» Management
As you sketch out an agenda, get a
Plan Meetings That Your Staff Will clear idea of the meeting’s main objec-
Want to Attend tives, such as news about new equip- Amanda Vogel holds a master’s
By Amanda Vogel ment purchases or what trainers can do degree in human kinetics and is a
Plan Meetings
to step up custom
e
r service. Doing so certified fitness pro in Vancouver.
Great meetings don't just happen – will improve productivity and encourage She owns Active Voice, a writ-
they're designed interaction. ing, editing and consulting ser-
That Your Staff
If you’re a program director for Regardless of how man
vice for the fitness industry. She is
y items are on the co-author of Baby Boot Camp:
group exercise or personal training, or the agenda, set a limit for how long the The New Mom’s 9-Minute Fitness
you manage a fitness facility, you’ve meeting will last. We’ve all felt trapped in Solution, and writes for popular
Will
probably held at l
east one meeting for a meeting that seems to have no end in magazines, including Chatelaine,
your staff. If you haven’t, now’s a good sight. Avoid doing this to your staff! Best Health and Prevention.
time to start. Contact her at
www.ActiveVoice.ca,
At the start of the meeting, you might
http://FitnessWriter.blogspot.com or
A good meeting c
Want
an strengthen ask everyone to b
to Attend
riefly introduce them-
www.twitter.com/amandavogel.
team spirit, reinforce your leadership selves – it’s a good ice-breaker for staff
position and help your department or who don’t know each other and a chance ###
club run more smoothly. Still, holding to socialize a bit. However, make sure in-
a meeting that’s both worth your staff tros move along quickly so people don’t
members’ time and inspiring to them is get restless; you want to make the best
no easy feat. use of your limited time.
Here are three tips for how to plan Finally, when estimating how long the
a meeting that your staff will want to meeting will take, don’t forget to account
attend. for questions, comments and group inter-
action. Encourage participation but plan
1. PICK THE RIGHT TIME in advance how you’ll handle discussions
that digress too far from the agenda.
Picking a date and time might seem
like the easiest part of arranging a 3. TELL THEM, THEN TELL THEM
meeting, but actually it takes careful AGAIN
consideration to settle on a time that
draws in the most people. There’s noth- Getting your staff on board for a meet-
ing worse than planning a meeting ing is a lot like marketing for a special
where only a few people show up. event. It’s usually not enough to tell ev-
eryone just once about an upcoming
So take cues from your staff to set meeting. Remind them often and with
the best time possible. Let’s say the ma- multiple forms of communication, such
jority of your instructors or trainers as group emails, colourful notices where
have small children. They might have staff will see them in the gym, or even
to miss an early evening meeting be- on Twitter or Facebook if you connect
cause of family responsibilities at home with staff on those sites. If possible, be-
(for the most part, little kids eat din- gin advertising the meeting 3-4 weeks in
ner and g
Great meetings don’t just happen – they’
o to bed early!). Likewise, if advance.
re designed.
it’s always tough to secure subs for the
Saturday morning classes, it may be Request that people RSVP. When they
unwise to schedule your get-together commit to attending in advance, they’ll
at arounBd tY AMAhat samNDe timA Ve. OGEL be more likely to show up because you’ll
be expecting them.
2. KN
I
OW fY yOUouR ’reA aG pErNoDgrAam director for Here are three tips for how to plan There’s nothing worse than planning
group exercise or personal train- a Fmineaelltyin, dg o theavt eryyotuhr instg ayff owu icll awn ato nt mto ake a meeting where only a few people
Once you’ivneg p, oinrn yeodu d mowa na ag de aay fi atneds s fa- thaet mtendeet. ing as lively as possible – bring show up.
time, start thciinliktiyn, gy aou’bovue tp hrobowa tblhye held at a few fun extras like tasty snacks or draw So take cues from your staff to set
meetingl weaisllt p olnaey m ouete.t Cinrge faoter a yno aurg setna-ff. If you prizes (a fitness CD, book or gift certifi- the best time possible. Let’s say the
da that ohragvaenni’zte, ns aownd’s p ar giooroitdiz teims we thoa st tart. ca
1
te
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w
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orks
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ell)
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T
th th
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e rig
E
ht
mix of or- majority of your instructors or train-
you want to A d gisocouds sm. Teehtiisn wg iclal hn esltpr yenogut hen ga
R
niz
I
at
G
ion,
HT
leaders
h
T
ip a
IM
nd cre
E
ativity, you ers have small children. They might
manage tteiamme s apnidr sit,t raeyi onnfo trrcaec yko duurr lienagd ership can put together a meeting that will in- have to miss an early evening meeting
the meetiponsgi.t ion and help your department or spire P yiocukri sntga aff d toa atet atenndd t aimnde p marigtihctip ate. because of family responsibilities at
club run more smoothly. Still, holding seem like the easiest part of arrang- home (for the most part, little kids eat
a meeting that’s both worth your staff ing a meeting, but actually it takes dinner and go to bed early!). Likewise,
members’ time and inspiring to them careful consideration to settle on a if it’s always tough to secure subs for
is no easy feat. time that draws in the most people. the Saturday morning classes, it may
32 Fitness Business Canada July/November/December 2009august 2009
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