MY PERSONAL TRAINER’S WINNING FORMULA ALSO WORKS IN SMALL BUSINESS

Twice a week I replace my early morning walk with a personal training session at the gym.

Now here’s the thing: I don’t like the gym, I love walking. But as a woman tipping mid-50, my muscles aren’t what they used to be when I was a dancer, and my hormones aren’t what they were when I was young.

Enter the personal trainer. Johan can make me do things I had no idea I was capable of (like pushing a weight that equals my husband’s weight) or was too scared to try. His knowledge and skills are comforting when I’m completely out of my comfort zone.

I’m not used to being coached; I’m used to coaching. But Johan Moll has succeeded in coaching me, and I started to analyse why. The lessons I was learning about getting fit (with the challenges of age) were similar to the learning my business clients’ speak of when I coach them to turn down the volume of their Monster Within. Whether I’m coaching leaders and Small Business owners, or whether Johan is coaching unfit bodies and minds at the gym, the lessons are similar.

One morning when I wasn’t well enough to work out, Johan and I retreated to the coffee shop for a chat. I asked him what his winning formula was. This article is the result of that chat-turned-interview.

HERE’S WHAT JOHAN HAD TO SAY:

“There are a few principles that are useful to remember when you want to achieve results in working out. And yes, they are similar to the principles you need if you run a Small Business.”

1. BE CONSISTENT.

“Consistency creates a habit. When habits form, regardless of how we feel on the day, we will continue to do the work.”

For your Small Business: Be consistent and create habits for those things that work for you and your business.

2. MAKE IT SIMPLE.

“A simple workout routine always works. You know what to do and know you can do it. Don’t complicate it.”

For your Small Business: Make it simple and make it easy to replicate; whether in sales, customer service or product delivery.

3. ADD HUMOUR AND ENJOYMENT.

“When my clients are struggling to complete their reps, and we talk about how well they are doing, and they laugh and smile, they seem to gain extra strength. The next ten reps are so much easier. If they enjoy it, they’ll do it. And if they laugh, they are enjoying themselves. Simple.”

For your Small Business: Enjoy what you do. Add some humour; you’ll not only continue to do it, but you’ll be stronger in your offering.  

4. SET BOUNDARIES.

“There’s a certain intimacy in personal training, so it’s essential to set boundaries. I get to know so much about my clients’ lives; they share everything in the sweat of the moment. So, I make sure they know about my wife, so there are no wrong ideas. I’m also crystal clear about physical boundaries, asking permission every time I touch my clients to correct something or encourage a muscle group to be active.”

For your Small Business: Set the boundaries early, agree what they are, and leave no room for confusion. In business, as in life, setting clear boundaries helps to avoid confusion and conflict, leaving energy for the real work.

5. BE A VEHICLE FOR CHANGE.

“Most people start physical training when they are hurt, physically or emotionally. They turn up broken, and when they share their story, you can see how urgent their need is for change. I’m a vehicle for that change, but I can’t do it for them. I can partner with them in their progress which will create results that last. The best, for me, is seeing potential in them, like a diamond in a little rock, and seeing them start shining. I love seeing them smile again.”

For your Small Business: When people reach out to you in your Small Business, they have often had a rough ride before finding you. They need your help, and you can be the vehicle for the solution they need. You’re helping people achieve their goals, but you can’t do it for them. Help them make the lasting change and help them to leave smiling.

Johan told me that his work is about getting people past the obstacles in their way.

My business is similar. But adding the language of his winning formula to my work will certainly help my Small Business to thrive. You may already do everything we’ve highlighted in this article, but being conscious of it will help to amplify your success. There’s a certain business fitness to be gained.