When I stepped into a consulting role in the private club industry, I expected complexity.

I expected nuance. I expected strong personalities, proud traditions and high expectations.

What I did not fully appreciate, at least not until I was in it every day, was how much of a club’s success or struggle comes down to one thing: alignment. Not agreement or consensus. Alignment.

Over the past 100 days, I’ve had the opportunity to sit in boardrooms, walk clubhouses, listen to general managers and observe leadership teams in moments of both clarity and tension. One lesson has remained consistent: Most challenges in private clubs are not operational. They are governance and leadership alignment issues that eventually affect operations.

THE GAP BETWEEN GOOD INTENTIONS AND REAL OUTCOMES

Every club I’ve encountered is filled with people who care deeply. Board members volunteer because they care about their clubs, while general managers and teams dedicate themselves to delivering exceptional experiences. Committees are often made up of highly successful individuals who want to contribute. And yet, despite all of that goodwill, clubs still find themselves stuck. Why?

Because good intentions are not a substitute for clear roles, shared expectations and disciplined governance. In many cases, I’ve seen boards operating in the gray area between governance and management. Not intentionally, but gradually. One decision at a time. One exception at a time.

Over time, that gray area becomes the norm. And when that happens, confusion follows:

• Who is responsible for what?
• Who makes which decisions?
• Where does strategy end and operations begin?

Without clarity, even capable leaders begin working against each other instead of with each other. Governance is not something you “fix” in a meeting or retreat. It is a process, a discipline and a way of operating.

The strongest clubs I’ve seen are not perfect. They simply have structure and consistency in how they govern themselves. They:

• Understand the distinction between governance and management
• Make decisions based on long-term stewardship rather than short-term agendas
• Reinforce accountability at the board level
• Create space for management to execute with confidence.

Effective governance allows management to execute, not react. That idea has surfaced repeatedly in my first 100 days. When governance is clear, management thrives. When governance is unclear, management survives.

THE SILENT RISK: MISALIGNMENT DURING TRANSITION

Many of the situations I’ve observed involve some form of transition:

• A new general manager
• Board turnover
• A major capital project
• Shifting membership expectations.

These are often the moments where misalignment becomes most dangerous. During transition, small gaps in clarity become large fractures:

• Strategic priorities become blurred
• Decision-making slows or becomes inconsistent
• Leadership confidence erodes.

What I’ve learned is that transitions do not create problems. They expose them. Without a clear governance framework, those moments can set a club back years instead of moving it forward.

STRATEGY WITHOUT STRUCTURE IS JUST CONVERSATION

Over the past few months, one pattern has stood out. Clubs are not short on ideas. They are short on structure. Clubs want to plan, improve and evolve. But without a clear distinction between policy, strategy and operations, strategy can quickly become reactive, agenda-driven or fragmented.

The most effective environments I’ve seen are those where:

• Strategy is tied to mission and long-term stewardship
• Policies reinforce consistency and accountability
• The board stays at the appropriate altitude.

When that structure exists, strategy becomes executable. Without it, strategy remains aspirational.

STRONG GOVERNANCE ENABLES LEADERSHIP

One misconception I had early on was that stronger governance might feel restrictive. What I’ve learned is the opposite. Strong governance does not limit leadership. It enables it.

When roles are clear and expectations are aligned:

• Boards can focus on oversight and direction
• Management can focus on execution
• Decisions can be made with confidence and consistency.

Governance should create the conditions for operational excellence, not attempt to manage it directly. That distinction is subtle, but it matters greatly.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IS NOT OPTIONAL

Perhaps the most underappreciated area I’ve seen in my first 100 days is board and leadership development. Clubs invest heavily in facilities, amenities and experiences. Far fewer invest the same way in preparing leaders. And yet, leadership quality determines:

• Decision-making
• Strategic continuity
• Cultural consistency
• Long-term stability.

The most forward-thinking clubs are the ones that:

• Intentionally develop future board leaders
• Clearly define expectations for service
• Provide orientation and ongoing education
• Build leadership pipelines rather than reacting to vacancies.

Leadership in private clubs is too important to leave to chance.

WHAT HAS STAYED WITH ME

After 100 days, I do not claim to have all the answers. But I do have a clearer understanding of the patterns. Private clubs are resilient organizations built on community, tradition and shared purpose. But they are also complex, and complexity requires structure.

If I had to summarize what I’ve learned so far, it would be this: Clubs don’t struggle because they lack talent or care. They struggle when alignment breaks down. And when alignment is restored, between board and management, between strategy and execution, between culture and behavior, everything else becomes possible.

The role of an advisor, at least as I’ve come to understand it in these first 100 days, is not to take over, direct or impose solutions. It is to help create clarity, ask better questions, bring structure to ambiguity and help good people move forward together. Because in the end, the best outcomes in this industry do not come from outside expertise.

They come from aligned leadership inside the club.

THE BOARDROOM MAGAZINE – May/June 2026

Kevin P. Vitale, CCM is a search and consulting executive for KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE and principal with Private Club Governance & Alignment Advisors. He can be reached via email: kevin@kkandw.com or kevin@pcgakkw.com.