The Mark of Excellence
Excellence.
It’s difficult to define, but amazingly simply to recognize. In fact, you probably can’t adequately define it at all. Take, for example, an amazing athletic feat or a truly great musical score.
You can, I’m sure, describe and illustrate in words and pictures why that particular thing was so precisely excellent, but really what’s the point? Anybody can witness the athletic feat or hear the musical score and know, instantly, without a shadow of a doubt, that he or she has just witnessed true excellence.
The same is also true of the work environment. We, all of us, can instantly recognize when a company, person, product or service is excellent. It jumps out at us. It rings with authority. And, if we’re working for a company that is truly excellent, we bask in the pride associated with that effort. It’s a wonderful feeling.
Here at Camp Business, we’ve been slowly, but surely refining our magazine--taking chances with our editorial, taking chances with our design, taking chances with our Web site--all in the hope that we will move the bar past merely “good” or even “great” and find a permanent home in that wonderful land of “excellence.”
Have we succeeded? It’s not for me to decide, that’s your job, but I think you’ll be happy with this month’s effort.
Inside, you’ll find two heartfelt, earnest stories written by teenage campers, one heart-wrenching story about a family’s hopes, dreams and loss, and a mix of lighter, fun and informative stories covering topics as varied as Web site creation and spring camp maintenance. There’s even a somewhat-unrelated story about KOA Campgrounds and how they’ve used research to develop a strategy of “excellence” that may offer insight for you and your camp operation.
We think it’s a great effort (maybe even an excellent effort) and hope you agree. If you do (or if you don’t), please take a moment and let us know. You can send me a e-mail at rodney@northstarpubs.com or fax a note to 330-723-6598.
Till next month,
Rodney J. Auth
Publisher