• EDUCATE. EMPOWER. SUCCEED.
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Login
Club Solutions Magazine
  • Topics
    • Leadership
    • Marketing & Sales
    • News
    • Operations
    • Programming
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
  • On-Demand
  • Education
    • Club Solutions Leadership Summit
    • Club Solutions Leadership Retreat
    • Pickleball Innovators
    • The Leadership Accelerator Video Series
    • Club Solutions Book Club: High Road Leadership, John C Maxwell
    • Club Solutions Book Club: The Advantage
  • Supplier Insights
    • Brand Voice
    • Supplier Voice
    • Supplier News
  • Podcast
  • Webinars
    • Thought Leaders: A Virtual Roundtable Series
    • On-Demand Webinars
  • Buyer’s Guide
No Result
View All Result
  • Topics
    • Leadership
    • Marketing & Sales
    • News
    • Operations
    • Programming
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
  • On-Demand
  • Education
    • Club Solutions Leadership Summit
    • Club Solutions Leadership Retreat
    • Pickleball Innovators
    • The Leadership Accelerator Video Series
    • Club Solutions Book Club: High Road Leadership, John C Maxwell
    • Club Solutions Book Club: The Advantage
  • Supplier Insights
    • Brand Voice
    • Supplier Voice
    • Supplier News
  • Podcast
  • Webinars
    • Thought Leaders: A Virtual Roundtable Series
    • On-Demand Webinars
  • Buyer’s Guide
No Result
View All Result
Club Solutions Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home Column

Drama, Drama, Drama

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko by Rachel Zabonick-Chonko
July 25, 2012
in Column, Group X, News
0
Group X Payroll and Operations
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

It seems as if we are always dealing with the “Drama of Group Fitness.” The thread of competition in our industry is great; who sells the most memberships, who is employee of the month, who has the most personal training clients, who sold the most PT, etc. But for some reason when it come to group fitness it is a “scratch you eyes out” department.  Let’s just say that, in many clubs, Group X = drama. If I had a dime for the amount of calls and inquiries I receive about how to handle problems with instructors in group fitness departments I would be quite rich, and this very topic is many times a large portion of my lectures with tons of questions about tough situations that need to be handled in one’s club. Below I will give you some tips to stop the drama but let me ask you this first because much of the problem may come from leadership — do you, as a leader/manager, acknowledge every single one of your group fitness instructors and thank them for their time and commitment to your club?

A lot of the group fitness drama comes from your instructors who simply don’t feel loved. 97 percent of all Group X instructors are female and on the planet Venus, it’s about the love. A packed class and a lot of love keep your instructors happy. So how do we stop the chatter and drama?

1.    Set up a mentoring system where your older, more popular instructors become a big sister/big brother to the newer less experienced instructors.

2.    Set the state of your department immediately and put in place the “no drama” requirement clause in the instructor guidelines or offer letter that they must sign. If an instructor creates drama, they will have signed a document stating that it will not be tolerated. If one wants to teach at your club there will be “no drama.” Put this in place ASAP.

3.    Never be held hostage to one instructor. You know — the person that teaches the one class that is super popular and no one else teaches it. This is a death wish, truly. If there is only one instructor that teaches a format get it off your schedule ASAP.

4.    Make sure that your director is not the problem. Many times the leader of the team is the biggest problem of all. Stay aware of what is going on in your department. Observe how instructors are being managed and treated and how they treat one another.

5.    Make sure every instructor is treated equally. Ensure that your pay scale policies are consistent and pay increase systems are in place. Upon hiring an instructor make sure that they are aware of the policies.

6.    Leave a thank-you note on the stereo for your instructor with a Power Bar or treat. Do this quarterly or semi annually and make sure everyone gets the same treatment.

7.    Mediate gossip and nonsense issues immediately. Jealousy is a crazy emotion. Try to temper issues quickly and professionally.

Think about how packed your classes would be if the instructor would stop focusing on drama and start focusing on the members and packing their class.

Encourage instructors to shift their thinking.

Lori Lowell is the President of Group Fitness Solutions, LLC, and owns 8 Fitness Facilities in Virginia and Wisconsin. Contact her at lori@groupfitnesssolutions.com.

Stay ahead in the fitness industry with exclusive updates!

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko
Rachel Zabonick-Chonko

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.

Tags: Group X Blog
Previous Post

The New Customer Mindset

Next Post

Numbers Don’t Lie!

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.

Related Posts

Bryan Thomas
News

Fitness Ventures Promotes Bryan Thomas to Chief Fitness Strategy Officer

June 20, 2025
Meet the Moderators of the 2025 Club Solutions Leadership Retreat
News

Meet the Moderators of the 2025 Club Solutions Leadership Retreat

June 16, 2025
World Gym International
News

World Gym International Signs Master Franchise Agreement for Brazil

June 13, 2025
Hiring for the Right Reasons
Column

Hiring for the Right Reasons: Rethinking Recruiting for High-Performing Teams

June 11, 2025
TruFit Athletic Clubs
News

TruFit Athletic Clubs Celebrates 19 Years with $2 Million Investment in Club Enhancements

June 9, 2025
425 Fitness
News

Bay Club Continues Investment Sprint With the Acquisition of 425 Fitness

June 5, 2025
Next Post
Systematized Ease

Numbers Don’t Lie!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GET UPDATES IN YOUR INBOX

Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn

The Current Issue

May/June Issue 2025

May/June Issue 2025



Browse

  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter
  • Media Kit
  • The Magazine
  • Club Solutions On-Demand
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Club Solutions Magazine. Published by Peake Media.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Topics
    • Leadership
    • Marketing & Sales
    • News
    • Operations
    • Programming
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
  • On-Demand
  • Education
    • Club Solutions Leadership Summit
    • Club Solutions Leadership Retreat
    • Pickleball Innovators
    • The Leadership Accelerator Video Series
    • Club Solutions Book Club: High Road Leadership, John C Maxwell
    • Club Solutions Book Club: The Advantage
  • Supplier Insights
    • Brand Voice
    • Supplier Voice
    • Supplier News
  • Podcast
  • Webinars
    • Thought Leaders: A Virtual Roundtable Series
    • On-Demand Webinars
  • Buyer’s Guide

© 2025 Club Solutions Magazine. Published by Peake Media.