Jillian Michaels Leadership

Wonderful job Shannon incorporating what you learned from class into your
paper!
-Professor Melissa Miller
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Jillian Michaels Leadership

Shannon M. Scarpello
Edison State College
Professor: Melissa Miller

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Introduction
Personal characteristics define an individuals ability to motivate and/or lead others in
such a way that a positive change is achieved in one form or another. For over 20 years, Jillian
Michaels has inspired individuals through her role as trainer, coach, TV personality, and wellness
expert, however, it wasnt until the age of 27 that she realized her true calling, utilizing fitness
as a means to empower people (Schawbel, 2011). She possesses the skills and abilities
necessary to inspire, motivate, and connect with individuals in such a way as to bring about
personal change and development. Jillian Michaels is characterized as being a charismatic and
transformational leader, and is a self-professed control freak who most notably uses
unconventional strategies to help others achieve success.
Charismatic Leadership
An inspiring, motivator and role-model, her charismatic leadership style has led to
tremendous entrepreneurial success making her the go-to leader for transforming an individuals
physical form, as well as, the way a person thinks about and views health and fitness. Not
surprising, she undertakes various leadership roles throughout the course of her day. Michaels
assumes all nine of Mintzbergs leadership roles: figurehead, spokesperson, negotiator, coach and
motivator, team builder and team player, technical problem solver, entrepreneur, and strategic
planner (Dubrin, 2010, p.14-15). In 2008, she cofounded Empowered Media, LLC, with business
partner and CEO Giancarlo Chersich, as a way of managing her growing empire which includes
not only her website, but numerous bestselling books which have made her a New York Times
best-selling author, countless fitness dvds and fitness programs, an iPhone app, interactive Wii
game, a clothing line, weight-loss supplements, and fitness tools and equipment (Empowered,

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2013). Michaels and her business partner contribute equally to investments, endorsements, and
projects: They now have become the choosers making sure each project they work on actually
benefits everyone involved (McNicholas, 2012). The key to her companys success is that she
understands the importance of educating her followers and teaming up with like-minded
partners, brands, and endorsement deals. Empowered Media, LLC does just that. Equally as
important as having a place where her followers could find everything they needed, like on her
website, Michaels had made it clear that in addition to keeping exercise fun and exciting it
is important to us that all of our titles are affordable and accessible to everyone and always
deliver our promise of value. (Schawbel, 2011).
As a spokesperson, businesswomen, and trainer, she has appeared on the cover of
countless magazines including: Womens Health, Shape, Self, Fitness Magazine, and Oxygen.
Each magazine article allows Jillian to offer ordinary people a glimpse of the latest tips and
tricks to help motivate and inspire them to stick to their health and wellness or fitness goals. For
a more in-depth view into achieving your fitness and diet goals through educating yourself,
Jillian has published several books (7) including Making the Cut, Mastering Your
Metabolism, and more recently Unlimited: A Three-Step Plan for Achieving Your Dreams.
Likewise, to meet the needs of individuals who prefer to skip lengthy reading, Jillian has created
an extreme weight loss system called, The Jillian Michaels Body Revolution which is a 90-day
program which consists of a 90-day, 3 phase system which includes 30-minute workouts and a
healthy eating plan that is easy to follow and maintain to help individuals transform their body in
just three months. Like many of her DVDs, Jillian handpicks and creates efficient and effective
routines that keep the body guessing and the mind motivated becoming your own personal
trainer, coach, and motivator.

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Her hands-on approach to her products enables Jillian to maintain an effective leadership
position by continuing to be consistent and assertive in her behavior and intentions. With each
new endeavor she is challenging the status quo. She is extremely educated and self-aware and
surrounds herself with the best-of-the-best in the industry, including physical therapists,
chiropractors, and psychologists. Throughout her career, she has earned a black belt in Muay
Thai and AkaruiDo, worked as a physical therapist in a sports medicine facility, and co-opened
her own gym with Jackie Warner called Sky Sport & Spa. Since 1993, she has become certified,
trained, and educated in numerous programs including:
Two personal training certificates from the leading certification programs in the
country: the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA) and the
Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). In addition she is
Kettlebell Concepts certified and has developed a continuing education
series for trainers with AFAA and holds a nutrition and wellness consultant
certificate with the American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA).
(Michaels, n.d.).
Unconventional Leadership Style
Michaels is a successful health and wellness expert who has developed a brand in her
own image that represents her own personal weight-loss journey, strengths, weaknesses, and
perseverance. She relates to her followers on a personal level because during her teenage years
she weighed in at 175 pounds, lived on junk food, and had no direction or positive outlet during
her parents divorce (Newman, n.d.). It wasnt until her mother suggested martial arts that Jillian
began to take control of her life both physically and mentally. It is important to understand that

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although her fitness empire is built around weight-loss, her passion resides entirely around
helping people rebuild their lives and achieve their goals through self-empowerment.
Her sincerity and concern over the health and wellness of her followers contributes to her
trustworthiness and the authenticity that sets Jillian apart from other colleagues in the industry.
Yet, her role on The Biggest Loser failed to show her warmth, compassion, and emotional
support often used to encourage and effect change. Throughout her career she has earned a
reputation as an unrelenting drill sergeant on the NBC reality television show The Biggest
Loser making her a household name with a staggering 15 million viewers. The show often
portrayed Jillian in a harsh light. Regardless, for those that give her a chance, they quickly learn
that she is an optimistic leader whose enthusiasm and extreme passion for helping individuals
achieve their personal goals, both physically and psychologically, cannot be denied. Her outsidethe-box approach has led to criticism over her unconventional methods of motivation.
Her martial arts training has profoundly shaped her approach and motivational style, and
she carefully and strategically alters her coaching methods accordingly. An example for her use
of fear tactics as a motivational tools is best explained by Michaels herself:
You can circumvent the negative thinking with fear. Just the way a mother can
lift a car off a child its like, fear makes you live in the moment. Sometimes I
need to intimidate a person, and then they do what I ask, and when they see they
can be successful it is the most amazing experience for them. I can use the
techniques they have used to program themselves for destruction and program
them for success. (Newman, n.d., para.8)
Her tough-as-nails approach to fitness, although at times is unconventional, has altered the way
ordinary people view fitness, incorporate exercise, and overcome weight-loss challenges in an

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effort to reach their fitness goals. A common mantra heard throughout her training routines is
unless you faint, puke, or die, keep moving. As a personal trainer and wellness expert she has
made a brand name for herself as a leader with the capacity to influence other people to perform
and achieve goals and results through a variety of leadership styles and tactics. Shes direct,
blunt, and often abrasive in her delivery, yet this style of leadership resonates with millions of
followers looking to gain control over their lives.
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is the development and transformation of people no matter
what the situation. Most notably, Jillian embodies transformational leadership by raising
awareness and helping people look beyond self-interest; among her growing lists of
accomplishments [s]he is an ambassador for Stand Up to Cancer and The Alliance for a
Healthier Generation, and to help drive the success of these organizations Jillian plans to use the
proceeds from select, market items in her recently launched apparel line with KSwiss to help
fund these programs (Schawbell, 2011, para. 5). As a health and wellness expert and personal
trainer and coach she is dedicated to helping people search for self-fulfillment and understand the
need for change. She is also an ambassador for NFL Play 60, she works with military families
through the USO and she works with the Clinton Global Inititative (Michaels, n.d.). She is
committed to greatness and understands that fitness and health is not a short-term goal, it is a
long-term, in other words, life-long commitment and encourages individuals to be future oriented
in order to maintain success.
Most importantly, she has always maintained a clear vision, but the manner in which she
is able to communicate her vision and motivate her followers has continued to change with the
times and the introduction of new technologies. Jillian has understood that motivation is a huge

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component for achieving and maintaining health, wellness, and fitness goals. Motivation, or lack
thereof, is one of the many reasons people stop exercising. Inspiration and motivation is key to
getting and staying in shape and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. People have a tendency to dive
head first into an exercise routine only to find their enthusiasm waning shortly thereafter. The
biggest mistake people make is setting unrealistic goals and forgetting why or what it was that
motivated them in the first place. One of my personal favorite quotes by Michaels is stop and
remind yourself, why and I doing this? What am I here for? What is my intention? When you
have a why to live for, you can tolerate any how. Another challenge is to replace self-defeating
behaviors and attitudes that for many individuals interfere with the attainment of ones goals and
dreams.
Removing distractions, such as a sense of inferiority or inadequacy and replacing them
with self-confidence and a positive attitude will nurture your ability to gain control of any
situation, reach goals, and lead to success. Jillian understands the key for getting and staying
motivated and is famous for saying things like you can change your life by changing your
mind and nothing is impossible for the willing mind. In her book, Making the cut she
shares her mind-body connection principle and explains how thoughts, emotions, attitudes, and
behaviors affect our physiological function and vice versa and that what we think and feel
about a given situation has an immediate impact upon it (Michaels, 2007, p. 39). After 20 years
in the industry Jillian continues to find herself inspired by the very people she has set-out to help.
She continues to captivate millions of viewers and countless individuals with simple, but
powerful statements such as:
What inspires me most is seeing everyday people overcoming extraordinary
obstacles, When I see people who, against all odds, find the courage and the

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inner fortitude and determination to be brave and face their inner demons it
reminds me every day that I can do more, that I can be more and that I have more
to give and more to overcome. (Louis, 2001, p.64)
Future Business Direction
Jillians leadership style is directly in-line with the direction of her organization. She is
extremely hands-on and so is her business strategy. Having the ability to interact with her
followers is extremely important to her; so, social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook
provide Jillian access on a daily basis to address current issues or concerns immediately, while
providing a platform for product related posts necessary to increase marketing while being cost
effective (Schawbel, 2011). As does her latest contribution to the fitness industry The Jillian
Michaels 360 Weight Loss Navigator which uses the BodyMedia Fit Armband to log and
keep track of calorie intake and burn, sleep efficiency, and physical activity. This innovative new
tool allows users to receive personalized feedback from Michaels herself Its a two-way
interface with me there personally to help you reach your goals and give you feedback on what
youve accomplished (Jones, 2012, p. 65).
As of 2012, Empowered Medias goals were to expand the DVD portion of the company
internationally, even though they were already available in the U.K., Japan, Australia, New
Zealand, and parts of Latin America and Europe, their hopes were to be as successful as her book
publications which are available in over 20 languages (Jones, 2012, p.66). As ambitious as that
sounds, co-founder Chersich states We believe that our international fans should be consuming
the same material at the same time as the U.S. market is therefore his hopes are to release
products overseas the same time products are released in the U.S; while at the same time saving
the consumer money (Jones, 2012, p.66). Her success demonstrates the importance of

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diversifying ones brand in a controlled way (Lassonde, 2013). She has an estimated net worth
of roughly $4 million dollars and according to an article in Forbes back in 2012, her empire
made a reported $200 million, yet she continues to understand the importance of providing
quality products at affordable prices so that everyone benefits. Americas growing fitness
obsession has prompted Jillian to venture out and connect with fans on an even personal level.
This year, 2014, she kick-started her first ever Maximize Your Life tour in which she plans to
visit 35 cities within the U.S. and Canada. The tour features Jillian live on-stage sharing her tips
and tricks to remaining inspired and motivated to achieve and maintain a happier and healthier
you.
Conclusion
Early in her career, Jillian developed a no-nonsense philosophy towards fitness in which
she is often quoted as saying If youre going to exercise then do it and give it 100% of your
attention, otherwise, you are wasting your time. Her no-nonsense approach to fitness has been
tested with the adoption of her daughter, but she maintains the importance of finding balance and
staying fit and healthy despite the demands of motherhood. Now-a-days Jillian is quoted as
saying things like choosing healthier options is better than nothing, or if you have to combine
your workouts with catching up on emails then make the most of it. She understands that small
changes and adjustments are a step in the right direction and most importantly a small step is
better than taking no step at all. Her ability to adjust and change depending on the situation,
while holding true to her core values tells us that Jillian is a leader whose commitment and focus
will ensure that she will be around for a long time helping to motivate, inspire and connect with
others in such a way to bring about a positive personal change.

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References
Childers, L. (2011). Jillian Michaels: From bullied to businesswoman. CNN Money website.
Referenced from http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/07/smallbusiness/Jillian_Michaels/
Empowered Media. (2013). Portfolio & Partners. Empowered Media website. Referenced from
http://www.empoweredmedia.us/
Jones, K. (2012) Empowered to succeed. Retail Merchandiser, 52(1), 64-67. EBSCOhost,
viewed 19, June 2014.
Lassonde, R. (2013). Entrepreneur profile: Jillian Michaels. Social Capital Magazine website.
http://socialcapitalmagazine.com/entrepreneur-profile-jillian-michaels/
McNicholas, K. (2012). A rare glimpse inside Jillian Michaels empire. Forbes website.
Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kymmcnicholas/2012/01/20/a-rare-glimpseinside-jillian-michaels-empire/
Michaels, J. (2007). Making the cut: The 30-day diet and fitness plan for the strongest, sexiest
you. New York: Three Rivers Press.
Michaels, J. (n.d.). Jillians bio. Jillian Michaels website. Referenced from
http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fit/about-jillian/bio
Newman, J. (n.d.) Jillian Michaels: The queen of lean. Ladies home journal website. Retrieved
from http://www.lhj.com/style/covers/jillian-michaels/?page=1
Saint Louis, C. (2011). Fit for lifes challenges. The New York Times. Retrieved from
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?
res=9C03E3D7113EF935A25755C0A9679D8B63

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References (2)
Schawbel, D. (2011) Jillian Michaels on becoming a brand and her social media strategy. Forbes
website. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2011/05/02/jillianmichaels/