What's in your management toolbox for 2006?

Come this June I will have been running our company for 30 years. That's a long time to stay in one place. But looking back on those three decades I realize that I haven't really been in the same place at all.

My Dad--who always loved technology--would have been blown away by the way in which we do business now, had he lived to see our business grow into its current incarnation. But he also would have recognized the ways in which our business model is challenged by the differences in which you, the readers of our magazine, are changing your industry.

There was a time when a good article--well-written, well-researched, well-edited--could have served your needs. That article still has its place. There was a time when you would have been willing to circle a number on a postcard, send it in, and wait to hear from a manufacturer with the information you needed on a product, service, or piece of equipment.

But we live in a time when instant response has become the norm and human contact is at a premium. Internet shopping--once a quirky toy of the nerds and geeks--now represents a significant percentage of the transactions executed in this country.

In the coming months we expect to be launching new tools for our information toolbox: Electronic newsletters, online databases that will link you with vendors of products and services, and events that offer the opportunity for one-on-one contact with vendors and other sources of information to help you run your business.

Publishing is not the only industry which must totally reinvent itself to face changing demographics and societal dictates. The behemoth of beer, Anheuser-Busch, is not about to be left behind by the whims of aging Boomers, whose move in recent years to wine and spirits have put a huge dent in the beer market. At a recent trade press symposium, brewery execs said that "elevating the image of beer" is at the top of their marketing priorities.

The brewery has developed a campaign that takes a note from the wineries and craft brewers in promoting beer as a companion to food and (upscale) good times. In addition to hiring celebrity Chef Todd English to tout beer-and-food pairings, A-B has begun introducing new beers and malt based products, as well as new uses for existing products.

Leisure time activities have also been turned on their head. A recent article in the New York Times featuring executives in Silicon Valley, where many trends in this country begin, noted that they are abandoning more staid (read "club-like") sports for adventure/outdoor activities and endurance sports. Business professionals, the article said, are getting into snowboarding, open-sea distance swimming, kite surfing, and even diving for abalone.

"But the sweat and strain are not just about fitness or blowing off steam," the Times wrote. The article told the tale of one venture capitalist in his 50s. "Cycling, (he) explained, plays the same role in his professional circle today as squash did when he started out in business as a lawyer in Boston in the early 1980s: as both a social outlet and a business opportunity for professionals to make contacts, get face time with the boss, and even sign off on deals. Networking in a crash helmet, in other words.

"Cycling," he added, "is the new golf."

That's good news if you're running a bike shop or selling dive watches. It's not so good if you're running a golf club in an industry that's already seen its business decline in recent years.

The point of these examples about changes in hospitality and recreation is that there is no safe place for you to stand still if you want to succeed. There's a term for club managers who stick to the middle of the road, hugging the centerline, unaware of what's up ahead: Road Kill.

If you're going to be ready for the challenges that 2006 and beyond are going to bring to your club, you need to fill your manager's toolbox with information. Trends inside and outside of the club industry, demographic shifts, and changing societal tastes all must be on your radar. You need to become an "information junkie."

The pages of this magazine and the electronic tools that we will be bringing you this year are information tools that you can use to do your job better. Two other great sources of information to help you run your club better are the upcoming CMAA Conference in Hawaii and the CMAA Assistant Managers Conference in Arizona this October.

The educational offerings and visits with vendors in Hawaii can provide you with a lot of "forward intelligence" on the direction that the club business will be taking this year. For those of you who are prevented by time conflicts, finances, or club politics from attending the Conference in Hawaii, I would recommend that you look into the 2006 CMAA Assistant Managers Conference in Scottsdale/ Phoenix from Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

The CMAA Assistant Managers Conference started as a grassroots effort by the Greater Chicago Chapter in 1991 as a way to provide quality educational and networking opportunities for private club managers who do not serve in the general manager or chief operating officer capacity at their clubs. Each year, one of CMAA's chapters plans and hosts the event. It is a great opportunity for assistant managers to attend a number of educational seminars in a short period of time as well an opportunity to meet and network with their industry peers.

I look forward to seeing you in Hawaii or in Arizona ... or in both. Have a great year!