Here’s a question for you.
Do you actually know the person you just handed your studio keys to?
Not just their name.
Not their employee number.
Not the class format they teach.
Not the compliments or complaints you’ve heard.
I mean truly know them.
The person.
The energy.
The character.
The way they show up.
The way they treat your members.
The way they handle responsibility when you are not in the room.
When someone is teaching in your studio, they are not just filling a time slot. They are representing your brand. They are shaping your culture. They are literally opening the door to your business and holding the energy of your space for an hour at a time.
That is not a small thing.
You need to know who you are giving the keys to. And your instructors need to know who is leading them.
1. Don’t Lead Strangers. Build Relationships.
Whether you run a single-location studio or multiple facilities under a big box umbrella, you should have some level of rapport with the people representing you.
No one is asking for a friendship circle.
No one needs to be besties.
But you should know them well enough to:
- understand what motivates them
- understand how they teach
- understand how they communicate
- know what their energy feels like
- know what they need to thrive
- and know whether they are aligned with your culture
If your only updates about instructors come through second-hand compliments or complaints, that is not leadership. That is observation from a distance.
And distance creates disconnect.
Disconnect creates inconsistency.
Inconsistency creates problems.
2. Your Instructors Should Know Who Is Leading Them
It does not matter if the business is large or small. People need to know who their leader is. They need a name, a face, and a point of contact that feels human.
Your instructors should know:
- who hired them
- who they report to
- who their manager reports to
- how to reach leadership when needed
That does not mean you need to be onsite every hour of the day. It does not mean you need to micromanage. It does not mean they need direct access to you constantly.
But they should feel connected enough to identify their leadership team if they ran into you at the grocery store.
Leadership should not feel like a mystery.
Leadership should feel present, grounded, and reachable.
3. If You Are the Owner and the Manager, You Cannot Be Invisible
If you are wearing both hats, I want you to not under hear this, but understand this fully.
You cannot give someone the run of your studio and only see them in passing.
You cannot hire an instructor and then hope someone else builds the relationship.
You cannot expect alignment without connection.
Your instructors are not temporary one-hour drop-ins.
They are members of your team.
They are culture carriers.
They are extensions of your vision.
Show up for them.
Check in with them.
Learn who they are.
Support their growth.
Set clear expectations and reinforce them with compassion.
Leadership is not about proximity. But it is absolutely about presence.
4. Multi-Location Leaders, This Is Especially for You
If you run multiple studios or manage a regional team, there is a unique challenge. You cannot physically be everywhere. But your presence still needs to be felt.
The instructors at each location should not feel like strangers to you.
They should see your face more than once every two years.
They should hear your voice regularly.
They should feel your leadership in culture, communication, and clarity.
And yes, you should show up for them in person.
Show up quarterly if you can.
Show up for team events.
Show up for meetings.
Show up for celebrations.
Show up enough that instructors feel included, not forgotten.
Presence does not need to be constant.
It needs to be consistent.
5. Hold Quarterly Team Meetings or Team Parties
Your instructors need to feel like a team. Not isolated freelancers who happen to teach under the same roof.
Quarterly gatherings build:
- culture
- connection
- communication
- clarity
- trust
- consistency
- respect
These gatherings do not need to be formal or stiff. In fact, I recommend the opposite.
Host a team party.
Host a brunch.
Host a teaching lab.
Host a celebration.
Host a skill workshop.
Host something that feels like the heartbeat of your studio.
Whatever vibe matches your brand, do that. Just make sure your team sees each other and sees you.
Connection strengthens culture.
Culture strengthens consistency.
Consistency strengthens your business.
6. Knowing Your Team Protects Your Studio
When you truly know your instructors, you can:
- spot misalignment early
- support growth with clarity
- intervene before issues escalate
- measure consistency accurately
- elevate leaders with confidence
- cultivate loyalty and trust
- make better scheduling decisions
- create a healthier environment for your members
And your instructors feel valued.
They feel seen.
They feel supported.
They feel part of something meaningful.
When people feel connected to you, they show up with more care, more intention, and more pride.
7. Leadership Is Relationship
Let me leave you with this.
You can purchase equipment.
You can upgrade technology.
You can shift programming.
You can change your marketing.
But your people are the heart of your studio.
And leadership is relationship work.
Get to know the people you gave the keys to your house.
Get to know the people carrying your brand.
Get to know the people shaping your member experience.
Your studio will be stronger for it.
Your culture will be healthier for it.
And your business will be far more stable because of it.
