After four decades in club management, I’ve witnessed numerous challenges facing our industry, including economic downturns, demographic shifts, and changing member expectations. Clubs have demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout these evolutions, adapting their offerings while preserving their essential character.
The Changing Climate of Club Culture
Today, however, we face a challenge unlike any other, one that strikes at the very heart of what makes clubs special: the increasing difficulty of maintaining civility amid unprecedented political polarization.
My perspective is informed by personal experience and extensive conversations with dozens of general managers, chief operating officers, and fellow consultants nationwide. From coast to coast, across every club type and size, I hear the same concern: political divisiveness is seeping into our sanctuaries, transforming spaces once characterized by mutual respect into potential minefields of conflict. This transformation poses a threat to both member satisfaction and operational stability.
What makes the current climate particularly challenging is not the mere existence of political differences; clubs have always housed diverse perspectives. However, it is the fundamental shift in how those differences are expressed and received. Conversations that once exemplified respectful disagreement now risk devolving into personal attacks. Longstanding friendships forged through shared club experiences are fracturing along political lines. The atmosphere of refuge that traditionally defined club life is increasingly difficult to maintain.
The Impact of Incivility on Clubs
This transformation directly impacts both fronts of club operations: member experience and staff retention. For members, the club’s value proposition has always included escape from everyday pressures; when political tensions follow them through the doors, that essential benefit diminishes. For staff, navigating member conflicts adds significant stress to already demanding roles. In today’s competitive labor market, employees who frequently encounter incivility are more likely to leave, creating operational challenges that directly impact service quality and consistency.
The danger of complacency cannot be overstated. Too many boards and executives believe their community is somehow immune, “Our members know better,” or “We haven’t had problems yet.” This false sense of security represents perhaps the most significant risk facing clubs today. No club exists in isolation from broader cultural currents; the question is not whether these pressures will reach your doors, but when, and how prepared you’ll be to address them.
Waiting until after tensions erupted places clubs in a reactive position, attempting to repair damage that could have been prevented. The most successful clubs implement civility measures proactively, establishing clear expectations before specific problems arise. This approach enables the protection of club culture without appearing to target particular individuals or perspectives.
Preserving What Makes Clubs Special
Effective civility initiatives require coordinated effort across all levels of club operations. Boards must establish clear policies and consistently model respectful engagement. Membership committees must incorporate expectations about civil discourse into their orientation processes and recognize members who exemplify the club’s values. Management must provide staff with training on de-escalation techniques and clear protocols for addressing sensitive situations.
Two values prove particularly powerful in fostering club harmony: kindness and humility. Kindness builds interpersonal bridges that withstand political disagreements, while humility creates space for genuine dialogue without requiring anyone to abandon deeply held beliefs. When modeled consistently by club leadership, these qualities set a tone that influences the entire community. Small gestures like remembering names, showing genuine interest in others, and expressing appreciation yield immeasurable returns in maintaining a civil atmosphere.
The concept of the club as a “home away from home” provides a compelling framework for addressing civility challenges. Members who view the club through this lens naturally develop a deeper investment in maintaining its welcoming atmosphere. This perspective encourages members to treat fellow members with the same respect they would show guests in their own homes and value the club environment as a shared space that deserves protection.
The Stakes Could Not Be Higher
What happens within our clubs matters far beyond our walls. In an increasingly fragmented society, clubs have the opportunity to model a different way of engaging across differences that are characterized by unwavering respect for human dignity regardless of political perspective. By fostering environments where kindness and open-mindedness prevail, we protect what makes our communities special while creating workplaces where talented staff want to build careers.
When members walk through your doors, they feel they’ve come home to a place where they’re known, valued, and treated with unfailing kindness and respect. In turbulent times, such havens become essential, not merely pleasant. After four decades in this industry and countless conversations with colleagues who share my concern, I’m convinced that our collective future depends on our commitment to preserving the special sanctuary that clubs provide. The work is challenging, but I promise you it’s worth every effort you put into it.
Preserving a club’s culture requires more than policy. It calls for intentional design. At Stone Group Architects, our restoration and master planning services are rooted in protecting the values that make clubs special. Whether you are reimagining a clubhouse, improving operational flow, or planning for the future, we help create spaces that foster connection, civility, and a true sense of belonging. Let us help you build a better future for your club.
