Balance A Lifestyle Legacy CMAAÕs New President - Burt WardÕs Philosophy on Life
By Rick Coyne

Within this industry we often talk about legacies.

Legacy as in memberships for memberÕs children, which seem to be more rare today than ever before. Legacy, as in the great game of golf and the many champions that have played the game. And of course, the legacy of traditions and history that so many clubs have forged over the past hundred plus years in this country.

IÕve had the privilege of spending time with a man whose personal legacy included both a father and stepfather that were club managers. Growing up, Burt Ward, CMAAÕs new president and general manager of Century Country Club in Purchase, NY, experienced first hand the sacrifices and disappointments inherent in not having family together for holidays, and in not having a father figure during much of his life. Such was the life of a club manager. Choosing to follow in the footsteps of his father, Burt began his career in the club business and worked his way up the ladder.

ÒBurt has shared stories about his father who was a club manager. His respect and admiration for all his father did had a profound impact on Burt. It provided the foundation for his own career, but with one huge difference; there would be balance. Burt witnessed firsthand Òmissed opportunitiesÓ and charted a different course in club management, one with better perspective, that incorporates all of the lessons he learned,Ó says Al Antonez, CCM at the Country Club of Rochester of BurtÕs career.

ÒAt a chapter workshop, Burt provided our local club managers a perspective on balance. Clubs that support balance will always be able to attract and retain better managers and staff. Given the hours of club operations, the seasonality, weekends and holidays, the fact of the matter is, it will not just happen on its own. To be clear, it needs to be a priority, your number one priority, as general manager.Ó Talking with Burt, I asked what two things had the most profound impact on his life and how has it changed him. HereÕs his response.

ÒI credit CMAA and its educational offerings for altering the course of my life, and making the issue of balance one that I care about. I attended two workshops over the years that had great impact on my future. Many, many years ago I attended a workshop on time management. One of the issues discussed was personal time including time off and vacations. In the workshop I learned that if you want personal time, and you wanted to take vacations, that it was important to make them part of your overall management objectives. You must plan your time to include time at the gym, at home with the family, and the elusive vacation time. It is not enough to be organized at work, you need to be organized in life,Ó Burt related.

ÒThe second one was even more profound. I took a workshop in Atlantic City where one of the topics was personal goal setting. At the end of the workshop we placed a little slip of paper in our wallets with a list of six personal goals that we would like to accomplish. I never did do all of them, but one that changed my life was to go back to college and get my degree. In 1992 I graduated Summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Caldwell College in New Jersey. In 1996 I graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology with a Master of Science in Management degree.

ÒOne of the courses I took was called the Philosophy of Leisure. I thought that I was going to get a course in golf course management. The catalog says that the course: Examines the increasing problem of leisure in its ethical, psychological, political and metaphysical demands. ÒWe spent a semester dealing with the issue of personal time and how it relates to work, family, religion, and life. It helped focus my attention on the need to be a person first and a club manager second.Ó

I asked Burt what legacy he might want to leave for other managers and peers and he replied that the most important thing in life is having balance and supporting others to do the same. Quoting Anna QuindlenÕs book ÒA Short Guide to a Happy Life,Ó Burt said there are two quotes that everyone should hear and try to emulate:
ÒÕDonÕt ever confuse the two, your life and your work. The second is only part of the first. DonÕt ever forget what a friend once wrote to Senator Paul Tsongas when the senator had decided not to run for re-election because heÕd been diagnosed with cancer: ÔNo man ever said on his deathbed I wish I had spent more time at the office.ÕÓ

The second quote that Burt suggested everyone should hear is, ÔÒ...you are the only person alive who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on the bus, or in the car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank account, but your soul. I learned to love the journey, not the destination.ÕÓ There is likely no doubt that all of us would prefer to spend more leisure time in pursuit of happiness and balance. There is however, legitimate concern that in doing so, that board or members may feel too much time is being spent away from your primary duties as general manager and/or away from the club.

I spoke with two board members of the Century Club, where Burt has managed for the past 10 years. Each had many warm and positive things to say about Burt and how the balance in his life affects the members and staff of the Century Club. Edgar Wachenheim, the president of the Century Club and the chairman and chief executive officer of Greenhaven Associates, Inc., a Manhattan-based investment management firm, responded this way to several of my questions.

BoardRoom magazine Ð There is no question that better balance in oneÕs life should manifest in a positive way. Has Burt WardÕs balance and outside activities helped his ability to manage the Century Club?
Edgar Wachenheim - Of importance, I believe that oneÕs outside activities often are synergetic with oneÕs job. By traveling, running marathons, or engaging in many other types of extra-curricular activities, a club manager is immersing himself or herself# in the world and therefore is exposing himself to new ideas or trends that will help him improve and manage his club.

When Burt traveled this past fall to Scotland, he learned about how one club in Scotland organizes and compensates its caddies Ð and he returned to Century with several ideas that might help how we use our caddies more productively. Also, because Burt interacts with many individuals of diverse ages and backgrounds during his travels and outside activities, he is in a good position to judge sociological trends. For example, this summer covers for our jacket and tie Thursday night dinners were low. Burt analyzed the situation and told me that, based on what he observed was going on in the country, there was an increasing preference for casual dining on weekday nights Ð with casual dress and a more casual ÒbistroÓ type menu. Burt changed the format of Thursday night dining Ð and the number of covers increased sharply. BR Ð In balancing oneÕs lifestyle, particularly in the private club business, there must be a certain amount of delegation. How has this worked for the Century Club?
EW - Most executives could find enough things to do to keep them occupied at the office from dawn to dusk every day of the year. But if an executive knows he has only a limited amount of time at the office, he can prioritize his work, accomplish the most critical needs himself, and then delegate the less critical to associates. Delegating work usually is beneficial to an organization because the more involved others become in day-to-day management, the more knowledgeable and caring they are likely to become. I believed that the more engaged an employee is, the more likely he is to be fully committed to the success of the organization. This is certainly the case at Century, where Burt frequently delegates jobs to Jim Loper Ð and where Jim has become a knowledgeable, caring, and valuable member of CenturyÕs management. The reverse is also true and, it is obvious that if a club manager overworks, he is more likely to become tired and burned out Ð if which case he likely will become less effective in his job.

Alan Stern, a former president of the Century Club, who hired Burt 10 years ago, adds that, ÒThe only reason Burt needs a board is for the admissions process. I canÕt imagine there are too many out there like him. He is, in my opinion, the most well respected manager that the Century Club has ever had.

Speaking to BurtÕs management skills and philosophy, Alan adds, ÒBurt practices what he preaches in all areas of his life. For the staff, he gives them room to show what they can do. The more they show, the more he allows them.Ó

In asking Burt if takes time for himself, we talked about the kinds of things that are important to accomplish with oneÕs personal time. ÒBalancing oneÕs life means finding time for the body, mind and soul,Ó Burt declared. ÒOn the physical side, I work out regularly, which truly affects my performance in all other areas. When I turned 50, a friend, Cindy Williams, CCM, challenged me to run a marathon. I did and I got hooked. In the past six years I have run 13 marathons, and ridden in a 275-mile, a 450-mile bike ride. I do most of the events for charity and have raised well over $50,000. Recently I rode in the Lance Armstrong Ride for the Roses in Austin with Cindy and fellow CMAA board member Peter Homberg.Ó

ÒGetting my Masters degree and continuing my quest for knowledge through participation in CMAA educational programs and reading are all part of the process to keep the mind sharp and focused,Ó he related.

ÒWhile I am not a religious person (in the sense of organized religion), I am a spiritual person, which really is all part of my personal philosophy. I embrace the teachings of Buddha and have made that a part of how I deal with everyone I come into contact with. I recognize the worth of each individual. At the heart of BuddhaÕs teaching are the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. I try to follow the path of Right Thinking and Right Action.Ó

Several of BurtÕs co-workers and friends have also commented on how BurtÕs philosophy of balancing lifestyles had affected them personally. Diane Young, CCM, who worked with Burt at the Rumson Country Club for six years said that when she first started work with Burt, he told the story of how a chef at another club where Burt was the assistant manager had asked the general manager for a Saturday off so that he could attend a family reunion.

The request was denied on the basis of the chef being needed that weekend.ÊOn Monday, the chef died. Diane said, ÒThat was the defining moment for Burt as to how important it is to spend time with family. He always made the point with employees, that if you really needed time off, within reason, you can take it. He knew that work was always important, but so is your life. If youÕre not happy at home, youÕre not going to be happy at work.Ó

JoAnne Hoare added that, ÒBurt always impressed upon us that Òtime offÓ is not only necessary but extremely important as you do need to refresh and recharge. Burt helped me to realize that I could be the single mom, the all-around country club employee and also be me.Ó Young describes BurtÕs management style as inspiring. ÒBurt always made you feel important. He always showed a genuine interest in your family and you knew that you could always go to Burt with a question or a problem and that he would listen. As a result, BurtÕs employees developed such a level of trust that they would automatically strive to do a better job. Burt Ward has been an inspiration to strive continually to do a better job of balancing your personal and professional life.Ó

Other friends and peers have explained benefits they may experienced from BurtÕs balanced lifestyle philosophy. ÒAt our club, we place great importance on the need to set personal goals and then work to align those personal goals with the goals of the club,Ó expounded Al Antonez. ÒFamily always comes first. Personal goals; school, continuing education, etc., next. club is third. Most members of clubs would subscribe to that philosophy. (substitute club for business) So why the disconnect with some club managers?

ÒYou will without doubt be more successful and more valuable to your existing club, or future club, if you take the time to share your personal goals. You will be surprised how willing most people are to help others succeed. Mark Twain said, ÔKeep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the great make you believe that you too can become great.Õ Ò Burt is one of the great club managers who is always willing to help others succeed.

Flexible scheduling, particularly around family activities, can always be accommodated. Nothing we do at the club is more important than family. We are able to achieve more than most because our staff gives 100 percent when they are here because they know we support them when they are not at the club,Ó Antonez summarized.

Perhaps Jim Loper, CCM, BurtÕs clubhouse manager best wraps up BurtÕs influence over those around him, ÒWe all have the utmost respect for Burt Ward and the way he handles his job, the board and the employees. Burt has worked very long and very hard for this industry and for those of us fortunate to be a part and we all believe he is the most deserving individual to be considered as the next President of the Club Managers Association of America.Ó

We talk a great deal about change these days and the affect that change has on the private club, its traditions and its legacies. Burt WardÕs legacy was to have had the love of a father who loved this industry. Following in his fatherÕs footsteps Burt dedicated himself to:
¥ Creating a new legacy for those who would follow ¥ The legacy of maintaining balance in your life ¥ The legacy of mentoring this belief with co-workers, staff, peers and members ¥ And the legacy of finding the good in everyone he meets.

The countless and overwhelmingly positive responses I had for this story from people who have touched Burt Ward over the years is testimony to the man, his beliefs and the way he has chosen to walk the path of life. Of the many stories I have written over the years for the club industry, none has touched me like this one. We could all take a lesson and be better off for it by following this simple example of this dedicated and humble man. I know that I will. Thank-you Burt! BR