|John M. & Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness & Wellness Center Leadership|
Center’s new director a ‘team player’ as he “Stay hungry. Stay focused. Stay humble.” These words spoken by manager-turned-director Tyler Travis, who was promoted to executive director of the LECOM John M. and Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center in early March — illuminates one way he believes that you can rate the success of leadership and see how well staff come together as a team. “What I encourage our staff to be — with everything they do, including how they work everyday — is to ‘stay hungry, stay focused and stay humble.’ I think if you have those three qualities with anything you do, you can have a successful team.” As the Center’s former fitness manager, Travis developed this motto as a way to rally his employees to think as a unit — to stay hungry for the job, to stay focused on job-related responsibilities, and to stay humble if recognized. Getting his employees to think on the same page has proven beneficial in establishing a team atmosphere at the Center. “I’m growing and learning a lot as I transition,” said Travis. “The
good news is that we had a pretty good foundation from the start, and we have a great team in place.” As a fitness manager, Travis was bestowed the task of hiring all of the Center’s fitness specialists. The way his team came together under his supervision is one of the reasons Travis believes he was given the opportunity to interview for the director’s position. “I really feel that with any leader, your scorecard is the result of how your team performs,” said Travis. “While a manager sets policies and procedures, and develops systems to make things efficient, a leader knows how to connect with his team and understands that the team needs resources to be successful. My goal is to make sure each employee on our team has the resources and the support he or she needs to be successful.” But as new executive director of the Center, what does Travis have in-store? He plans to lead his team to promote a stronger integration of medicine and fitness, especially when it comes to referrals between the medical offices on the third floor and the Center’s clients. Travis also wants to see the already top-rate customer service continue being offered to clients by making their trips to the Center
Leading by Example: Center’s new members What better way to guide a department of employees than to have been in their shoes before? As the new member services manager at the John M. and Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center, Rachel Hunter’s experience working at different levels and positions at the Center has paid off. Starting in February 2009, a month prior to the Center officially opening to the public, Hunter was hired with the status of “part-time plus,” meaning she was guaranteed 30 hours in member services, as well as 10 hours of life guarding each week. After five months, Hunter was brought on full time. Only three months later, in November, Hunter was promoted to member services supervisor. Surrounded by a whirlwind of promotions in less than two years, Hunter has now stepped into the position of member services manager. “The environment here is wonderful,” said Hunter, who is grateful to have been given so many opportunities at the Center. “It’s very easy to work in this environment because everyone wants to be here. Being in the health and wellness field, everyone who works here is a positive person; it’s very exciting to work around that.”
16 | LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2011
Hunter, who radiates with positivity herself, said — when asked what makes a good leader — that she hopes to be a helpful guide, is someone who is always there when her staff needs her, and most importantly, is someone who sets an example. “I think it’s important to lead by example,” said Hunter. “It’s important to stay positive, interact with the members on a daily basis, give them the information they need, be polite and go that extra
Rachel Hunter, who has been stepped up to be member