Karl Droppers & The MVP Sports Clubs Team

I really enjoy sharing my views on the fitness industry and how organizations can adopt new thinking and disciplines to achieve success. Its rewarding and fun to work with leaders of fitness and wellness organizations; its what we at fitmarc and integerus do everyday. So I was thrilled this week when I got to see Karl Droppers, President at MVP Sports Clubs, in person, along with his entire team during their strategic meeting in Orlando. I shared views on where the fitness industry has come, where its going and how organizations can adapt to deal with the changes ahead. Karl reached out to me after attending my IHRSA webinar in 2010 on how the bricks and mortar fitness business is changing.

Karl is a great leader and it is refreshing to work with an experienced professional who is open minded and recognizes the degree of change that is happening in the industry. Because of his forward thinking, I think good things are in store for his organization.

MVP Sports Clubs is an interesting and successful operation with facilities in Orlando and Michigan. The Orlando facility where the strategic meeting occured, which is called RDV Sports, is a huge complex of 365,000 sq. ft. that includes multiple ice rinks. The facility is incredible.

I also got to catch up with long time friend and associate Benny Hardouin, who I knew from my association with Franco's Athletic Club. The team was enjoyable with many senior people and a nice group of fresh faces. My thanks go out to the team at MVP Sports. I enjoyed meeting all of you.

I'm curious; when was the last time your organization had a quality strategic meeting ? Have you benefited from some fresh thinking about the future and where you are or could be taking your fitness or wellness business ? Let me, Bryan O'Rourke, know what you think. Please share your views. Is it helpful to have an outside fresh perspective when you are planning for the future ? If so who would you look to for that guidance ?

Jim Collins - We're all Headed Into The Storm

A recent article in Inc Magazine, "How to Thrive in 2009" featured Jim Collins, author of Good to Great. His analysis of where we are all headed as organizations is poignant. Here is an excerpt on the coming wave of unforseen challenges all organizations will face:

"Most people are in the comfort of base camp, and they can go on doing what they're doing even if there is a big storm. But the people who wake up high on that mountain in a howling storm are in grave danger, like the technology people after the bubble burst. It hit me that we're all heading up there, whether we like it or not. We're heading into a world characterized by big events, big forces, massive storms. We're going to be vulnerable little specks high on the mountain when the storm hits out of nowhere. And if we're not prepared, we're going to die up there. Or we're going to be in real serious trouble.

Here are his views on a new paradigm of leadership:

"Business owners and chief executives have had a tremendous amount of concentrated power. They don't really have to lead. If I put a gun to your head, I can get you to do a lot of things. It means I have power. It doesn't mean I've led. In business, we largely have power, not leadership. In a social-sector organization, power is diffuse. So, getting things done requires the ability to truly lead. If you want to create a movement, you can't order it or demand it or will it into existence by exerting concentrated power. It just won't work." Yes leadership.

Welcome to the revolution where true vision, understanding and leadership are a requirement; not a luxury.