HOW TO:
By Sean Greeley
HIRE & DEVELOP
QUALITY COACHES
When going it alone won’t get you to your goals.
N
o-one really wants
to build a team of
fitness coaches (at
first). But for many successful
fitness professionals,
circumstances force the
issue.
They hit a “time ceiling” where their
hours are maxed out and they have
no capacity to do more.
And if you don’t do it, it doesn’t get
done. So you end up burning the
candle at both ends, trying to work
IN the business and ON the business,
keep clients happy while bringing in
new ones …
And something’s gotta give. (Usually,
your time off, health, sanity, and
relationships.)
You want help, but the idea of hiring
and building a team to grow the
business beyond yourself … well, it’s
exciting, but also scary and full of
risk:
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•
•
What if you your clients don’t
want to train with anyone else
but you?
What if you can’t really afford
to pay someone else (just
when you’ve finally gotten to
a place where you can consistently
pay yourself a descent income)?
•
Where do you find good
people (and how do you
recruit, interview, hire, on-
board and manage them once
you’ve found them?
•
You take a chance when you hire
people. But you take a bigger
chance if you don’t. You can’t
continue growing (and build a
business that allows you to grow
beyond trading time for money)
That’s why the answer to these
questions above becomes: How do
you ‘make the leap’ and build the
team who will “deliver the goods” at
the same level as you?
In a couple of words: SLOWLY and
CAREFULLY … with as much planning
and preparation ahead of time as
possible. Here are five steps:
Is it really possible to find team
members who care about
serving your clients as much as
you do?
All these questions express
legitimate fears and risks.
WITHOUT hiring a team to work with
you. If you don’t grow, you’ll just
grind away sacrificing bits of yourself
and your time … until you can’t any
longer.
1:
Attract great candidates.
Many fitness business owners use a
scattershot approach and hope for
the best. They let their own need for
help push the process (e.g., they hire
the person in front of them because
they need someone right away).
your social media and email list,
your newsletter, and ask your
clients for referrals. Outside of your
network: Contact local colleges and
universities, certification body job
boards, and advertise and list with
career sites, such Indeed, LinkedIn,
Craigslist, Kijiji.
2:
Capture.
Too many fitness business owners
look for immediate results, and pay
a lot of attention to the first round
of ads. But you want to commit to
regularly reviewing your “captured”
candidate information.
The best people don’t always
respond on Day 1. Are you checking
every day for results - or just looking
to get the process over with and
“get back to work”?
You’re better off using a system. 3:
Inside your network: Use a career
opportunities page on your website, There’s a temptation to rush the
process, go with your gut, and hire
someone who “just feels right.”
WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - AUTUMN 2019
Interviewing & hiring.
Don’t. The risks are too great.
Hire slowly. Four (4) interviews are
optimal to evaluate candidates: a
quick screening, a group interview,
a private interview, and a take-
home project.
This gives you many perspectives on
someone’s talents and fit.
WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - AUTUMN 2019
4:
On boarding.
Set up your new team members
for success. Get clear on the
knowledge, systems, and skills that
must be trained for performance
in the role. And invest early in
professional development and map
out a path to success within 30 days.
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