Romero Expert Insights Series: Happiness

Can you describe your first instance as a manager and how you developed your personal method of management?

My first management role was as a Senior Wellbeing Advisor in a national health club chain where they already had a Fitness Manager. There was immediate conflict between me and this gym manager; it was a real challenge, because she couldn’t see the value of having me there which created conflict. Over time I was able to demonstrate my worth and eventually able collaborate together for the best interest of the team. Then, my role quite quickly changed and I became a national trainer. I would visit gyms around the country and train all the professionals on how to deliver a health screening. This was my first taste of management.

Teaching is a huge aspect of my managerial role. I don’t aim to bring people into a business and then for me to tell them what to do; I prefer to bring in good people, offer some training and then allow them to exude the best of themselves. Otherwise you end up with carbon copies of yourself, and that’s not what a business needs – especially not a small business like ours [We Are Wellbeing].

As a manager, I wear many different hats. Yet, if I can train someone up in a key area it means I can take one of those hats off, and then focus more in other key areas.

What’s the growth mindset?

The growth mindset is somebody who doesn’t have fixed limitations.

Honestly, this opinion comes from me because historically I definitely had a fixed mindset. My mum and dad earned a certain amount of money, lived in a certain type of house, and I grew up thinking I’ve made it if I achieved the same as them. But then I met people who didn’t have that limitation – spending time with people like the leaders at the Romero Group and friends who have their own businesses – they have this ability to take the lid off.

This is a mindset I encourage my team to have as well. I wouldn’t be disgruntled if anyone from my team decided they needed to move on to grow and develop. This is why businesses must provide opportunities for growth.

I know this first-hand because, before this job now, I’d only ever been with a company two years, tops. I took every single training course, put myself up for all promotions, but the only progression was down in London. So I job hopped, which worked well, learning new skills and progressing that way, but that wouldn’t have happened if a company had avenues for progression.

In We Are Wellbeing, there are unlimited opportunities to grow and develop. It’s also crucial to find out what’s important to individual team members. I don’t box my staff into what my idea of their career should be – I ask them: Where do you want to go? What do you want to develop? Which bits of the job do you really enjoy doing? – This is key to keeping the team happy.

Realistically, not everybody enjoys their job. But I do; I couldn’t wait to get back to work. And if I can instil some of that into my team, how can we not be successful?!

How do you prefer to communicate within an organisation?

I would say this is one of my flaws. The challenge is that there is so much technology involved now, and yet we’ve got quite a small team, so we communicate through Whatsapp more so than emails. But we always benefit from full team in-person meetings.

There’s huge value in people being able to work from home, flexible working, and finding this balance between work and home-life. But there is nothing better than sitting round a table, making each other a brew, getting a pack of chocolate biscuits involved, and seeing people face to face. We discuss what individuals want out of their role and where they see the business going. When we do that, most of the good ideas come from the team – I’d love to say that it’s all me, but it’s not.