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In this episode of Leadership on the Links, we sit down with Aaron Dawson, founder of Viewpoint EQ and a 20-year hospitality and private club veteran, for a candid conversation about self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and what it truly takes to lead at the highest levels of the golf and club industry. Aaron shares his transformative journey with the Birkman Method a powerful personality and behavioral assessment and how it changed not only how he leads, but how he listens, communicates, and builds psychologically safe teams. From lessons learned at Carmel Country Club to the universal blind spots holding club leaders back, this episode is a masterclass in intentional leadership.

Whether you're a superintendent, director of agronomy, general manager, or aspiring leader, this conversation will challenge you to look inward and elevate how you show up for your team every day.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How the Birkman Method unlocks hidden behavioral needs that other personality assessments miss and why self-awareness is the most critical leadership skill in private clubs today.

• Why the "Golden Rule" fails 70% of the time, and what to do instead when communicating with your team, members, and board.

• The concept of psychological safety and how Aaron helped cultivate it at Carmel Country Club to create a high-performing, candid, and aligned culture.

• How alignment (not talent) is the #1 blind spot in private clubs, boards, and leadership teams and the questions you must ask before accepting your next role.

• Why asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness and how top leaders like Jeff Bezos do only what only they can do.

• Practical advice for directors of agronomy on managing up, handling member feedback, and building trust before the pressure of summer season hits.

• What general managers and club leaders actually look for in director-level hires and the red flags that disqualify otherwise talented candidates.

• How stress indicators and personality traits (like Aaron's "high insistence, low restlessness") show up in leadership and how to proactively manage them.

• Tyler Bloom's personal leadership evolution: from operator to CEO, delegating identity, and building a team that carries pride on the trade show floor.

Links & Resources:

Aaron Dawson – Viewpoint EQ: viewpointeq.com

Email Aaron: [email protected]

Call Aaron: 979-436-3851

Aaron Dawson – LinkedIn Profile: Connect on LinkedIn

Bloom Golf Partners: bloomgolfpartners.com

CMAA (Club Management Association of America): cmaa.org