On July 10th, Future Fit team members gathered in Manchester to celebrate the latest cohort of GM Active’s Transformational Leadership Programme graduates.
This course teaches leadership principles and collaboration approaches to transform participants from fitness facility employees into empowered leaders. Course creator and programme delivery lead John Oxley kicked off the afternoon, later joined by Dani Halsall, Richard Davis Boreham and Nigel Wareing who all shared their inspirational stories, advice and key insights.
Here’s our key highlights:
Your stories are your secret weapon
Nigel Wareing delivered a compelling message about storytelling in the leisure sector: your stories are your secret weapon. With the NHS 10-year plan creating unprecedented opportunities for conversations about healthier living, leisure professionals have never been better positioned to demonstrate their impact.
“There are great things happening in every leisure centre every day all over the country,” Wareing emphasised. Yet too many facilities risk underselling their unique value by failing to share these powerful stories, missing a key opportunity to strengthen engagement in showcasing their value to stakeholders. The transition to active wellbeing isn’t just a trend, it’s a movement that needs momentum, and that momentum comes from sharing what you’re achieving.
He posed these key questions for self-reflection:
- Is the work you do within your organisation making a difference? How?
- Have you influenced someone’s life?
- What story do you have to share?
The answers to these questions aren’t just feel-good moments, they’re your competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Lead from behind, not the front
John Oxley shared his perspective on authentic leadership that challenges everything we think we know about being in charge. He shared advice given by his father that continues to guide him: “You’re in work a long time, you better do something you enjoy. Find something that means something to you, that you are passionate about. When you’re passionate about something, you’ll deliver the best form of yourself.”
His approach to leadership challenges conventional thinking: “Lead from behind, not the front. You can push others forward.”
On the topic of emotional resilience, Oxley challenged the way we tend to think about resilience: we don’t build it up – we prevent it from eroding away. Starting from the premise that your resilience is already at 100%, the focus shifts to maintaining that strength through:
- Purpose-driven work: Purpose keeps you upright, it keeps you feeling strong
- Progress over perfection: Small steps forward matter more than perfect execution
- Strong support networks: Lean on your peers and speak up when you need help
You are more valuable than you think
Dani Halsall reminded us that self-belief is the foundation of professional success. “Believe in yourself, know how much you’re needed,” she emphasised. Her message is clear: the training you’ve received isn’t just to better yourself; it’s preparation for real-world impact.
Halsall encourages professionals to recognise their worth within the sector. “You don’t realise how precious and well respected you are in our sector, have faith in what you know!” This confidence isn’t just about feeling good, it drives stronger leadership, better retention, and improved team performance. All essential ingredients for long-term success.
Each milestone is a new beginning
Richard Davis champions the importance of treating every milestone as a beginning, not an end. “Don’t let this be the end of the journey in your development career,” he urges.
His advice centres on three key principles:
- Continue to step forward – don’t let achievement result in complacency
- Maintain curiosity – Without curiosity, you’ll fall back to where you were
- Recognising your power – You have the ability to make change!
Davis warns against stagnation, challenging professionals to remain engaged with their teams, policies, and communities, understanding that growth is a continuous process, not a destination.
Looking ahead
On behalf of everyone at
Future Fit for Business, we’d like to say a huge congratulations to all the graduates from cohort 5 and 6! We are so excited to continue following your continued impact, as you lead to create positive change in your communities.
The insights shared during the ceremony reminds us that great leadership is about authenticity, storytelling, confidence and continuous growth.
Are you a business owner or team leader looking to create stronger leaders, healthier teams, or improve performance? Click
here to find out how the Transformational Leadership Programme can benefit you and your business.
