Casual Observer

After some initial back and forth with our observation location, Lauren, Chris, and I went for our first visit this past weekend.  I found myself a bit apprehensive about going; the manager that we spoke with, while friendly, was unsure about us coming in to observe (he didn't want us to give the members of this organization the impression that the organization was under review in any way - so no note taking), and he asked that we come in wearing clothing that would make it seem less obvious that we were there for observation (wear workout clothes and maybe participate in a class or get in a workout).  So this is where my apprehension lay 1) I don't want to impose upon anyone, especially if they are uncomfortable with my being there, and 2) I haven't intentionally worked out, at a facility, in over a year.

What I found when we arrived was a warm welcoming environment.  The employees seemed genuinely happy to be there, and the members of the organization were treated like family.  The most interesting part of the day for me was how the employees treated us, as visitors.  The manager that we had arranged the visit was not there (we knew he would not be) so he asked another employee to give us a tour of the facility and answer any questions we might have.  We received a great tour, very thorough, and this particular employee was open to answering our questions.  We talked a lot with her about her experience working there (she'd been there almost one year) and I felt that she was candid about her experience. In fact, every employee that we had the opportunity to talk with expressed how lucky they felt to work there and what a wonderful environment it is to work.  I didn't have any feelings one way or the other what it would be like to visit the organization for the first time without the manager present, but in the end it was the perfect way to start.  I think we had a genuine experience of how the employees view the organization when the boss is absent, and what I observed was a well  developed sense of team, commitment to the organization, and care of the work that they perform.