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What separates good gyms or trainers from mediocre ones?
Some would say it’s a specific style of training, access to state-of-the-art equipment and amenities, the results their clients/athletes can achieve, or even their knowledge of subjects such as anatomy, assessment, program design, or , I don’t know, long division.
Don’t get me wrong: all the above can help separate yourself from the masses, but so what Really increases customer loyalty (as well as attracting new ones) it’s not the fancy equipment or the fact that you’ve read Mel Siff’s book Overtraining 47 times and can quote every page.
No, what gives you the competitive edge is the culture you create.
Copyright: vadymvdrobot
How to Create a Winning Culture (<– Not an exhaustive list, but you should read on anyway)
1. It starts with you, Sherlock
Nothing wraps this message up in a nice, neat, eloquent bow than something I read by Alwyn Cosgrove a while back:
“A tanking team brings in a new manager and turns things around completely.
A company like Apple, removes Steve Jobs, starts pushing the nose, then brings back Steve Jobs as leader and the company starts to screw it up again.
Alternatively, an assistant coach takes over a program when the head coach leaves, and even though that assistant runs the same system, that team never reaches the level it was before.
Why is this happening;
Everything starts from the top.
It all starts with you.
It wasn’t just the systems that were in place, it was the culture (or lack thereof) that was created.”
I think it’s safe to say that everyone, at one point or another, has experienced the dichotomy between a good leader and a godly leader. It can be hard to put a finger on exact features that separate the two, but it makes sense to know it when you see it.
In 1997 I won a scholarship to play baseball at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. I loved the coach who hired me to transfer there. During my recruiting visit, he came across as someone who was a straight shooter and someone who demanded (and received) respect from his players.
I spent an entire weekend watching practices and hanging out on campus with guys from the team and there was not one instance of them talking smack behind the coach’s back.
He was described as someone who was strict, though fair, and someone who stayed consistent with his expectations of everyone. He wasn’t someone who said one thing one day and did a 180 the next.
He was an example of leadership.
The kids enjoyed playing there and spoke highly of the program overall. And, as it happened, at the time, the team was coming off a successful 40-6 season and a Top 10 ranking in the Division II baseball polls.
Without going into too much detail, I arrived in the Fall of 1997 and within a few months the coach who recruited me to come to Mercyhurst left to take over another program.
I was upset and more than a little agitated. But I was confident that I had still made the right decision (Humblebrag: I turned down a full ride to a Division I school to go there) and that the team would still be competitive moving forward.
I was wrong.
The coach that was brought in next was the antithesis of leadership. A ham sandwich would be a better leader.
He was nothing but a hard hearted and outrageous jerk.
By the end of his first (and only) season at Mercyhurst, he had burned many bridges with the players and administration at the school, mainly because it was discovered that he had lied about his previous career as a player and coach.
Remember: These were the days before the Internet, so it was the Wild West of the plate. I mean, I once hit Ken Griffey Jr three times in one game and I also went toe-to-toe with Rosario Dawson once.
Look it up.
Anyway, as far as culture goes… the proof was in the numbers:
1997 Team: 40-6
1998 Team: 26-18.
Now, 1998 wasn’t a complete horror show of a season from a Win-Loss perspective (most teams would have liked to finish 8 games over .500)…but it was clear that the atmosphere and culture of the program had been altered .
And, frankly, it was the first time I had personally seen how bad leadership created a toxic environment.
Now, as a trainer or coach, think about how this parallels the fitness environments you’ve been in? I’ve worked at places that had no thought or value for building great coaches, that gave two shits about providing Any continuing education, and refused to cultivate a culture of winners, and showed:
- High turnover.
- More concern about whether trainers are covering quotas in the packages being sold or even how to conduct a genuine conversation with potential clients.
- General tussle.
Taking it a step further (and taking corporateness out of the equation), what does it say? you as a fitness professional if you constantly appear slowly, you forget dates you they are not prepared and/or you show up dressed as a homeless pirate?
Leadership always and specifically starts at the top.
And, whether you work at a commercial gym or are your own boss, the leadership and culture you nurture starts with you.
2. Stop being a spontaneous racer
One of my favorite comedies of all time is Grumpy Old Men.
In a nutshell, the film is based on two friends, John (Jack Lemmon) and Max (Walter Matthau), and their lifelong rivalry.
It’s full of old school clichés, humor and the amazing Burgess Meredith (his Rocky reputation) excerpts.
The subject matter of the film often reminds me of the fitness industry today and how it is full of the same shenanigans and toxic animosity.
We expect a lot from our athletes and customers. We want them to show up and give us their undivided attention and full effort. In addition, in many ways, we aim for them to be more responsible and take responsibility for their actions…
…to be leaders in their own right.
However, we (the so-called integrity police) will jump on Twitter (er, excuse me “X”) the second Dieselchest2277 has the audacity to disagree with us on anything from squat technique to achilles tendonitis protocols to the best keto recipes sawdust flavored.
It’s kind of hard to develop a culture of civility, one that respects other people’s backgrounds and experiences (and opinions), if you have the temperament of a twelve-year-old. Or, more specifically, a crazy old man.
Grow up.
Recognize that not everyone has to agree with you and that maybe, PANTyou may be wrong or outdated in your line of thinking.
This is the epitome of good leaders.
3. Be Human. No Superman
Finally, I firmly believe that people do not respond well when we demand perfection from them.
It doesn’t bode well for the culture and camaraderie when you’re overbearing and expect all of your athletes and clients to be Captain America 100% of the time.
- It’s okay if they can’t nail that hip hinge on their first try.
- It’s not the end of the world if they miss a lift. (but also shouldn’t happen on a consistent basis)
- Eating carbohydrates is not a criminal act.
Part of building a winning culture, especially a winning gym culture, is encouraging PROGRESS, not perfection.
Additionally, I think affinity is an underrated component of building a winning culture. Part of the reason I think some of my clients like training with me is because I’m just as excited to talk about deadlifts and scapula upward rotation. There will be blood quotation marks.
Customer: “So, after he hits that tilt set, what’s next?”
My: “I…DRINK…YOUR…MILKSHAKE!”
Customer: “Huh?”
My: “I DRINK IT!”
Talk about movies, gossip about his final season The Bachelorettego crazy and listen to boyband radio.
Show your human side. Be authentic to who YOU is. Show that you’re vulnerable and that sometimes you’re wrong, you’re not perfect, and you don’t know all the answers. Your athletes and clients will love you for it.
This is the key to a winning culture.
Come hear me talk about this thing in person
I will be heading to Europe this fall to run two separate in-person workshops:
1. Coaching Competency Workshop – Pristina, Kosovo: Saturday, October 21
This will be my first visit to Kosovo and I couldn’t be more excited. Topics covered at this event range from how to assess clients and write (strength) programming for gen pop clients to how to treat common injuries and troubleshoot common exercises like squats and deadlifts (of course).
For more information and to register, email the host Dr. Rita Parashumti at: rita@ritwells.com.
2. Creation of Complete Fitness Pro – London, UK: Saturday and Sunday, October 28 & 29
You can check full details (including itinerary). HERE.
(note: Very limited early bird spots are available for this event, so if you’re even remotely interested, push NOW)
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