Simon Bell, General Manager at Chobham, outlines five practical ways to be happier in your role.
Happiness at work is often seen as a luxury rather than a priority. The focus falls on performance metrics over wellbeing, and it is assumed job satisfaction will come as a byproduct of results.
But for Simon Bell, General Manager at Chobham Golf Club, that is the wrong way to look at it. A PGA professional for over two decades before moving into management, Simon has worked across private members’ clubs and commercial facilities, building a broad perspective on the industry.
Now into his fifth year at Chobham, he describes himself, first and foremost, as a “happy club industry professional”. It’s a mindset that has evolved over time, and one he believes is achievable for others, even amid the unavoidable pressures of the job.
Here, Simon offers his top five tips on achieving happiness in the role of a GM.
1. Put a great team in place – you won’t be able to relax if you can’t have time off without worrying
For me, everything starts with the team. I’m not an 80-hours-a-week guy – I work my five days, I’m always reachable, but when I’m off, I need to be properly off. The only way that works is if you trust the people around you.
I’m lucky with my team here, because I know they’ve got it covered. That means when I come back in, I’m rested, I’m ready to go, and I can deal with whatever’s coming. In this job, things come at you all the time, so if you’re not well rested, it’s hard to stay on top of it.
2. Focus on what you enjoy about the role – at heart I’m a customer service guy
At my core, I’m a customer service guy – that’s the bit I love, making people happy. Whether that’s members, visitors or people coming in for functions, that’s what gives me the biggest buzz. I’ll get up, walk around, speak to people, be visible – that interaction is what I enjoy most. There are always parts of the job that are harder, but I try to lean into the bits that I genuinely like. That’s what keeps the energy up. If you focus on what you enjoy, it doesn’t feel like a grind all the time.
3. Don’t isolate yourself, build a network – you’ve got to be able to talk, vent and get perspective
This role can feel quite isolating if you let it. There’s a lot that sits with you, and you can’t just pass it on. So it’s really important to build connections – within your team, with your board, and with other people in the industry. You need people you can talk to, people you can vent to, because things come up in this job that no one else would quite believe. Just being able to get it out, have a moan if you need to, and hear another perspective makes a massive difference. You don’t want to feel like you’re doing it all on your own.
4. Be open and honest about everything – hiding problems creates stress
Things will always go wrong – that’s just part of the job. For me, the biggest thing is being completely open and honest about it. If I’m upfront with my board, my team and my members, it takes a lot of pressure away straight away. I won’t go back on my word and I won’t try to dress things up. We have regular meetings, I share everything, and it’s all out there. That honesty builds trust, and it means issues don’t hang over you. If you try to hide things, that’s when the stress really builds.
5. Learn how to manage stress – act quickly and don’t let issues linger
There’s always pressure in this role. You’ve got that feeling sometimes – imposter syndrome, comparisons with other clubs, even the sense that you’re one board member away from things changing. That’s just part of it. What’s helped me is having really clear boundaries – knowing my role, my limits, my authorisation levels – and having a board that understands the pressures. But the biggest thing is not letting things linger. If something’s bothering me, I deal with it straight away. I’ll pick up the phone, I’ll have the conversation, I’ll get it out. The quicker you tackle things, the less they build up.
