.

Club leaders and their teams create value for their members but often face challenges in measuring and effectively communicating it. Clubs can help members recognize the benefits they receive by prioritizing effective communication and aligning outcomes to strategic priorities.

Read More

Learn More About This Research
Download the Research Report

The Authors

Michael Gregory
Managing Director & Partner

Neil Brown
Executive Director

Dr. Eric Brey
Director

Ben Hopkinson
Director

Liz McDowell
Director

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5 Reasons To Survey Employees During Peak Season

Date:

If you are a private club leader who is hesitant to run an employee survey during your peak season…you are not alone.

Many businesses, especially those with strong seasonal cycles like private clubs, worry about survey fatigue or skewing results during their busiest periods.

However, postponing employee feedback until the “quiet season” might mean missing out on crucial insights.

Here are the 5 Reasons capturing real-time employee insights, even during peak periods, can be incredibly valuable:

Capturing Reality in the Moment: Your busy season is when your operations are truly tested, and your employees are experiencing the most intense demands. Surveying during this time captures real-time perceptions of workload, resource availability, communication effectiveness, and overall employee experience under actual operating conditions.

Identifying Stress Points & Strengths: You can uncover critical stress points and potential areas for burnout or inefficiency as they happen, not months later when the memory has faded. Conversely, you can also identify what strategies and support systems are working well during high-pressure times.

Actionable Insights for Immediate Impact: Feedback gathered during peak times can lead to adjustments that directly improve the current employee experience, rather than waiting for next season. This immediate responsiveness boosts morale and trust.

Informing Future Planning: Understanding how your team feels and performs under pressure provides invaluable data for future staffing, training, resource allocation, and operational improvements for subsequent busy seasons. It’s a key piece of the puzzle for sustainable success.

Benchmarking Against Real Conditions: For organizations like private clubs, the “busy period” is often the standard operating condition. A survey during this time reflects the true employee journey for a significant portion of the year, offering a realistic baseline.

While we always recommend thoughtful planning, don’t let seasonality be the sole reason to delay vital employee insights. A well-designed, focused survey can be a powerful tool for understanding and supporting your team, even when every table in the restaurant is full!

Let’s connect to talk about the test time to survey your employees.

Eric Hutchison
Director, GGA Partners
eric.hutchison@ggapartners.com
614.271.9355

 

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