Culture Through Education Pt. I: Building the Foundation of a Training Team

Culture is one of those elusive forces in our industry—everyone feels it when it’s strong, everyone senses it when it’s fractured, yet it’s hard to define or measure. Think of culture like gravity: you can’t see it, but it holds everything in place. Every training department has a culture whether it realizes it or not. The question is whether that culture is shaped with intention or left to chance.  

Too often, success for a leader is measured only by revenue or an arbitrary target. I’ve led teams that regularly hit financial goals but suffered from a weak internal culture. I’ve also led teams that missed the mark on paper yet thrived as a cohesive unit. The first scenario is fragile; you’re one key departure away from the bottom falling out.  

Consider the Brady/Belichick-era Patriots. For years people spoke of the “Patriot Way,” but in reality it was the “Brady Way.” When Brady left, the organization’s leadership and operations were exposed. The team has since faced multiple rebuilds. (Also—Go Bills.) 

Building a Cultural Identity 

So how do you build a cultural identity that drives retention, recruitment, and performance? Start by finding the common thread among your strongest team members. Seek new talent that aligns with those values and allow the rest of the team to decide if the fit is right. It won’t work for everyone, and that’s the point.  

Looking back on the most cohesive teams I’ve led, the common thread was a hunger to learn and a desire to share knowledge. Our industry never stands still, and the savvy trainer knows it. Which brings us to the heart of this article: education.  

Education is the simplest—and most powerful—path to building culture on purpose. It’s not just a box to check for certifications; it’s the cornerstone of a thriving team. 

Education as More Than Knowledge Transfer 

Education within a training team is often misunderstood as simply “teaching new skills.” While credentials and new techniques matter, the deeper impact comes when a group learns together. Shared learning creates a shared language, clear standards, and ultimately a team identity.  

That identity shapes everything: how trainers speak to clients, design programs, and view themselves as professionals. Importantly, a shared identity doesn’t erase individuality. Trainers should still pursue unique interests and specialties. But without an intentional education strategy, culture fragments—different messages to clients, inconsistent experiences, and slipping standards. Systematic education keeps culture aligned. 

Why Culture Needs a Cornerstone 

Every successful department has a foundation—some lean on a methodology or a philosophy. The most sustainable cornerstone, however, is education, because it provides:  

• Clarity of Standards: Education sets the bar for what good looks like. 

• Consistency of Experience: Clients benefit when baseline practices are aligned. 

• Evolution with Purpose: Training trends move fast. A structured education process filters out the fads and pseudo-science while embracing what’s truly useful and safe. 

• Credibility: A team committed to learning signals professionalism inside and outside the club.  

Without this cornerstone, culture becomes reactive. Trainers develop in silos, clients receive uneven service, and the department struggles to stand out. Education transforms a collection of individual trainers into a unified team. 

The Tangible Benefits of Education-Driven Culture 

When culture is shaped through education, the payoffs are measurable:  

• Improved Retention: Trainers feel invested; clients sense higher standards. 

• Elevated Professionalism: A shared knowledge base earns respect across the club. 

• Sustainable Growth: New trainers integrate quickly because the education platform reinforces culture from day one.  

Education becomes both the guardrail and the growth engine. As the team expands, culture doesn’t dilute—it strengthens. 

Looking Ahead 

This article kicks off a three-part series on education as a cultural driver:  

• Part Two: Practical models of education platforms clubs can implement. 

• Part Three: Implementation, measurement, and accountability.  

The goal is simple: show that education isn’t a “nice-to-have,” but a strategic lever for shaping culture, driving business outcomes, and elevating the member experience. 

Closing Reflection 

Pause and ask yourself: What kind of culture exists in your training team today—and is it the one you intended to build? Culture will happen with or without your input. The choice is whether to let it happen by accident or craft it intentionally—starting with education.