Our clients tend to rise to meet the standards we set for them.
As Fitness Professionals, this accountability is one of the most powerful tools we have to effect change.
Holding high standards of movement quality builds respect and delivers results.
But just as our clients rise to our expectations, they can fall to them too. Pigeon holing clients by perceiving that they’re too old/young/unfit/overweight/injured to do something is a slippery slope leading to a failure to meet potential.
As Fitness Professionals, there’s a danger of becoming complacent with the movement standards we hold our clients to.
We let them get away with a partial depth squat, or an ugly looking push-up.
And over time, our ‘close enough’ attitude can spiral.
There’s a strategy we can use to hold OURSELVES accountable to upholding high standards.
It’s called the Facebook Live Test.
Continually ask yourself, “If the reps my client is doing right now were being streamed live onto social media for the world to see, would I be proud of them?’
Would you be proud to put your name to them and tell the world ‘this is the standard I uphold and accept’.
This works because of the ‘Hawthorne Effect’ (also called the Observer Effect).
The Hawthorne Effect tells us that we will modify our behaviours when we’re being watched.
If we can play this little mind game with ourselves as we’re working with clients, we can make sure we’re bringing our most valuable and authentic selves to a client, and enforcing the high standards they deserve.
