John Wilkening: Why Great Clubs Are Built by Great People and Leaders Learn to Get Out of the Way

ABOUT JOHN John Wilkening, CCM, CCE, is GM/COO of North Hills Club in Raleigh, NC, a BoardRoom Distinguished Club with ELITE status. During his tenure, the club and its team have earned national recognition for strategic planning, renovation, programming and racquet facilities. John has spent nearly 30 years in the resort and private club industry. He began as a busboy at 15 and worked his way through food and beverage, clubhouse, lodge and multisite management roles before joining North Hills Club. He holds the Certified Club Manager and Certified Chief Executive designations from CMAA and serves on the Distinguished Clubs Standard Advisory Committee. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT In this conversation, John explores the people-first philosophy that has shaped his career and the culture at North Hills Club. He shares how three mentors influenced his approach to hospitality, operations and leadership, and why he believes great clubs are built by great people. For John, technical skills can be taught. Attitude, energy and a desire to help others succeed are what matter most. His leadership approach combines support with accountability. Employees are responsible for their own success, but they do not have to pursue it alone. John focuses on removing roadblocks, asking questions and giving people the confidence to find their own answers. He also shares the story of an executive chef who was given the trust and freedom to lead, ultimately becoming assistant general manager and mentoring his successor. The experience reinforced John’s belief that development requires time, consistency and genuine investment in people. John reflects on his own progression from management to leadership and the lesson he would give emerging professionals: Manage things, lead people. As leaders advance, success becomes less about what they can personally accomplish and more about what they can help others achieve. At North Hills Club, that same philosophy shapes the member experience. Every investment should give people a reason to join, stay or bring their friends. John and his team rely not only on surveys, but on visibility, conversation and utilization to understand what members value. The episode closes with John’s belief that private clubs should create welcoming spaces where people can build relationships, spend time with family and friends and feel they belong. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN • Why great clubs are built by great people • How mentors shaped John’s leadership philosophy • Why attitude matters in hiring • How leaders can remove roadblocks without removing ownership • Why employee development requires time and trust • How to transition from managing things to leading people • Why member utilization can reveal more than survey scores • How belonging and connection become part of club strategy