Anyone who has ever landed their dream job will tell you, climbing their way to that position didn’t happen on a straight line. Meeting mentors, finding relevant training, and understanding how collaborative roles within companies can provide a crucial lift can be key elements to advancing toward a coveted career goal. Smart companies are implementing ways to make the path to leadership positions less nebulous and also more accessible and inviting.

Bobby Jones Links (BJL) has been creating opportunities for aspiring managers, via its GMIT – General Manager in Training – program. Late this summer, six associates attended the two-day GMIT conference at the company’s Alpharetta, Ga. headquarters.

Allyson Kahl Darling, Vice President of Experiences at BJL, spearheads the program and says its purpose is to invest in these people and to grow future leaders for both the organization and their individual careers. At the conference, topics focused on BJL’s personal service standards that are unique to the organization, as well as some company-specific business tools.

“The participants come to our Support Center for two days of classroom learning, networking, and fun,” says Darling. “Members of our leadership team cover topics across human resources, accounting, sales, operations, food and beverage, golf, agronomy, culture, and leadership. We take each facet of the business and have a member of our leadership team spend some time with the candidates outlining industry standards and BJL standards. Then the candidates go back to their respective clubs and the practical part of the program begins with 12 months of immersive assignments in all areas of club operations.”

Candidates are nominated by their current club’s General Manager – it’s part of a larger discussion between the General Manager, the candidate, and the BJL Support Center leadership team as to whether the person is interested, understands the purpose, and wants to take advantage of the opportunity.

“There's a valuable transparency and opportunity to connect with leadership through a program like GMIT that I don't think you find in most companies and it's great to reinforce that there’s genuine support and collaboration from the Support Center. That direct contact we experience in meetings and happy hours reminds us that we're all working toward the same goals and all bring an important value,” said Alec Moore, Director of Tennis Hope Valley Country Club. “I already feel like I’m in a more collaborative role and have been able to take a thing or two off of my GM’s plate. There’s a confidence that comes with taking on more responsibility beyond my usual lane of racquet sports and taking steps to become a more effective manager and play a key role in the customer journey.”

GMIT candidates, like Moore, are typically shining stars in one manner or another at their respective clubs. They’re usually very invested in the company culture and initiatives. Plus, they're considered natural leaders, enthusiastic, professional, growth-oriented, and represent BJL’s core values.

“It’s an opportunity for our leadership team at the Support Center in Alpharetta to get to know each of the candidates better, learn their career goals, and understand where they want to go, so that we can hopefully work that into the plan as we move forward,” says Darling. “It’s important for us to learn where they are coming from. What are they interested in? What is their purpose? In fact, that's actually how I kick off the program each year – I ask our participants why they’re here. That way, we can focus on nurturing that purpose for them. Then, they develop networking relationships with our leadership team, and more importantly, they develop networking relationships with each other. Some have been with our company forever. Some have not. So it allows them to build those relationships, and they can call on each other in the future. We lovingly call them our ‘GMIT-ers’. They'll fall back on these peer relationships throughout the rest of their career. The group that I graduated with in 2017 calls each other all the time for questions, to share ideas, to offer support to each other, or even just to get a second opinion, so that's very important.”

The other thing attendees experience firsthand: The true culture of service that BJL nurtures. Many times, associates based at a club don't really see how things work behind the scenes throughout the company. “People are familiar with the program by the time they submit their letter for acceptance,” says Darling. “They're excited about coming aboard and continuing to grow with us. As our company grows, one of the biggest and most rewarding ways that we can ‘make a difference’ is how we invest in our people. There are continually new opportunities in our organization for future leaders and we know that the GMIT participants will be well-prepared when those chances arise.

Marsha Gault, Director of Sales and Marketing at Indian River Preserve in Mims, Florida was one of the six delegates who attended the 2024 GMIT conference.

“The GMIT program is enlightening and very organized in what it reveals about what it takes to fill the role of a General Manager," Gault said. "It was so impressive to see Josh Deal walk through what he does in his role as GM at Bobby Jones Golf Course and I was inspired by the way he manages that property as a young professional, keeping things on trend and empowering his team to excel in their roles. GMIT is an incredible opportunity, and we’re very fortunate to be part of Bobby Jones Links, where our accomplishments and motivations are recognized, and we get the opportunity to grow in and beyond our roles. Being a part of GMIT has given me a deeper appreciation for what effective leaders do well and how the various departments within a club work together.”

From a leadership perspective, Darling also gets a lot out of the conference. “I love seeing our future leaders be engaged and truly understand our core values, our service standards, and what we do that makes us different,” she says. “It's really fun to get to know everybody on a different level and to serve them in their career journeys. The question-and-answer format of the conference is very interesting because we come with our presentations and the things we want to touch on. But it's a casual, relaxed atmosphere where their questions can lead those presentations, too. The participants are able to get out as much information from the program as the effort they put in. Learning, growth, and development are all vital aspects of our culture. Having the GMIT program validates that, too.”