cesari-fitness
07-19-2004, 01:18 PM
How Fitness Centers Thrive
The purpose, function, or service of a fitness organization is to offer a place where people can achieve their health and fitness goals. Which can include a variety of aspects such as increased muscular strength, increased muscular endurance, increased cardiorespiratory fitness, increased flexibility, improvement of sport specific skills, rehabilitation of injuries, self respect and inner strength. Of course some of these goals can be achieved simultaneously by participants.
Still all of these potential goals need to be addressed in a health and fitness setting in order to have the desired thriving environment. When the owner has keeping the employees, members needs with the facility in mind this helps them to succeed in the long run. Owners have to be very aware and attentive to the needs of the employees and members.
As an owner it is important to have a long-term vision for the fitness facility. First and foremost success starts at the top the person that ultimately makes the decisions must have the characteristics that are important for a leader. It is not enough for the owner to exert influence over the managers, employees, trainers, and instructors. It is the responsibility of the owner to insure that influence is a positive one.
The success of the organization for the owner must never be at the expense of the thoughts, feelings, or ideas of the employees below them, or the members of the fitness facility. That will result in those who observe these qualities to know that the owner is not just a great leader but also a great person. This thought process helps the owner, employees, and members to achieve their goals and help keep them happy.
In order to achieve this their needs to be a solid management structure starting with the general manager. Once identified, the vision must be shared and sold by ownership to management. It is essential to have the person in charge have the proper credentials, professionalism, and enthusiasm for long term success. One of their many responsibilities is to supervise subordinates ideally doing a very good job with this task.
In order for the general manager to achieve this they need to display the proper qualities. The general manager needs to work hard and learn for themselves the ideas, thoughts, and knowledge in order to thrive. These management qualities would include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling all the resources to increase effectiveness. There fore this will show that the owner, subordinates, and members will be in an environment that thrives.
It is also important to have a fitness director that would be in direct charge of the desk staff. So when there is an immediate need, question, or concern it can be addressed promptly, and properly. They’re by also allowing the General Manager to address other matters that need to be attended to. I spoke earlier of the vision that needs to be passed down to the others in the organization. An example would be clearly identified marketing goals aimed at the potential members in the area.
That would be something the fitness director could be responsible for within the fitness facility. Where as the general manager could be the one to help spread the marketing goals outside the facility. There must be a budget in place for the program marketing so the fitness director knows what they can spend marketing the fitness facility within. Then the general manager is completely clear on what to spend for the program marketing outside the fitness facility. Knowing exactly what they can spend is important to both types of managers.
Depending upon the size of the fitness facility an assistant fitness director could be useful when the director’s attention is needed for other concerns. Assuming it is a larger fitness facility that shows to the members that their needs will be more easily met in a timely fashion. The assistant can gather information about how the members feel insuring that every one is enjoying being a member. Relaying all the thoughts, feelings, questions, or the concerns that members and staff have is important for keeping the line of communication strong.
With a smaller fitness facility it is possible to have the fitness director be the one to have sole responsibility for this important part of the communication. Regardless of the size of the fitness facility this is important to insure that the fitness facility has an identity. People need to know your fitness facility exists for the purpose of helping them to achieve their fitness goals. Happy members will talk with family, friends, and fellow co-workers about how wonderful the fitness facility is. They’re by causing the positive word of mouth to spread quickly.
Also having a personal training/group exercise director specifically for the trainers, and instructors serves any fitness facility well for their future. This will ensure that they receive the individual attention they deserve also. It is of course the director’s job to ensure that the trainers and instructors are knowledgeable in all areas of resistance training and cardiorespiratory conditioning. Therefore helping to lead the clients and students closer to their goals. Which won’t go unnoticed amongst the members of the fitness facility.
Seeing the clients and students improving upon their fitness levels helps the existing member base. As a result of witnessing this it will help encourage the members to purchase personal training and become students in the group exercise classes. When the trainers and instructors enjoy applying the science, while taking great pride in developing safe and appropriate exercise programs and classes this is beneficial for those same reasons discussed above.
No matter how many staff members you chose to have their compensation should be commensurate with education, credentials, and experience level. Which relates back to the owner having both a vision and a budget. When every one feels they are receiving professional compensation that will keep them continuing to strive to improve. The staff needs to know that they will be given the proper support. With proper support, i.e., tangible and intangible, competent managers, directors, assistants, desk staff, trainers, and instructors, use experience, education, and desire to bring to fruition.
There must be role delineation from the general manager right on down thorough to janitors. A well-written description of position, job-related responsibilities and expectations is helpful. A list that accurately defines all job- related duties. That prevents confusion allowing every one to have a clear path of their objectives. They're by allowing them to continue working then completing what it is they need to specifically accomplish.
The purpose, function, or service of a fitness organization is to offer a place where people can achieve their health and fitness goals. Which can include a variety of aspects such as increased muscular strength, increased muscular endurance, increased cardiorespiratory fitness, increased flexibility, improvement of sport specific skills, rehabilitation of injuries, self respect and inner strength. Of course some of these goals can be achieved simultaneously by participants.
Still all of these potential goals need to be addressed in a health and fitness setting in order to have the desired thriving environment. When the owner has keeping the employees, members needs with the facility in mind this helps them to succeed in the long run. Owners have to be very aware and attentive to the needs of the employees and members.
As an owner it is important to have a long-term vision for the fitness facility. First and foremost success starts at the top the person that ultimately makes the decisions must have the characteristics that are important for a leader. It is not enough for the owner to exert influence over the managers, employees, trainers, and instructors. It is the responsibility of the owner to insure that influence is a positive one.
The success of the organization for the owner must never be at the expense of the thoughts, feelings, or ideas of the employees below them, or the members of the fitness facility. That will result in those who observe these qualities to know that the owner is not just a great leader but also a great person. This thought process helps the owner, employees, and members to achieve their goals and help keep them happy.
In order to achieve this their needs to be a solid management structure starting with the general manager. Once identified, the vision must be shared and sold by ownership to management. It is essential to have the person in charge have the proper credentials, professionalism, and enthusiasm for long term success. One of their many responsibilities is to supervise subordinates ideally doing a very good job with this task.
In order for the general manager to achieve this they need to display the proper qualities. The general manager needs to work hard and learn for themselves the ideas, thoughts, and knowledge in order to thrive. These management qualities would include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling all the resources to increase effectiveness. There fore this will show that the owner, subordinates, and members will be in an environment that thrives.
It is also important to have a fitness director that would be in direct charge of the desk staff. So when there is an immediate need, question, or concern it can be addressed promptly, and properly. They’re by also allowing the General Manager to address other matters that need to be attended to. I spoke earlier of the vision that needs to be passed down to the others in the organization. An example would be clearly identified marketing goals aimed at the potential members in the area.
That would be something the fitness director could be responsible for within the fitness facility. Where as the general manager could be the one to help spread the marketing goals outside the facility. There must be a budget in place for the program marketing so the fitness director knows what they can spend marketing the fitness facility within. Then the general manager is completely clear on what to spend for the program marketing outside the fitness facility. Knowing exactly what they can spend is important to both types of managers.
Depending upon the size of the fitness facility an assistant fitness director could be useful when the director’s attention is needed for other concerns. Assuming it is a larger fitness facility that shows to the members that their needs will be more easily met in a timely fashion. The assistant can gather information about how the members feel insuring that every one is enjoying being a member. Relaying all the thoughts, feelings, questions, or the concerns that members and staff have is important for keeping the line of communication strong.
With a smaller fitness facility it is possible to have the fitness director be the one to have sole responsibility for this important part of the communication. Regardless of the size of the fitness facility this is important to insure that the fitness facility has an identity. People need to know your fitness facility exists for the purpose of helping them to achieve their fitness goals. Happy members will talk with family, friends, and fellow co-workers about how wonderful the fitness facility is. They’re by causing the positive word of mouth to spread quickly.
Also having a personal training/group exercise director specifically for the trainers, and instructors serves any fitness facility well for their future. This will ensure that they receive the individual attention they deserve also. It is of course the director’s job to ensure that the trainers and instructors are knowledgeable in all areas of resistance training and cardiorespiratory conditioning. Therefore helping to lead the clients and students closer to their goals. Which won’t go unnoticed amongst the members of the fitness facility.
Seeing the clients and students improving upon their fitness levels helps the existing member base. As a result of witnessing this it will help encourage the members to purchase personal training and become students in the group exercise classes. When the trainers and instructors enjoy applying the science, while taking great pride in developing safe and appropriate exercise programs and classes this is beneficial for those same reasons discussed above.
No matter how many staff members you chose to have their compensation should be commensurate with education, credentials, and experience level. Which relates back to the owner having both a vision and a budget. When every one feels they are receiving professional compensation that will keep them continuing to strive to improve. The staff needs to know that they will be given the proper support. With proper support, i.e., tangible and intangible, competent managers, directors, assistants, desk staff, trainers, and instructors, use experience, education, and desire to bring to fruition.
There must be role delineation from the general manager right on down thorough to janitors. A well-written description of position, job-related responsibilities and expectations is helpful. A list that accurately defines all job- related duties. That prevents confusion allowing every one to have a clear path of their objectives. They're by allowing them to continue working then completing what it is they need to specifically accomplish.