CONNECTING
WITH
IMPACT
Marilyn H.Y. Hovius
“Connecting” with Members…
YMCA Needs…
Develop a team of “Relationship Builders”
TOOLS
“Engage” with new & current members
“Inspire” members to develop healthy habits
Members commit to “My Y”
Coach Training Process
1. Adult Engagement Training (5 hours)
-open to all depts, recommended for fitness & MSS staff
2. 7 Steps of Selling – New
3. MSS staff booked into Wellness Appt.
4. Coach shadowing min. of 5 hours
-completed with supervisor/senior coach
5. Dept meeting held ~ every 8 weeks
-review client profiles
-approaches
-updates
Supports and Tools for Coaches
Adult Engagement Questionnaire (let’s have a
conversation)
Fitlinxx
Journal entry and tracking
Monthly reporting
Minimum 7 meaningful connections in initial
3 months of membership
Continued check ins
Some Skills Coaches Need to Develop
LET’S PLAY A GAME…
LINE UP PLEASE
TWO LONG LINES
Person 1: come forward
Here is your story…
Person 2: come forward
Person 1: Please relay the story…
& on & on & on…
Last Person: What is the story?
Some Skills Coaches Need to Develop
Listening
Communication
Asking the Right Questions
Connecting….What questions?
1. Preliminary – Initial information and clarification of facts and feeling –
mainly descriptive
2. Probing – Progressing to probing and analysis
3. Possibilities – Future and possibility questions
What Questions?
Let’s Look at A Tool Your YMCA Provides You With…
ADULT ENGAGEMENT LIFESTYLE QUESTIONNAIRE
Working With New or Returning Exercisers
1. Preliminary
2. Probing
3. Possibilities
Using the “QUESTIONNAIRE”
What could the 1st Coaching appointment look like?
1.Introductions between coach and client
2.Discuss briefly what “wellness coaching is”
3.Fill out the PAR-Q
4.Information regarding medical issues – fact find!
5.Fill out a “Questionnaire”
6. 1st apptmnt - talk about “YMCA” (charity, volunteers, etc)
7.Discuss values, member related responsibilities
IF TIME
9. Set up Fitlinxx account (if have it)
IF TIME
10. How to use Fitlinxx ID &/or how to use a cardio piece
Watch TMI
11. BOOK 2ND APPOINTMENT
ADULT ENGAGEMENT LIFESTYLE QUESTIONNAIRE
Working With New or Returning Exercisers
The questions posed are really stepping stones to obtaining more
relevant information!
Session # 1
Name:
Date:
Good time to ask (& write it down on top of form):
-when did you join the “y”?
-have you ever belonged to a gym before?
-if yes, which gym?
-why did you join the “y”?
Comparable to
“Fact Finding” – 7 Steps to Selling
LETS LOOK AT THE
QUESTIONS WITH THE
GOAL OF
FACT FINDING
TO HELP DEVELOP A
RELATIONSHIP!
What is your goal for this program?
Try rephrasing:
-why did you join the “y”?
-what are your specific fitness goals?
-what do you hope to accomplish?
How would you describe your exercise history?
-what did you do for exercise before you joined the “y”?
-what did you enjoy doing at the “other gym” you belonged to?
(all answers can lead into the next question)
What are your likes and dislikes when it comes to physical activity?
-when you think about what you could do or have done for exercise,
is there anything or type you don’t really enjoy/like?
-what type of activities or exercise do you think you would
enjoy?....do you think you would like to try classes?
How would you define your overall lifestyle?
-are your days fairly busy?
-do you feel you have enough time each day to relax?
-are you rushing throughout the day from commitment to
commitment?
-when do you feel you would be able to fit exercise into your life?
*this last question helps with setting short-term goals and to
determine where you might be able to start the client with regards
to “how many times per week”
What are your expectations, reservations and concerns relative to this program?
This question is useful in so many ways…
-to find out if they have any exercise “fears”/what might their
perceived barriers be?
BUT ALSO
-to find out if there are any “SAM” issues they have experienced thus
far related to fitness dept & rest of Y
-do you have any concerns regarding starting an exercise program, or
with the Wellness Floor/Fitness classes?
-is there anything you’ve experienced in any location of this YMCA
that has you concerned or you would like to discuss?
What is your comfort level at the Y? Exercise rooms? Change Rooms?
COMFORT? OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE?
1.
2.
3.
4.
One animal card/person
Do not let anyone see your card & keep it a secret
In the group is an animal just like you, your partner
Without speaking, connect with your partner
Use movements, gestures etc that your animal would use
NO SPEAKING/NO AUDIBLE SOUNDS
NO WRITING or SIGNING LETTERS
What is your comfort level at the Y? Exercise rooms? Change Rooms?
Contrary to the game we just played….as coaches we are
lucky, we can speak and more important, listen!
If the member is not comfortable with you, with the Y, with
the idea of exercising, what will they need from you to
break down the barriers?
What is your comfort level at the Y? Exercise rooms? Change Rooms?
Delves more into their psychological readiness to be either on the
Wellness Floor &/or in the fitness classes?
How much extra support might you need to give them to help them
overcome this barrier?
Try asking this way…
-take a look around, would you feel comfortable working out on this
floor/have you been comfortable on the Wellness Floor?
-what about when it has been busy?
-how do you feel about participating in fitness classes?
-are you comfortable using the change rooms?
How would you describe your energy level today?
-on a scale of 1-10, how would you describe your energy level today
OR on a scale of 1-10, given that 1 is you’ve got nothing and would
rather be lying on a couch and 10 is you’re bouncing off the walls?
OR
-when are you most energetic during the day?
-coaches can use the info; new exercisers will be more motivated to
workout when they feel energetic, it will be easier for them to
develop healthy habits
-others might find working out when they are less energetic,
energizing!
How would you describe your stress level today?
-on a scale of 1-10, how would you describe your stress level today
or on a regular basis, given that 1 is you’ve got no stress, nothing
bothers you and 10 is you are constantly feeling stressed out?
OR
-would you say you have relatively stress free days?
OR
-when you are feeling stressed, has exercise ever made you feel
better?
How can the coaches use this information? (designing a
program/time for exercise for stress release?)
Coaches caveat to next question: “Although I know the answer to the
next question, I’m still going to ask you. By asking I can find out a bit
more of your knowledge related to exercise but also to help you
realize that you have to take ownership of your goals, I can’t make
you exercise. Your goals are to…(then ask the question)
What factors will help you reach your goal?
What do you think you need to do to accomplish your goals?
What pitfalls do you predict will prevent you from reaching your goal?
-have there been any times where you had planned to exercise but
then for some reason didn’t? What stopped you from exercising?
-what do you think are some of the reasons that might stop you
from coming in to exercise?
LEADS INTO…
What do you think you could do if you miss a scheduled work out?
LEADS INTO NEXT QUESTION…
What supports can you rely on to help you reach your goal?
-is there anyone who is helping to motivate you to exercise?
-then ask the question as stated above…
-can you ask them to call you or give you a push when you don’t feel
like exercising?
-their answer may or may not give the coach the opportunity to
discuss the idea of working out with a buddy, planning to come at
the same time
-maybe their answer leads to coach to feel that the client is a good
“self-motivator”, although if they are new to exercise or returning,
are they really “good self-motivators”?
What are your activity preferences?
This question could be useful here or may be a bit redundant based
on the “likes dislikes question on the first page.
With the new/returning to exercise client, asking this question
again will be a great lead in to the next question regarding shortterm goals.
OR
-go back to the likes/dislikes page, reread their likes, ask if they
have any more and then go to the short-term goals
Coach lead in: “at your next appointment, which we will book at
the end of this one, we will start to look at the strength training
exercises that are appropriate to start you progressing towards your
goals, BUT between this appointment and that one, it is important
to set exercise goals that you feel you can accomplish”
Short-term goals:
1.
2.
What do you think you could commit to doing in the next week (or
two)? How many times do you feel you could come in to exercise?
Are there any classes you’ve been interested in trying?
My pitfall strategies:
Coach can reiterate: “your short-term goals are too… and you’ve
stated yourself that you feel you could come in to exercise “x” # of
times (see overall lifestyle), what do you think you could do if you
miss your scheduled exercise?”
Coach can could change gears here: “before we continue, I would
like to use a bit of this appointment go give you a little more
information about the YMCA
There are so many things that a coach could discuss:
-charity
-donations
-volunteerism
-Sierre Leon
-SKC
Choose something relevant so that the member starts to realize we
are so much more than a fitness facility.
Then: “on our brochure we list our values as…:”
Caring
Honesty
Inclusiveness
Respect
Responsibility
“We are hoping that with regards to the values you as a member
will be willing to commit something to us and we will commit
something back…”
Connecting Y values in the 1st Appointment…
Member Wellness Centre Commitment
When exercising in the Wellness Centre or Studio/Gym, show respect towards
others and be responsible for the equipment and area. This means being courteous,
sharing the equipment, returning the equipment to the appropriate place when
done. Please use the provided cloths to clean off all cardio and strength training
equipment. Wearing indoor shoes in all fitness areas will help maintain the
equipment as well as keep the floors clean.
Staff Commitment
We will strive to ensure that your experience in the Wellness Centre and Fitness
Classes will be friendly, lead you towards a healthier lifestyle and that the
environment will be clean and safe.
Then ask the member if they are willing to sign to their part of the “commitment”
as well as their “short-term goals”.
Member’s signature:
Trainer’s signature:
Next meeting:
Asking the right questions and then
letting people come up with their own
answers is far more effective than
stating exercise facts or trying to talk
someone into something.
Telling creates resistance.
Asking creates relationships.
“Connecting” with Members
Be a “Relationship Builder”
“Engage” with new & current members
“Inspire” members to develop healthy habits
Members commit to “My Y”
If you have any questions, please contact
Marilyn Hovius
marilyn_hovius@ymca.ca