What do you do when your community doesn’t want to, well…“community”? In addition to working with Swift Kick, I am also a personal trainer. I teach a weekly bootcamp class with “The People’s Bootcamp” and get to bring together two things I like to do: exercise and telling people what to do teaching. On any given week, up to half of those in attendance are regulars; they have been there week after week and, other than the actual exercises I select, know what to expect. Recently, along with the other instructor, I have been brainstorming ideas to spruce up the class. Once armed with a few options, I went to the class to ask their feedback.
Me: “Hey everyone, quick poll for the class. How do you feel about having themed classes? Here are some I had in mind: Christmas in July (wear a Santa hat throughout the workout to remixed Christmas songs), 80s night, 90s night, etc…”
Them: Crickets.
They just want to come in, sweat and go home. Ok cool. Thanks for your feedback. Sad face.
As someone who enjoys activities like this, I was a little disappointed. I had to take a step back. How do I bring community to people who don’t know they need or want it yet? 😛
Start small.
Maybe going full-on Santa hats and Rudolph noses is too much. While some might like it, others may be completely uncomfortable. Start with name games, favorite TV shows, favorite summer vacation spots, pets names, etc…
Know your audience.
The average age of my class is about 35; they have jobs in every field from finance to movie production to the non-profit sector. Not every one is as silly or open as I am. Make sure to offer appropriate opportunities for sharing. Adults playing tag may not be a good choice.
Lead by example.
It’s one thing to tell people what to do, but entirely different and more influential if you put yourself right in the middle of the action.
Keep it positive.
Don’t get upset if it doesn’t go the way you planned or they weren’t as pleased with the outcome as you were. Keep it light, fun and then keep it moving. Laugh it off and let them see your resilience, a true sign of an effective leader.
Have an area of your life that needs some community? What little steps can you take to bring people together?
