by
Shane Conroy
| Dec 21, 2020
I still remember where I was when I first saw the phrase "fail to plan, plan to fail." It was during freshman year of high school. It was the football team’s slogan for the season. While I did not play football – I was involved in the European version of futbol – I still recall the phrase and implement it regularly. I later learned it was Benjamin Franklin who coined the phrase, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Whether it is daily, weekly, monthly or yearly, the importance of Franklin’s words ring true today and are vital to success.
With the new year nigh upon us, many of us are in the thick of planning for 2021 – which has been made more difficult due to the uncertainty of COVID-19. Whether it is agronomic calendars, budget forecasts or long-range projections, plans must be in place to achieve success. GCSAA-affiliated chapters are no different. Successful chapters have strong leadership and strong leadership begins with efficient planning. Chapter board members and leaders spend countless hours ensuring the chapter’s success – this includes planning the event calendar & education, budgeting, and managing chapter committees to name a few.
Not only just attending board meetings and serving on committees, often, chapter managers and board members partake in industry education events to hone their skills as chapter leaders. This can include participating in the GCSAA Chapter Leaders/Executives Symposium which is held each year at GCSAA headquarters, and/or the Chapter Executives Session at the Golf Industry Show, or joining in regional chapter executive meetings. Contributing to these events allows chapter leaders to share and hear chapter success stories from around the country and grow their professional network.
While the success of the chapter often begins with chapter leaders, it does not end there. Chapter partners and vendors play a vital role in the success of the chapter through sponsorships and contributions. Their support assists the chapter in putting on first-class events and providing quality member benefits. Each chapter member plays a key role in the success of the chapter as well. Often times I hear the question: how can I support the chapter? The easiest way is to attend chapter events. The board and chapter leaders work hard to ensure the chapter offers valuable member benefits and puts on exceptional events – the easiest way to say thank you and support their efforts is in person or virtually at the next chapter event.