I have recently received several e-mails from club owners asking what to look for in an effective group fitness director or coordinator.
First, the ideal candidate must have integrity and a heightened sense of responsibility.
Second, it is critical that the candidate be outgoing, approachable and capable of building a good rapport with members.
Third, it is great to have a director who is experienced as well as connected in the fitness industry. With experience comes contacts, which make hiring instructors and finding substitutes in a pinch easy.
Fourth, he or she must know club policy and be able to answer questions from members and instructors.
Lastly, there is a degree of creativity required where class formats and scheduling is concerned. It is important to enhance class offerings periodically to keep members engaged. As a result, a qualified director will be able to develop new class formats as well as provide feedback to instructors about how to enhance existing classes.
It is also important to note that I always look to hire team players. In the event that you are considering an instructor as a candidate, assess whether the individual has the capacity to work well with others. In my experience, instructors typically work alone. I advise you to use your intuition and evaluate whether the potential candidate possesses the ability and desire to lead others.
Joseph Duffy has been in the fitness industry since 1990. He has taught group fitness classes at multiple clubs, and currently is the director of group fitness at Boom Fitness. Duffy has his own consulting business that assists owners with building group fitness programs from the ground up, as well as providing scheduling and staffing input. He can be reached at jdny1@me.com.
