Communications Clarity with Staff
A vision statement is not something that you develop and forget about. Instead, it should be the driving force for each and everyone involved in your business. And if it is being lived within your organization, then your vision should be something that your members understand unintentionally through the actions of all of your team members. Communicating clearly now leads to reaping rewards later on.Notice where things are not running as smoothly as they should. Problems could be caused by unclear communication with your team. Think about it as an opportunity to provide clarity to your team, and ultimately your members.
Communicating clearly helps everyone.
In business, there is great value in having a documented vision statement. Lena Eisenstein explains, "The vision speaks to the organization's purpose and why it's important for the organization to exist. Employees look to a vision statement for long-term direction. In addition, a vision statement speaks to the characteristics and lifestyle of the customers they serve as well as the market conditions."Think of a vision statement as creating a mental image for your staff about what you want to achieve or strive for as an organization. It is the future view of how you operate, the relationships you wish to have with your members, the value you want to provide, and how you will go about doing that.Keep in mind that a clear vision statement will motivate your employees to deliver the best experience possible for members.
How to communicate your vision
Having a documented vision is not good enough; you need to communicate it to your team continually. In addition, it needs to be something team members know by heart and are always thinking about how they go about their day-to-day tasks.Putting a document on the wall is not communicating your vision. That poster on the wall will not alone motivate your staff. Talk to your team about the vision. Ask your team for ideas around how they see themselves being able to deliver the vision. Continue the conversation too. Having it once achieves little.A human being needs to hear or take in a piece of communication 14 times to remember it. In deciding on the ways to communicate your vision, get creative. It can't hurt. Use posters, direct messages, text messages, and even daily alerts to keep everyone in the organization focused. Even consider adding your vision to the bottom of employee payslips if you have them.
The impact of clear communication on members
Never underestimate the value of communicating clearly.When your entire team is working toward the same vision as management and everything they do and say is clear and consistent, members feel comfortable. They understand where they stand. Clear communication from your team builds trust and provides a sense of quality to the service being provided.When members sense ambiguity and don’t receive clear communication, they could turn to other options where there is a simplified message and one that is consistent. You will know yourself what it is like to hear consistent and clear messages about something you engage with, be that a business or service.You trust in it and feel comforted that you are clear on what to expect and, therefore, what you will receive. And you likely see why the messaging is the way it is. If the delivery service you use tells you their vision is to be the fastest and best in your state and what you receive from them is quick and top-quality service, you believe in that business.
Signs you aren't clear enough.
If you are receiving mixed feedback from your members, you aren't clear in communicating your vision to your team. The feedback will show that there is no consistent messaging with members, so they understand the driving force behind your center. When your message is clear, and your team is working with your vision daily, members will fully embrace and understand what you strive for, and there will be less feedback in general. At least that would be your hope.When your team is not consistent with their conversations with members or the processes they are following, they aren't clear on your overarching vision. When you notice that team members aren't bought into supporting opportunities that are available to enhance your member's experience, notice if you have been clear on the goals and vision for your fitness center. If you are open to noticing, any slight sign can show you that you haven't communicated your vision enough with your team. One way to test that is to ask your members for their experience of the entire process of using your fitness center. You may gain valuable insight from asking some simple questions and then move to more transparent communication with your team.