Today I arrived for the preconference events at IDEA World Fitness Convention™, albeit a little late thanks to thunderstorms that "narrowed the flight corridor," affecting most other flights in the sky. But I made it. The ride in from the airport was short and uneventful. Checking in was a piece of cake. I did, however, have an interesting exchange with Jerrie, the woman who checked me in.

"So you're here for the IDEA thing?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied, "I actually work for IDEA."

"You all look so fit and so happy," Jerrie said. "It makes us feel bad standing behind the desk...like we should be out exercising or something."

"Yes, well, I usually sit at a desk 8 hours a day and I don't teach or train clients like our members do. They amaze me with their energy and ability to inspire others."

I encouraged Jerrie to visit the Expo Hall and checked into my room. But the interaction made me think. Jerrie talked about how seeing so many fit people made her feel "bad" or "guilty." Did you realize you have that kind of influence on others? More specifically, have you ever stopped to think about how your appearance affects or inspires another? Do you know how fit you are? Are you fit enough on the inside to tell someone like Jerrie, "Oh, don't feel bad or guilty, it took me years to get in this kind of shape--not to mention strict discipline in other areas of my life. If you want, I'd be happy to give you some quick tips on ways you can become healthier starting right now!"

This type of one-on-one experience creation is something Helen Vanderburg touched on in her lecture “Managing a Quality Driven Business,” which was part of the Focus on Fitness Management track on Tuesday. One thing she said particularly resonated with me. “Quality is organic.” You can learn a lot about quality by reading a book. But when it comes down to “game day,” it really is about being in the game fully. You have to go with the flow when working with clients and members and adjust your quality meter based on what is most needed in the moment. If I owned a fitness facility in Las Vegas, I would have given Jerrie a free pass and invited her to experience what I have to offer. Opportunities to refine the quality of your human presentation abound.

I am signing off now so that I can help one of our assistants (for whom we are eternally grateful) rip out the Expo Hall coupons from her notebook. This is an age-old ritual among IDEA World Fitness attendees and I want to get in on the action. I hope to see you in the hallways and session rooms.