Don Shula – arguably the greatest coach in NFL history – is known for the wise words: “It’s the start which stops most people.”

Well yesterday, a young operations manager for our LA FITNESS in Seattle’s Ballard location stopped – i.e. concluded – her work.

Now, fortunately she was not fired. She’s going to take over a less prominent club which in fairness is at a location closer to her place, but a demotion none the less.

However, with respect to firing, ironically during her tenure at our club, she fired a number of people. And what’s worse she did this BEFORE she had  their positions filled.

It seems that she was brought in for in good measure as the “hatchet women” after a season of drift of a couple of months preceded by a operations manager who over his 8 year term apparently had his day and then a long “night” before he quit.

Well, returning to the operations who just yesterday left, she actually was quite mature for her age of 19. But even with that maturity, she lacked experience. Right!

And instead of having the humility to build relationships so that she could learn her job from those around her. She apparently thought that she had to hitch up her bossy pants.

Needlessly, she created frustration and instead of using or developing discretion, she just followed orders.

Now, I won’t even get started about her report other than to note the lack of wisdom she displayed in making a placement of someone without previous experience in a managerial role at the largest LA Fitness in the Pacific Northwest.

Oh and of course that second note too that the person who is going to now start up is not only young, but unlike the gal who just stopped, she doesn’t have any previous gym experience.

Well, guess one has to start somewhere. But, here’s the point. When you get a start, give it everything you’ve got. Be humble. And be wiling to be foolish, because you are going to make a lot of mistakes.

And here is the most important thing to realize, because your are going to be making mistakes which will normally serve to disrupt others and might generate enmity, do your best at the start to make friends!

Try to make everyone else love you, by making yourself lovable and loving them first.

That way you might not have to stop what you start…!

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A late posting, but still go ahead and have a great Saturday Night!