Successful, high-performing gym businesses don’t happen by accident. There are a lot of factors that go into it, and none of them are more important than leadership.
And while our philosophy is that everyone is a leader and everyone should be growing as a leader, this blog is specifically about the leadership of the fitness business owner.
High-performing gym businesses have leaders who possess a mindset and key behaviors that enable them to align all of the components to set and achieve the goals of the business.
They’ve learned to be the leader their business needs.
That doesn’t mean the perfect leader. And it doesn’t mean the fully evolved leader, as that doesn’t exist. It means being a person that’s committed to growing as a leader.
Being a growing leader is not simply a matter of ticking off items on a checklist nor is it able to be measured by a specific metric.
Instead, it’s about developing a way of thinking, acting and behaving that sets you apart from the rest.
In this blog, we’ll reveal the 7 key behaviors that distinguish growing leaders from the rest, based on our years of experience working with and learning from business owner leaders of all types.
You know what the best part about this list is?
All 7 of these are things that we can all do. If we don’t do these things naturally, they are behaviors that we can cultivate through the forming of good and intentional habits.
Do you WANT to be the leader that your gym business needs? If ‘YES’, then you’re qualified.
It’s up to you to decide if you’re willing to work on it.
GROWING LEADERS…
#1: MEET THEIR COMMITMENTS.
On anything from making payments on time to giving and keeping their word, they recognize the importance of a commitment. They keep commitments BOTH to others and to themselves. If life gets in the way, like it does for all of us, the leader owns their shortcomings and works to make them right. Being accountable to commitments is important to them. It’s no accident that strong leaders are known for their dependability.
#2: ARE OPEN TO FEEDBACK.
A growing leader wants to know how they are doing. Whether it’s feedback from metrics, their coach, their team or their customers, they thrive on receiving information that will help them improve. They are not satisfied with attaboys or echo chambers. This one is of the single biggest factors that separates them from the rest. And it requires a good look in the mirror to know if you’re really open to feedback, or if you just say you are.
#3: ARE LIFELONG LEARNERS.
Down to their core. It never shuts off with them. They may not even realize how much they are absorbing from everything that’s going on around them – but they recognize the importance of always learning. In addition, a growing leader looks for the learning opportunity every time they make a mistake (because everyone does), so that they don’t repeat it.
#4: ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE.
If you put a growing leader among peers, they are going to respond by upping their game. They become more focused, more diligent and more responsive. And they are ALWAYS looking for ways to be around people who can make them better. They do not strive to be the smartest person in the room.
#5: ACKNOWLEDGE ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR HEALTH.
This does NOT mean that they are always at peak levels. This means that they know that being a leader means working on having a balanced approach. They attend to their physical health, their mental health and foster important relationships in their life. They do the important things that are needed to nurture and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
#6: RESPECT THE NEEDS OF THEIR BUSINESS.
They don’t let a weakness of theirs become a neglected area of the business. Growing leaders know that it has to be done, and they make sure that it is accounted for somehow. This may mean they level up so they can do it themselves, or they empower someone else to get it done. But it doesn’t get ignored.
#7: MAKE ALL OF THEIR DECISIONS WITH THE LONG AND SHORT TERM IN MIND.
A growing leader doesn’t lose sight of the big picture. They don’t make knee jerk reactions just to make a ‘now’ problem go away. They are constantly assessing the landscape to determine priorities that are best for both now and the future. That doesn’t mean they are always right – it means they are always working to align the short term with the long term.
You see? You don’t have to have a certain characteristic or pedigree. It doesn’t even matter what state your fitness business is in or which of these you might already do. If you want to start growing as a leader, you can start working on these behaviors wherever you are, whoever you are, whatever your situation.
And it doesn’t take years and years to see the benefits. You can begin right now, today, and you’ll start seeing things differently right away.
You’re in fitness. You understand mindset and behavior change.
Think about how powerful that can be when done in the pursuit of growing as a leader.
That’s the leader your business needs.
Want more guidance on how you can grow as a leader? We help fitness business owners reach their leadership goals every day. That’s what we do in our High Performance Coaching Program, and we can help you do it too. With our expert coaching, you’ll gain the insights and skills you need to become the best version of yourself as a business owner.
So why wait? Let’s talk about it. Schedule a Strategy Session with us today and take the first step towards unlocking your full potential!