Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Three days of class at the Syngenta Business Institute
One of the perks of being a superintendent is all the opportunities for travel, golf, and education. In the past six years, I'm been lucky enough (and supported by SGCC's membership) to attend the Golf Industry Show at locations around the country. I've played some phenomenal golf courses, I traveled to Ireland, I've gone to Farmlinks, and most recently to Winston-Salem, North Carolina for the Syngenta Business Institute. Yes, I'm a little spoiled.
This last trip was unlike any previous event I've been able to attend. Most other educational offerings center around agronomy, chemicals, cultural practices, and basically growing turf. The problem with this, is 80% of this job is dealing with people. Growing turf is the easy part. Working with a crew, club managers, a membership, the public, sales associates, the media, and regulation entities is the part of my job that keeps reminding me that I have a lot to learn.
The Syngenta Business Institute is held at the Gralyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem, NC. The facility is amazing in its history, architecture, sheer size, and the staff treated us like family. As you could imagine, they also fed us pretty well.
This last trip was unlike any previous event I've been able to attend. Most other educational offerings center around agronomy, chemicals, cultural practices, and basically growing turf. The problem with this, is 80% of this job is dealing with people. Growing turf is the easy part. Working with a crew, club managers, a membership, the public, sales associates, the media, and regulation entities is the part of my job that keeps reminding me that I have a lot to learn.
Three professors from Wake Forest University Schools of Business and another from The Ohio State University taught an energetic group of 26 superintendents principles of financial mangement, leadership, motivation, negotiation, and closing the generational gap. There was so much information, and homework before and after the event, that I haven't even finished going through the material. I have so much to share with the other managers at the club and if it ever rains, I will put together a summary for our leaders at SGCC.
If you are a superintendent, then you owe it to yourself and your course to apply for this event for all the positives that come with it. Besides all the education, I had the opportunity to learn from 25 other superintendents. Before, between, and after classes, I picked up many ideas from experienced and knowledgable peers. As usual, the networking is the most beneficial portion of the trip.
Thank you to Syngenta for hosting this phenomenal program. Stockton GCC, our staff, and I will benefit from this education immediately.
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