D-Day For Fitness Australia CEO
From what I hear the Fitness Australia Board will be conducting the final interviews today to select the new CEO and we will hopefully have a new CEO sometime tonight!
As an industry we must be very proud of two facts in the process to find a CEO:
- There was nearly a 500% increase in the number of initial applications for the role from the last time the role was advertised. This shows that the Fitness Australia brand and positioning is alive and well – locally and internationally!
- The arduous process the Board have conducted to find the right CEO.
I have heard that the recruitment company have been VERY impressed with the diligence to which Fitness Australia have gone to to select the CEO. In fact, I am aware that one applicant has had 6 interviews/conversations with a variety of people. This shows just how determined the Fitness Australia Board are to identify the right person.
The new CEO will certainly have their challenges as Fitness Australia continues the push for ‘Fit Not FBT’ campaign in Canberra. They will also need to get to the grass roots of the industry and provide more value to fitness professionals registration; business membership and associate membership. They will need to turn the finances of the body around.
Our industry needs one peak body and the CEO will have the challenge of selling this to every stakeholder.
The final step for the applicants today is an interview with the full Board – how good is that by the Fitness Australia Board!! I don’t think they will be intimidated.
I believe there will be 2 applicants in this final step. I admit I know one applicant and I am very aware of the diligence they have given to this role with hours of preparation including close analysis of the Fitness Australia business structure, website and financials. They have explored other associations across the globe to get ideas and insights from them. And finally, they have met with many industry stakeholders already to get a feel for the fitness industry and the position of Fitness Australia. I would hate to guess how many hours they have devoted to their application but I know we have had at least 10 hours of discussion over the past month. If the other applicant has done the same intelligence gathering, as an industry we will have an amazing CEO of our peak body.
I believe both the final applicants have very different skill sets. They are very different people with very different experiences. They both have a passion for the fitness industry – a natural passion.
So who will get the job?
My prediction . . . it will be either a photo finish or one of them will canter in! The industry’s elected Board will either have robust discussion to split the applicants or they will be clear on the direction of the Association and one applicant will fit that direction nicely. But oh to be a fly on the wall late this afternoon!
What is critical to me is that the industry, from the group fitness instructor who teaches one class a week in local hall to a personal trainer in their first month of a new career to a franchise business owner to the independent club owner to the CEO of a chain of clubs and everyone in between support the new CEO. Our industry needs a strong peak body and strong CEO to lead us forward. The Board have shown great strength, so they deserve industry support on the selection.
Final Message To The Board
As Taylor Swift says “haters are gonna hate” and you know you will not please everyone. You have left no stone unturned to find the right person. From what I hear a massive #KUDOS to David Allan and the Nomination Committee for the extra effort, energy and diligence to find the perfect fit for the Fitness Australia CEO. You guys have “done good and played strong.”
Justin is the Managing Director of Active Management, which he began January 2004. He offers coaching to businesses worldwide in everything from start up and design to marketing and sales systems. Justin also facilitates four Australian and New Zealand ‘fitness industry roundtables’ events, which allows him to see a huge cross section of business models.