There are moments in our lives when the weight of the word “responsibility” is suddenly dropped upon us.

This can trigger a deep emotional response, perhaps one you had never felt up until that point. You can remember the day you moved out of your parents’ house and the day you bought your first pet. You probably felt at least a brief moment of “Holy crap, here we go!” You’ll likely experience this feeling, more than anywhere else, when you become a part of a team. It may not feel like it, but it can be a fantastic motivator to have teammates who expect you to perform!

I’ll give you an example.

I’m in the military and I remember flying into combat the first time. I was still a young Navigator in the C-130 and had just finished training a few months prior. My crew was about to start our descent into Baghdad International and while the flak vest, gun, helmet, and NVG’s certainly weighed down my body, the REAL burden was the weight of responsibility I had to the five guys flying with me. I had no instructor looking over my shoulder making sure I wouldn’t screw up. I realized I had a responsibility to my crew to know my job as well as I possibly could lest we violate a regulation or even get someone killed. “Holy crap,” I thought, “I should probably study a whole lot more!” It drove me to be a better crew member.

Fast forward four years, and my gym has just started an Intern Training Program (ITP). We’ve got 3 super-motivated people interested in the job, and we meet once a week to discuss various business/training topics and assign tasks. As I was preparing the materials for our first meeting, that big weight of responsibility hit me again! I was about to start showing these 3 how to run a successful CrossFit business…I better have my stuff in one sock!

It is incredibly motivating to get WORK done when you’ve got a team who expects you to lead them to success. Answer the phone calls, clean the gym, file the taxes, send out the postcards, follow up on attendance, order more fish oil, plan the next sponsorship, track your finances…while each step can be seemingly inconsequential when you’re sitting in the office chair, they are crucial when you start carrying the burden of leadership with your team. Just as signing up for a team CrossFit competition pushes you to sharpen your physical skills, bringing on staff members can sharpen your business skills.

The Theoretical Hierarchy of a CrossFit Business (go watch Module #4) puts “Mastering the BIZ Tools” BEFORE “Build Your Team,” and with good reason. You must be a leader for your team, so when you take on that burden of responsibility to them, you will be prepared. Don’t fear responsibility- wrap your arms around it and use it to take your gym to new heights.

Not sure where to start building your team? This November, The BIZ is coming to Virginia to show you how! Click Here to find out more.