be unwise to schedule your get-togeth- they’ll be more likely to show up be- Amanda Vogel holds a master’s degree in
er at around that same time. cause you’ll be expecting them. human kinetics and is a certified fitness pro
Finally, do everything you can to in Vancouver. She owns Active Voice,
2. KNOW YOUR
make the meeting as lively as pos- a writing, editing and consulting service for
sible – bring a few fun extras like the fitness industry. She is the co-author
AGENDA
tasty snacks or draw prizes (a fitness of Baby Boot Camp: The New Mom’s
CD, book or gift certificate works 9-Minute Fitness Solution, and writes for
Once you’ve pinned down a day well). With the right mix of organi- popular magazines, including Chatelaine,
and time, start thinking about how the zation, leadership and creativity, you Best Health and Prevention. Contact her at
meeting will play out. Create an agen- can put together a meeting that will www.ActiveVoice.ca, http://FitnessWriter.
da that organizes and prioritizes what inspire your staff to attend and par- blogspot.com or www.twitter.com/
you want to discuss. This will help you ticipate. FBC amandavogel.
manage time and stay on track during
the meeting.
As you sketch out an agenda, get a
clear idea of the meeting’s main objec-
tives, such as news about new equip-
ment purchases or what trainers can do
to step up customer service. Doing so
will improve productivity and encour-
age interaction.
Regardless of how many items are
on the agenda, set a limit for how long
the meeting will last. We’ve all felt
trapped in a meeting that seems to have
no end in sight. Avoid doing this to
your staff!
At the start of the meeting, you
might ask everyone to briefly introduce
themselves – it’s a good ice-breaker for
staff who don’t know each other and
a chance to socialize a bit. However,
make sure intros move along quickly
so people don’t get restless; you want to
make the best use of your limited time.
Finally, when estimating how long
the meeting will take, don’t forget to
account for questions, comments and
group interaction. Encourage partici-
pation but plan in advance how you’ll
handle discussions that digress too far
from the agenda.

3. TELL THEM,
THEN TELL
THEM AGAIN
Getting your staff on board for a
meeting is a lot like marketing for a
special event. It’s usually not enough
to tell everyone just once about an up-
coming meeting. Remind them often
and with multiple forms of communi-
cation, such as group emails, colour-
ful notices where staff will see them
in the gym, or even on Twitter or
Facebook if you connect with staff on
those sites. If possible, begin advertis-
ing the meeting 3-4 weeks in advance.
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Request that people RSVP. When
they commit to attending in advance,
November/December 2009 Fitness Business Canada 33
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