You Said Left. They Went Right. Now What?
I teach group fitness classes, which means I regularly stand in front of a room full of people and tell them things like, “Left! Right! Forward! Back! Diagonal!” There is very little room for hesitation
If I sound unsure about which direction we are going, 30 people can end up moving in 30 different directions. At best, it looks ridiculous. At worst, somebody gets stepped on. So when I teach, I have to be clear. I have to know what is coming next, repeat instructions when needed, and demonstrate what I want.
When I first started teaching fitness classes, it drove me crazy when someone didn’t follow exactly what I was doing. Why are you going left? We are clearly going right. Why are you doing a grapevine? There is no grapevine happening here.
Just before my head would explode, I would remember that I can’t control what they actually do. I can only control what I do and trust that they will follow…eventually.
This lesson applies far beyond the fitness studio. Here are three ways to invite followership through confidence, not compliance:
Trust your preparation. When I know the routine, understand the movements, and have prepared for the class, people can feel it. They relax because they trust that I know where we are going. Leadership works the same way. Preparation creates confidence, and confidence reassures the people around you. You don’t have to prove you are in charge. Your competence speaks for itself.
Communicate decisively. In a fitness class, vague directions can literally cause a collision. “Maybe move sort of over there” is not helpful when everyone is holding dumbbells. People need clear direction from leaders too. Clarity signals confidence because people are not left guessing about what you meant.
Stop trying to control other people. Eventually I figured out that if someone modifies a movement, misses a step, or decides they really love that grapevine, it is okay. They are still moving. They are still getting a workout. They are still having fun. Leaders sometimes waste enormous amounts of energy trying to make people do things exactly the way they would do them.
Give people the destination, then give them some room. And if they throw in a grapevine along the way, maybe just let them enjoy it.