We always love getting letters, phone calls, e-mails, postings on our Web site, or comments when we see industry people in person, that let us know when we have—or have not—provided useful, interesting and on-target information, both in print and online.
Most of the time, the people giving us this feedback are glad to let us share their thoughts on our coverage of industry topics, in the form of published Letters to the Editor in the magazine, or posted comments on our site. And as we present their additional points, most of them also have no problem letting us use their names and identify their properties.
But occasionally, we’re sent or given comments with the specification that the person doesn’t want his or her name, or club, identified—and usually the reason is because they’re fearful of repercussions in their own workplace from their bosses, members, and/or ownership.
For example, we got a very thoughtful e-mail recently about an article we published on the importance of a disciplined approach to short- and long-range planning (“Sticking to the Plan,” July 2007). “It was a great article that every manager should read and apply to their daily lives,” said the writer, a resort golf course superintendent. “I found your thoughts and insights very helpful and reassuring, because in all the years I’ve been a superintendent, I’ve laid the foundation for what we do on the golf course through short- and long-term planning.”
The writer went on, however, to explain that he didn’t want us to publish his comments by name because he “unfortunately works for a resort that doesn’t do [any kind of planning]. It has been around for almost 80 years, but is now starting to see what the lack of a long-range plan is doing to it. It is slowly falling apart, throughout the whole resort. It is a shame—I wish the powers here would not only read the article but buy into this way of thinking. It is the only way, in my opinion, to ensure long-term success.”
We wrote back to this superintendent and suggested that he at least think about making copies of the article and spreading them around anonymously, to see if he could get the attention of someone on a committee or in upper management who might then see the light and try to reverse the process.
I’ll also make a standing offer here right now: If you ever feel you can’t go on record yourself, either publicly or internally, to point out that our coverage speaks in support of a needed initiative at your club or resort, send me the names and addresses of the people who you think need to see it, and I’ll send it to them myself.
It’s the least we can do, because good thoughts and good intentions—not to mention good people and good properties—are a terrible thing to waste.
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