I made the mistake recently of choosing to opt out of a conversation my wife was having with my daughter. I should know better because this is not my first rodeo with these types of conversations in my house, but I foolishly believed that the less I said, the safer I’d be. (This is a common dad/husband survival strategy.)
My wife was focused on demanding that my daughter respond verbally to her question and not just with the obligatory pre-teen nod of the head and barely audible “mmm hmmm”. She later shared with me, rather pleasantly to my surprise, how I could have provided better feedback and support in that situation.
By now, you all know that I apply my everyday life experiences to the work world and vice versa and, in this case, it brought me full circle to the thousands of responses we’ve recently received from you in our membership and program surveys. Please know that we appreciate both the time you’ve taken to share your thoughts and the candid feedback you’ve shared.
We’ve focused our initial program surveys on summer camp and worked hard to get the voice of our campers accurately reflected in that feedback. We know that 95% have made new friends and 98% say they’re having FUN – the most important metric if you’re an 8-yr old!
In our early membership survey returns, there are common themes you’ve shared that we will focus on, including: maintaining proper cooling in the workout spaces, keeping paper towels and soap dispensers full and functioning, improving the upkeep of our locker rooms and shower areas, enforcing fitness floor etiquette, and keeping class offerings fresh and available. In my book, these are the easy things that we MUST do better to earn your continued support.
We will continue to reach out to more of you for feedback so we can make your membership and program experiences better. We also know that the quality of your experience is much more than just full soap dispensers and access to your favorite piece of equipment. You’ve shared with us the importance of engaging with the Y for spiritual, social, and mental benefits as well, and we will be more intentional about how those benefits will take shape.
Our Y is getting stronger each day because you care so deeply about it, and we appreciate the support that many of you have extended this Y for decades. Thanks again for helping us stay focused on the details and caring enough to share your thoughts.
Best wishes to you and yours on this holiday weekend.
Until next time…
Kevin Bolding, President & CEO
YMCA of Central Florida
The Y. For a better us.®
First Friday messages offer a monthly peak behind the veil of leading through change from the Y’s President & CEO.