In the previous issue of Club Solutions Magazine, I talked about the challenges individual leaders faced within their organizations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, let’s shift the focus to leadership learning lessons as an industry.
The health, fitness and wellness industry needs leaders who are ready to be on the front lines the next time a pandemic or health issue occurs, since we know how we can improve an individual’s life. Our health and fitness leaders need to be relentless in building the reputation of our industry so that in the future clubs are seen as essential businesses for their communities.
Overall, the understanding of each club operator’s state government from governors, assembly persons and state senators was a major gap we had to get fully immersed in if we would be able to have any influence in not only getting a reopening date, but also to be able to successfully operate with the new guidelines placed on our businesses.
I know in our clubs we have been very fortunate to have great leaders throughout all levels of the business take on new responsibilities and major accountabilities to allow our businesses to reopen. It has also been through their leadership they are able to rebuild their ancillary businesses not only back to pre-COVID levels, but providing new growth opportunities with long-term success.
COVID-19 had a major negative impact on the health and fitness industry, and it has required strong leadership to survive and thrive.
However, COVID-19 also has provided great wins for the industry since we have united as one industry, both nationally and within our own states.
We have also developed new relationships with other outstanding leaders across the industry who have shared their best practices and expertise, that has allowed our industry to get through these unprecedented times.
This global pandemic woke us up as an entire industry, but we are not going to let this pandemic or any future virus take our business away. The health, fitness and wellness industry will be recognized more than ever as the best solution to keeping our citizens healthy and safe.
