For me it was planning the work and working the plan.
by Crystal Thomas, MCM, CHE
Master Club Management Certification (MCM) has a double meaning to the serious player in the business of Club Management. It not only attests to the highest level of professionalism in the business, but it also presents a forum for sharing the methods and ideas of successful management with others. It was the idea of sharing that motivated me to go through the rigorous process of earning my MCM. After many years of Club Management, my entrepreneurial self took over, leading me into the business of Club training seminars. If, as they say, experience is the best teacher, I was a natural candidate for training others.
The process of gaining the MCM is not a simple one and requires a great deal of time. With all the other demands of my busy schedule, formulating a plan with timeline benchmarks is essential. Fulfilling the requirements for certification includes gathering documented evidence of the following:
- Contributions to the profession, the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), and the community are key essentials toward getting the MCM. All of these must be well documented. Using benchmarks for completing this section eliminates the scourge of humankind—putting things off. With an annual March deadline for submissions, time is of the essence.
- Professionalism is an absolute requirement, and also must be well documented. The evidence of professionalism involves testimony to the way a person has handled interrelations with team members, other CMAA managers, the membership, and general public relations. Included in this section are such extra activities as writing articles for magazines, mentoring and handling internship programs, and teaching (or training).
- Integrity is also a key element. Evidence of ability to operate under stress while maintaining equilibrium and high moral ethics must be included.
All of the above documentations are in addition to the prerequisite education and
length of time working within the industry. I had to ask myself if it were worth the effort to wedge all of this into my already crowded schedule. The answer was a resounding “Yes!”
In making my plan, I started by breaking down the profile into the 23 areas that are required. It was like the old conundrum: “ How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” To start collecting the data, I enlisted the help of Janice Wobbe, my prior administrative assistant, my family, and anyone else who could help me remember things I had done that I needed documentation for. By following a predetermined plan, the work went smoothly.
Achieving MCM certification is not something one can do alone. The team I assembled was a kind of Advisory Board I could ask questions of and receive advice and information from. My faculty advisor, Dr. Cathy Gustafson, CCM, shared my enthusiasm. A close friend, who is into statistical analysis helped me work out survey questionnaires and analyze the results, was another invaluable member of my team.
The next step was writing the monograph which I looked on as comparable to a Master’s thesis which I would have to defend in front of a very experienced committee. The proud day finally came when I had qualified and received my certificate and gold pin. At that point I knew my decision to pursue this goal had been the right one.
There are only fourteen certified MCM holders in our industry. There should be many more. For too long, I had used the excuse of not having enough time to go through the process of becoming MCM number 13. Looking back, I can see that had I not followed through on getting my MCM, I would have been just as busy and filled up that time I had devoted to the certification process. Now I am pleased that I “did not run out of road before I ran out of time, ” and I want to encourage all Club Managers to start the process for themselves.
Crystal Thomas, MCM, CHE, is the Principal of Crystal Clear Concepts, Inc. She is in demand as a trainer, inspirational speaker, and consultant for clubs throughout North America. Crystal lives with her husband, Rick, and four cats in Valencia, CA. She can be contacted by phone at 818.237.5398 or, if you prefer, by email at crystal@crystalclearconcepts.net.
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