Who's your favorite team?

Let me start this blog post by asking a simple question: Who's your favorite team? Is it a sports team like the Seattle Seahawks or the Portland Trailblazers? What team did you think of? Did you come up with a sports team, or was there another team such as your crew, or your executive team at your job? My first thought was my crew at Stone Creek Golf Club.

I experienced some hard times and even went through a few bad eggs, but eventually, I learned how to build a team that would become a unit with a common goal. Trust me, I had no idea when I started, but I certainly had good mentors and was able to take some great classes at the Golf Industry Show.

The first thing that we all know is the key to a strong team is a strong leader. It’s cliché but true. A good leader is trusted by their team and that trust has to be earned. You cannot just assume that they are going to trust you because you have big ideas and you work harder than the rest. You have to show them that you value their work and you take the time to listen to their ideas. I hardly ever said no to an idea, I just simply put them in charge of their project. My role was to support what they were doing. I soon learned that even though some of their ideas may not have been what I would have done, I had some pretty talented individuals and their successes turned into confidence in my leadership.

Now let me fast forward to today. I’m on a new team now and am part of a group of nine individuals that have the best interest of you, our members, at hand. We’re a different team, not one that meets regularly in person, but a team that, for the most part, works independently, but yet relies on one another at the drop of a hat.

I’m of course I’m talking about the GCSAA field staff. They need no introduction but I’m going to do it anyway. Kevin Doyle covers the Northeast including the providence of Ontario, Chase Rogan covers the Mid-Atlantic, Ron Wright covers the entire Southeast with the exception of the State of Florida which is covered by Ralph Dain. Brian Cloud takes care of the South Central region and Jeff Jensen covers the entire Southwest, including Hawaii. Shane Conroy is our newest member of the team and he covers the Great Lake region. I cover the Northwest region from Alaska to Colorado, and finally, Steve Randall covers the Central Region and is also in charge of keeping this geographically challenged team working together.

What makes us such a strong team, is that we all come from assorted backgrounds. We range from golf industry management and marketing to state golf association management. We are Class A superintendents and assistant superintendents and some even have master’s degrees. We utilize our diversity to our advantage and have been able to cross-present on topics that we excel in for each other.

You have to wonder how a team can stay on the right path when they are spread across the country in about as far reaching corners as they can be. Obviously, technology is very helpful, utilizing Google Chat, conference calling or even Skype has been great for those quick meetings or even one on one video calls. If you follow any one of us on Twitter, you will see where we are and usually you will find Steve Randall out visiting with one of us in our region and helping us do strategic plans with our chapters. When he’s visiting, it’s not like the boss is in town, but more like a coach who works with you and helps you be the best you can be.

Steve recently attended the Inland Empire’s fall meeting with me. We did a strategic plan with the board then he did a phenomenal job speaking on communication to the entire membership the next day. In the time he spoke, he referenced my name four times, making sure the members knew that I was their go-to for all things concerning GCSAA. The last thing he would do would come in and relinquish my role as their field staff representative. He was there in a supporting role and conveyed a message that we were a team and were there to serve the members together. I would consider Steve a hands-off leader. He has built a team of diverse individuals and has confidence in their abilities. In return, every one of us trusts his judgment and will do whatever he asks of us.

I would be remorse if I didn’t mention the remaining GCSAA staff. Without their support there wouldn’t be a field staff program. I could write another blog post simply on how the remote staff and the in-house staff have interacted in a symbiotic way. Altogether, our team has elevated the level of service to the membership that has never been seen before. 

This is my favorite team now. Granted, I enjoy watching the Seahawks and the Trailblazers, but it’s a much greater feeling when I can be part of a team that is making such a significant difference. If you happen to be part of a great team, please comment below and tell me what makes it so great. I’m always looking for great ideas to share.

On a side note: In March, I wrote a blog post about a superintendent and his head pro that became quite a team in their own right. The pair ended up started a small business adventure together out of their relationship and I am happy to report that Gerald Flaherty, CGCS, will be receiving the Leo Feser Award this year at the Golf Industry Show. Read my post about Gerald Flaherty, CGCS, and Jamie Sharp, PGA.