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Think reinvention every year

By |  May 7, 2019 0 Comments
Jared Nemitz headshot

Jared Nemitz

They say that every now and then, you need to reinvent yourself. If you Google “reinvent yourself,” you come up with more than 18 million results. People often reevaluate themselves after job losses, career changes or at milestone birthdays. Why not every year?

A year ago, I felt something new to me: boredom. I really didn’t understand the feeling at the time, but it came after a busy four years of master planning, renovations and projects at the club. My team and I made many changes and improvements to the golf course. It was highly gratifying; however, after completion, it was business as usual. I’m a fast-paced individual, so this slowdown hit me hard.

Many superintendents go through that same process at various career stages. In any profession, people fall into ruts where they think they are doing the same thing over and over, and they wake up needing a new challenge. Becoming too comfortable or bored in your job can lead to unhappiness, change of career or even job loss if you’re not careful.

I looked at job boards for other career opportunities, thinking that was the juice that would get my blood going again. I realized that while a job change could be satisfying, revitalizing my operation and empowering the people around me could do the same thing. The goal each year should be to improve your team, operation, course conditions and yourself.

Successful individuals learn to reinvent themselves and improve all the time, not just at birthday milestones. This is not only good for your mental health and job satisfaction, but it also will keep your staff energized and fulfilled and continually will demonstrate your value to your superiors. When your superiors and members stop believing that you can consistently bring value to the business, they will seek out someone who can.

One way to push yourself to the next level is by making time to self-evaluate and analyze your practices and operation. Gauge your personal strengths and weaknesses each year. Really think about where growth can occur. Evaluate the entire operation from top to bottom.

Get feedback from your team members on how you can improve as a leader and how they think the operation can get better. When you ask, they will tell you. Looking at what you do from someone else’s viewpoint can be eye-opening. It’s also highly empowering to your team when they believe they are part of the solution.

Another strategy is to read leadership books. Ultrasuccessful people read a lot of books. Warren Buffett has said that he reads more than 500 pages a day and believes that knowledge compounds. People think leadership is a natural trait. It is not. Good leaders work at it and get better.

Change can be hard but rewarding. Don’t forget to make work fun again, not just a J-O-B. “Do what you love and you’ll never work another day again.” It’s the truth. This job can get the best of you if you aren’t having fun. There are times to be serious and get the job done, but there are also times where levity should win the day.

Lastly, set achievable goals and execute them. As you set new expectations and reinvent yourself, you’ll find new energy in and around you. People will respond and you will feel better for it.

I am full of newfound optimism and hope for the 2019 golf season. I haven’t looked forward to a new season of golf since my first year as a golf course superintendent. It is truly special when you wake up to go to work, and instead of feeling like you are in a rut, you feel as though you are part of something special. If you feel that way, I bet your team will too.

This is posted in Columns


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