From Turf to the Boardroom: Kenton Brunson on Education, Leadership, and the GM Path скачать в хорошем качестве

From Turf to the Boardroom: Kenton Brunson on Education, Leadership, and the GM Path

Book a Strategy Call: https://www.bloomgolfpartners.com/boo... Summary In this episode of Leadership on the Links, Tyler Bloom sits down with Kenton Brunson, Director of Agronomy at Mid Ocean Club, to explore why golf course superintendents are uniquely positioned to become elite club leaders. Kenton shares his unconventional career journey, from agronomy student to superintendent to earning his MBA and CCM, while challenging long-held assumptions about silos in club operations. The conversation dives deep into education versus experience, the real value of advanced degrees, and how continued learning helps superintendents earn credibility in the boardroom. Kenton explains how exposure to club management disciplines reshaped the way he leads people, collaborates with department heads, and measures performance across his team. Listeners also gain a behind-the-scenes look at Mid Ocean’s progressive people-development systems, including skills matrices, performance scorecards, emotional intelligence tracking, and learning-and-development investment. Kenton emphasizes that leadership longevity isn’t about doing everything yourself, it’s about building systems, trusting people, and choosing the right leaders to learn from early in your career. This episode reinforces a powerful message: superintendents already manage the largest assets, budgets, and teams at the club, now it’s time to fully step into that leadership potential. ________________________________________ What You’ll Learn • Why superintendents are naturally positioned to become club executives • The real ROI of MBAs, CCMs, and continued education • How education helps superintendents earn trust in the boardroom • Why getting “out of your silo” makes you a better leader • How to use performance scorecards instead of opinions • Building staff development systems that improve retention • Why people development is a competitive advantage for clubs • How emotional intelligence impacts leadership effectiveness • Practical approaches to delegation and time management • Career advice for young superintendents planning long-term success ________________________________________ Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction and why superintendents are built to lead 01:50 – Kenton’s early career path and agronomy background 03:40 – From superintendent to thinking like a club executive 05:45 – Education vs. experience: MBA and CCM insights 08:30 – Getting into the room: why education still matters 11:00 – What superintendents learn from club management programs 13:10 – Breaking silos and connecting with department heads 15:40 – Performance management and staff development systems 18:30 – Skills matrices, scorecards, and measuring success 22:10 – Emotional intelligence and leadership self-awareness 25:20 – Delegation, time management, and leadership mindset 29:40 – Governance, alignment, and defining success at the club 33:00 – Choosing leaders over logos early in your career 37:10 – Leadership advice to Kenton’s younger self 38:30 – Final thoughts and where to connect ________________________________________ Links Mentioned Bloom Golf Partners Website: https://www.bloomgolfpartners.com Club Management Association of America (CMAA): https://www.cmaa.org GCSAA: https://www.gcsaa.org