From the Desk of the Executive Director

Don’t we all feel at times like we are on a fast track treadmill and wonder when you have the opportunity to get off?

Hopefully as summer turns to fall you are able to regain your footing and re-set your pace to something that is more comfortable. Now may be a great time to revisit some important tools that will help you and your business in the coming months. In this issue you will find the article by Clint Smith with CareerPlug on “Creating the Right Core Values for Your Business.” He will challenge you to consider how you are living your values, including hiring, developing, promoting, and firing people based on your values. And speaking of developing and firing your staff, Jamie Notter with PROPEL shares his definition of workplace accountability and how you can use it to make sure results are delivered in the article, “A Better Definition of Accountability in the Workplace.”

We are always learning and our upcoming National Conference this October in Tampa, Florida will be a great opportunity for you to be a leader that is always learning. Our keynote speaker for the conference served under L. David Marquet who in this issue shares how learning is a “key enabler” to allow you to pass decision-making authority to lower levels within your organization in his article, “Leaders Learn Always.” And speaking of the National Conference, get your business cards ready and brush up on your networking skills with John Spence’s take on, “The Right Mindset for Networking.”

As we look at the coming months as opportunities to refocus our efforts and come out even stronger than before, your board of directors has been working to establish minimum standards for swim school members in the US. As we start to see an increased trend in state regulations impacting swim schools we want to position ourselves as the leaders we are in the learn to swim industry. Watch for more details on these minimum standards, which were based on standards required for insurance and based on recent surveys are things our members are already accomplishing each and every day. And for those that may need a little assistance in these areas we will be providing resources to help elevate swim schools to meet these standards as well as provide a window of opportunity to get there. We are here to support you and your swim school business. When we lift others, we too rise.

LISA M. ZARDA, CAE, CNAP

Executive Director US Swim School Association