Soft Skills Have Hard Cost w/ Lindsay Vastola (Part 2)

The critical role of emotional intelligence (EQ) in the fitness industry remains this week’s topic as Tim and Randy continue their conversation with Lindsay Vastola, a leadership coach specializing in emotional intelligence and team development for fitness professionals.

In the previous episode, they discussed why many gym owners hire based on hard skills and technical expertise, only to face high turnover because staff members lack the emotional intelligence necessary for a positive gym culture. Now, they dive deeper into how EQ affects every aspect of the business.

In this episode, Lindsay explains:

• How to craft job descriptions that attract candidates with high EQ
• Ways to assess resourcefulness and problem-solving during interviews
• The high costs of keeping a cultural misfit and its impact on team morale

Tune in to learn why soft skills should be a priority for fitness business owners and how investing in EQ can transform your gym’s environment and boost profitability.

Let's dive in! 

P.S. If you missed the first part of the interview, be sure to check it out here!

Key Takeaways:

• Intro (00:00)
• Marketing job openings like services to attract the right candidates (00:28)
• Evaluate resourcefulness in interview scenarios (07:05)
• Slow hiring and quick firing leads to better staff quality (10:42)
• Controllables vs. uncontrollables in hiring challenges (15:37)
• Tap into local community groups to find potential coaches (19:13)
• Investing in EQ training boosts revenue and reduces churn (23:42)
• Balancing hard skills (certifications) with EQ training (25:47)
• Lindsay’s leadership coaching programs (28:02)

Additional Resources:

- Get your early bird ticket for the 2025 Growth Summit in Nashville 

- Get access to the 2024 Growth Summit recordings

- Tim's new book - Built to Win by Tim Lyons 

- ProFit Accelerator: Helping Training Gyms Grow to 30K/month and Beyond Facebook group

- A tool for deciding on new gym services – 5-Question Matrix 

- SOP in a Day Workshop 

- An app designed for semi-private training - Semi Private Pro 

- Check out our Switch to Semi-Private course 

- Business Accelerator Program  

- Learn more about The Iron Circle 

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