Club Management - September/October 2007 - (Page 47) Global Outreach A look at CMAA benefits for international members C lub Management asked international members what CMAA programs are most beneficial to them. Beryl Acres, general manager of the Club Management Association of Southern Africa, and David Brightling, general manager of One 15 Marina Club and representative of the Far East Chapter, provide their insight for our inaugural issue. Beryl Acres General Manager Club Management Association of Southern Africa As the General Manager of CMASA, I have been fortunate to have been invited to attend the last five CMAA world conferences, where I have been able to attend as many educational sessions as feasibly possible. I return to South Africa each time to share the knowledge I have gained with our club managers. CMAA is light years ahead of CMASA in terms of educational offerings and printed guidelines (material), and our association with CMAA has been extremely beneficial to the industry in South Africa. CMASA utilizes the services of Premier Club Services, which offers a tremendous resource. I use this both online and in hardcopy form. CMASA introduced our first BMI South Africa Programme in June this year – Leadership Edge (BMI II) – adapted to suit South African conditions. This was overwhelmingly received by those who participated (40 delegates). As someone who has attended – and facilitated – the International Symposium over the years, one thing I have learned is that most club management issues are global in nature. This being the case, many CMAA services are valuable to overseas members. When I was chairman of the Club Managers Association of Hong Kong, Macau and China, our association obtained a subscription to Club Management for all members, and most found that the articles – and even some of the vendors who advertised in it – were valuable and transferred well to Asia. As a longtime subscriber to Premier Club Services while in Canada, I found that it proved invaluable in Hong Kong. I am planning on subscribing now that I have moved to Singapore. Over the years South African club managers have attended various world conferences and BMI programmes, each bringing something back to implement in South Africa. This, of course, raises the bar for other clubs, which is great for continuous improvement in the industry. Some obstacles we’ve faced as an international group include: • Costs of participating in education programmes and BMI International due to foreign exchange; • Logistics of travel to attend educational programmes; and • Difficulty in networking – one of the most valuable tools available to any club professional. Electronic communication is great, but nothing beats face-to-face interaction. We are in the process of overcoming some of these obstacles by: • Implementation of the BMI Leadership Edge Programme; and • Implementation of BMI III next year and hosting of Leadership Edge in the week prior. This will afford South African managers the opportunity to receive first-class education material to create a more professional club management pool of individuals. The goal of certification is part of the overall strategy in South Africa. In addition, the opportunity for South African Club managers to be able to undertake online study would be of great benefit to the industry. An instant “club management manual” with standard letters, job descriptions, health and safety procedures, crisis management tools and so on is applicable in Asia – either as-is or with a few modifications – and these tools have made my life as a general manager/COO much easier. The Annual World Conference on Club Management remains the highlight of my professional development year. I learn just as much from my colleagues from around the world as I do from the sessions. And Kathi Driggs still lets me play a role in the symposium after all these years. I’ve attended BMI III and, despite suffering from serious jetlag, thoroughly enjoyed the experience. One more to go, and then I can get certified. (My colleagues in Hong Kong have long thought that I was certifiable!) The CMAA Roster is a great way for me to network among my colleagues, here in the Far East Chapter, and in Canada, the United States and around the world. As Jim Singerling says, join your local association first. Then, if you can, join CMAA and enjoy its many benefits. ❚❘ David Brightling General Manager One 15 Marina Club Sentosa Cove Singapore If you’re an international member and want to share information about beneficial CMAA programs – or if you have suggestions for additional international member programs – please contact Club Management managing editor Jill Andreu at clubs@naylor.com. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007 • 47
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