11/23/2013 6:11 AM
I thought it would be nice for some of us to reflect back on when we first made the jump to being Superintendent and what had impacted us the most after that move. like looking back and giving you most prized piece of advice from your learning curve.
I still remember the day I was giving my position 19 years ago. I was fairly young and cocky and although I knew I did not know everything about my position I had felt that I knew as much as the Superintendent that I worked for could give me. I just knew it was time to move on and make the jump. Thanks to the fact that I had just passed a second interview at one club for its Superintendents position and was chosen for the position, when I received a call from another club where my name was given to the Board without my knowledge. The person calling me just wanted to talk to me and to be honest I did not know the position was even open. After the conversation or interview with the individual I was asked if I could come by the club the next evening and meet a few other people. Since this course was 1 mile from where I lived and grew up I jumped on the opportunity. Next thing I know I am interviewing in front of the entire Board for a position in which they did not even have my resume (was never ask for one). I was really cocky in that interview because in my eyes I was already a Superintendent and it would not matter one way or the other if this club wanted my services or not. Being Cocky or self assured turned out to be the right way to act because after talking to me I left and before I could drive that mile they were already on the phone talking to my wife and offered me the position. 19 years later I am still managing to produce the conditions they desired. But those 19 years gave me lots of knowledge that being an Assistant never did.
The one piece of advice I would want to pass on is when someone at your club has an issue or tells you about something on the course that they seem to think needs attention or done, take it to heart, write yourself a note as not to forget and get on it right away, no matter how small or minor it may seem. In the beginning I would file it in the back of my head and try to get around to it. but time has taught me that if you forget to attend to it, it only looks like you did not care enough to get it checked out and in the long run makes you look either lazy or forgetful. Now I use my Iphone to write myself a reminder and get on it that day. I also make it a point to return to that member later and give them an update as to what I found. At one point I found myself making up excuses as to why the issue may be and even though they were the true reason we may not be able to handle the issue at hand I found that it sounded just like an excuse or like I was putting off the members concerns. Once I caught what I was doing I changed my tactics and now I simply write my self the reminder (usually in front of the member) and get to it. If I already know about the issue and it is one that I have no control over I still make the note and simply return to the member the next day with my knowledge, at least this way I look like I am making an effort to look into the issue at hand instead of simply dismissing it altogether in front of the member. If you truely want to please your members, you first have to start by communicating with them and making them feel that their concerns are legit and that you are using their comments, request or suggestions to better the course.
Sorry to be so long by I find reflecting back brings many great memories. whats bad is it took me over 10 years to learn the above lesson. How I ever made it 19 years is a mystery to me.
What have you learned in your time as being a Superintendent?