I visited over 40 camps last summer.

Some have high-end amenities like towel service and juice bars. Some operate out of church basements. Many are very much in between.

Within a few minutes of walking onto a property, it becomes clear what kind of operation I’m looking at.

And if you want to know if your camp is thriving, it pays to ask these questions:

1. How do you talk to your staff?

This starts with “we” language when describing how things run. But it also includes variations of, “I’ll be there to support you” from the leadership.

If you’re not talking to your staff with sincere care, what are you doing?

2. Is your camp clean of trash?

I hear from camps all the time about how much they love their place. Then I tour the camp and there’s trash on the ground. If you love something, you take care of it.

Garbage happens at camp. No doubt about it. But the best directors I know have pockets full of wrappers and papers because they pick it up as they walk. You love camp, and with love comes responsibility, even for the smallest things.

3. Are campers and staff engaged with each other?

I’ve visited camps with very high staff retention (80%+) but the camper number is in the 40s. That mismatch begs the question, “Who is the camp actually for?”

Are there groups of staff gathered here, but groups of campers gathered there? Are the two groups not talking? That means something.

There should be a visible and consistent connection between the two groups.

4. Do staff and campers say hello when you’re walking around?

When people feel ownership, they approach. “Hi, my name is Johnny. Who are you?” They’re proud. They want to show it off.

Some of the best camps I visit, kids come up unprompted and say, “Hey, let me show you this cool thing we do here.” They’re advocates. They feel like it’s their home and you’re the guest.

5. Would you put your own family in the program?

I’ve had directors tell me privately that they wouldn’t put their own child in the program. Uh-oh.

The reason usually boils down to one thing: they’re not proud of the product. There’s a problem they know about that they haven’t fixed.

If your answer is no, I’d encourage you to figure out how to get to yes. Everything else follows from there.

The Point

Care shows up in the details.

All five of these questions cost nothing to address. Zero budget required. No dollars. Culture is about ownership and care.

I’ve seen church basement camps that nail all five. I’ve seen camps with beautiful properties that miss most of them.

This summer, take a walk around your camp (or I can come with you). Ask yourself these five questions. Is your camp thriving? The answers will tell you.

Sincerely,
Dan Weir

Senior Consultant at Immersive1st

dan@immersive1st.com