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CEO's message |
Chapters hold the key to success
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GCSAA is like many organizations of national scope -- including the federal government -- in that constituents sometimes hold the view that the national body is out of touch with what's going on locally, operates in an "ivory tower" and makes decisions without considering the feelings or input of the people in the field.
We at GCSAA are extremely sensitive to those views, and over the years we've attempted to address these perceptions through our relationship with chapters.
A mandate to work through chapters came from GCSAA's board of directors about 13 years ago and led to the chapter affiliation agreement and a host of other chapter-related actions that have become part of the way we do business.
The annual chapter delegates meeting, the latest version of which was held in Kansas City last month, is extremely important to the relationship. At this event, chapter leaders gather over two days each year to discuss the future of GCSAA and the golf course management profession.
Chapters also played a key role in the Professional Development Initiative. GCSAA representatives visited chapters to discuss PDI and to gather feedback, which was then used to formulate the proposal that was passed by a member vote.
We've also embraced technology to communicate with chapter members via webcasts, one of which recently delivered information and gathered feedback on GCSAA's proposed bylaws change concerning a long-term dues strategy.
GCSAA has had a chapter relations department for many years, and significant staff resources are devoted to this area. We've added to that commitment with two new chapter liaisons, Ty McClellan and Steve Randall, who will spend much of their time in the field with chapter leaders and members.
Steve will focus on chapter organization, including helping local chapters in Michigan and Pennsylvania merge into individual state chapters. Ty will concentrate on chapters that want to improve their programs and services. Also, GCSAA staff who are based away from headquarters have joined area chapters to help improve the local/national information flow.
GCSAA's connection to chapters was reinforced recently by a July directive from the board that states "chapters must be the pervasive working mechanism with which we partner to achieve our goals." This directive arose from board discussions about our efforts to brand Class A members and GCSAA and to market that brand to employers and influential golfers.
For the last couple of years, the board has invited representatives from chapters geographically close to its meetings to attend and provide feedback. Present at the July meeting were representatives of four chapters, and it became clear then that our brand marketing efforts need to include chapter input, and that the effort couldn't become the equivalent of the "unfunded mandates" we so often hear about coming from the federal government to the states. We know that's a model that doesn't work, and any successful effort requires buy-in from our chapters and their members.
So our path on future initiatives is clear: Work collectively with chapters on any new game plan, then use the power of our 104 chapters to execute that plan.
GCSAA recognizes that there are inherent conflicts between national bodies and local entities, and that there often is more loyalty to (and trust in) local organizations than national bodies. That recognition keeps us focused on reaching out to our chapters in all the ways I've mentioned.
Be assured -- especially with our new emphasis on chapters being that "pervasive working mechanism" -- that our business is structured to include our local and state chapters and to keep communication flowing both ways.
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