Management

The most underused management strategy?

If you are an owner or manager, you probably have systems, and vision statements, and job descriptions and policy manuals… and that’s just the beginning of what’s needed to create structure, to build a team and grow a business.

And while all those things are not only important but essential to building a business, sometimes we forget about some of the most simple ways to get the best out of our people.

An example of that is what is perhaps the most under-utilised management strategy, and that is good old fashioned ‘encouragement!’

That’s right, ‘ENCOURAGEMENT’.

Just the word on its own, ‘encouragement’ is uplifting, it’s positive, happy and full of possibility and potential. 

If you are a manager of people there are many things that you ‘can do’, and ‘need to do’, to get the best out of your people. 

But sometimes it’s the human element, the nurturing of the human spirit and ambition through ‘encouraging’ those on your team to become the best version of themselves possible that makes the real difference.

Show them that you believe in them, encourage them to grow, encourage them to dream, encourage them to have goals and encourage them to take risks.

That's what real leaders do, they encourage the individuals on their team to believe in themselves, to believe in a better future and take steps to make it happen

So what can you do, and what can you say to ‘encourage’ those on your team to become the best version of themselves possible.

I believe in you, you’ve got this… and what’s more, I encourage you to share this on your social media

Thank you for watching…

Have a great week! 

Your top 3 challenges!

I know what your top 3 challenges are!

I often start my management seminars by saying, “If you’re a salon owner, or manager I know what your top 3 challenges are!”

At number 3 is staff, number 2 is staff and number 1 is staff!

It might be finding staff, or keeping staff or staff productivity or motivating staff, training staff or staff loyalty… but inevitably it’s about your people.

If you are like me…

When you opened your salon you probably underestimated the role of ‘management’. When you opened your salon ‘management’ became your job, but like me you probably thought, “How hard can it be?’ I’ll just employ good people, motivated people, loyal and honest hardworking people, people who share the same work ethic and values that I do, and then they won’t need managing.”

How’s that approach working so far? If it is congratulations! But for most people that approach won't work.

People need managing!

Your staff are not like you, they don’t have the same values, the same determination, the same work ethic or the same commitment, investment and risk that you have in the business.

People need managing! And if you don’t manage them you will not get the best out of them and in most cases they will not grow to become the people that they are capable of becoming and your business will not reach its potential.

‘Management’ is not a dirty word!

Management is not a negative, quite the opposite, it should be positive. Management is not about being a tyrant, a bully, or a dictator. Management is about getting results through other people without having to do it all yourself.

To do that you need structure, systems, good communication skills and the willingness and determination to be proactive in dealing with situations.

Conflict and confrontation.

Sometimes in the role of manager, you will have to deal with people situations that will involve conflict and confrontation, I don’t know anyone that enjoys that part of the management role but it goes with the territory of being a manager.

As a manager, sometimes people will disappoint you, and you will have to call them on ‘their stuff’, whether that is productivity related ‘stuff’ or behavioural related ‘stuff’. Hopefully you will always get a positive outcome, but realistically we both know that for a variety of reasons sometimes you won’t.

But the key thing is, that as the manager, if you don’t ‘call people on their stuff’ then you are ‘permitting it’ and if you permit it, you are promoting it and the very culture of your business and the results you get from your team will reflect it. 

I believe that most people want to do a good job, the problem is often that they don’t know ‘what a good job is’, good management is about letting people know what a good job is and developing them and the business as a result.

I have a written a series of books aimed at developing your business, and you as a manager if you don’t already have them you can get them from the books page on this website.

Thanks for watching.

Have a great week! 

6 traits of a good manager.

Good managers don’t just happen, [well maybe some of them do]. But for most people becoming an effective manager is about learning the skills to help you get the best out of a team of people. 

Often I see managers who were made managers for all the wrong reasons, for example, they are made ‘the manager’ because ‘they had been there the longest’, or ‘were the oldest’ or ‘the busiest stylist’…

But none of those things are reason to assume that they will be good at managing other people and a business. If you want to succeed and build a business it starts with good ‘management’ and good management means you have to have good ‘managers’ and they don't just happen!

So what are the skills of an effective manager, what does good management look like, and what are the character traits of a good manager?

Here are 6 traits of a good manager that will make my list of must have’s…

1. They engage…

One character trait I observe in good managers is that they have a high level of ‘engagement’ with their team. In other words, they are heavily involved with their people at every level, they interact with them constantly and they let them know when they are doing well and aren’t hesitant to ‘call people on their stuff’ if they are not doing well.

2. They coach people…

Good managers take the time to help people identify what their goals are and they help them become who they want to be.

Rewarding and recognising achievement and encouraging people to achieve their personal goals is key to successful management.

Managers coach people, even though you may not always want to hear it. A good coach is someone who gets you to do what you don’t want to do, so you can become who you want to become.

3. They know it’s all about the relationships…

A good manager spends time building trust and rapport with the people on their team because although they understand the importance of systems and policies and procedures etc they also understand how important those individual 1-1 relationships are with the people on their team.

4. They have the ‘tough’ conversations…

Good managers aren't afraid to have the tough conversations. That doesn't mean they are aggressive or insensitive, in fact quite the opposite, they are usually calm and rational, firm but fair.

5. They have good organisation skills

Businesses have lot’s of ‘moving parts’, and good managers understand that you can't operate in a state of chaos or overwhelm, so to succeed they need structure and systems. Good managers understand the need to be organised and operate with a degree of consistency and control.

6. They understand the ultimate goal…

The ultimate goal of every business is that it is profitable! If it’s not profitable then it won't survive and no one has a job. So good managers inherently understand that everything they do is for the viability of the business. Ultimately they manage the productivity of every individual on the team.

That's what managers do they grow people into a team of productive motivated and well rewarded stylist but it doesn’t happen on it’s own.

How good is your receptionist?

How good is your receptionist?

I go to a lot of different salons as a client and very rarely do I go to the same one twice, because ‘I like to be a client and experience what clients experience’.

Recently, on the spur of the moment I decided to go back to a barbers that I’d been to before, so I phoned up to make an appointment and a very pleasant receptionist answered.

I explained that I knew it was short notice but I asked her if I could get an appointment with a specific stylist anytime that afternoon. The receptionist said that unfortunately the stylist I wanted wasn't in that day as it was her day off.

You gotta understand that I am in full client mode here, walking down the road, back pack and coat on with a ton of things to do, so when the receptionist said; ‘she wasn’t in that day, she’s on her day off’, I did what clients do and said, ‘Okay I’ll call back’.

What she should have said was something like, ‘Sorry she’s on her day off, but John has a free appointment and he would love to be able to look after you’. Or  ‘She’s on her day off, but she has a spare appointment tomorrow at 6.30 would that work?’ But she said nothing, so I just did what clients do and said I’d call back… which is code for, ‘I’ll try another salon.’

But, I rang back! 

It’s a good barber shop, and they cut hair well, so I figured I will call them back and I will take the initiative to ask who else is available?

So I call back, the same receptionist answers and I explain that I had just called and couldn’t get an appointment with the stylist I wanted so was there someone else available that afternoon anytime before 6pm. She explained that the first available appointment was at 6.30, but unfortunately I couldn’t take it as I would have missed my train. So I hung up and thought I would just try somewhere else.

But, I rang again!

Now a normal client would have given up, but I knew that they had just opened another location nearby, and chances are that as it was new, that maybe they would have had an available appointment. So I rang her back and said, ‘I know you have recently opened another salon could you find out if they have any spare appointments?’

Now the receptionist was very nice and said that she could give me their number and that I could call them. Now that’s not totally unreasonable but neither is it exceptional customer service.

I explained that I was walking down the road, and I didn't have a pen or paper on me and could she call them and then call me back, to which she replied that it was probably easier if she gave me the number and if I called them.

It might have been easier for her, but it wasn't easier for me. So I went somewhere else!

What did that cost them…

If I was a normal client, I definitely wouldn't have persevered as long as I did, but the real issue here is that it wasn't just £50 that the salon lost.

It was the £50 that would come every 4 weeks, that’s 12 visits or £600 a year! And maybe I would have been a client for 5 years, now it’s £3,000!

And maybe I would have recommended a couple of friends… and maybe we would all have purchased retail…

You see very quickly it turns into thousands of pounds that was lost because although the receptionist was polite and friendly she sure as hell wasn’t focused on going the extra mile to get me booked in.

So what would have happened if it was your receptionist in your salon?  

Train everyone on your team [not just the front desk people] to go the extra mile, train them to tell clients what they can have, not what they can’t have! Train them to give exceptional customer service!

Thank you for watching…

Have a great week! 

When is it time to fire your client?

Hairdressing is part of the service industry. Part of what we do is serve others, nothing wrong with that, hairdressing is a very honourable trade and can be very rewarding and a lot of fun in the process.

I’m sure, that like me you too have built up some great professional relationships with your clients over the years, relationships based on genuine friendships and professional respect for your skill as a hairdresser.

I’m also sure that it’s not just me that occasionally has had a client that tested your patience and professionalism to breaking point.

I was usually up for the challenge of turning someone around, you know the ones, those clients that no one else wants to see because they are never happy. I used to see them as a test of both my technical and people skills, and I think I had a good strike rate at making them happy.

I worked behind the chair with clients for many years and as well as having many amazing clients, there was occasionally a client ‘sent by a higher power’ to teach me something.

Sometimes a client is having a bad day, they’re only human and you or someone on your team may get ‘snapped at’ or even occasionally spoken to rudely, it doesn't happen often and sometimes the client may even apologise.

Crossing the line…

But, very occasionally a client might ‘cross the line’ and you reach a point where you don't have to ‘suck it up’.

I had a client who was rude to my team, she was never rude to me but the way she spoke to my team often left a lot to be desired. On one particular day she ‘crossed the line’, so I told her that she was no longer welcome in the salon.

It’s important for you and your team to always treat clients with professional courtesy and respect, but if a client doesn't treat you and your team with respect and dignity then you need to tell them that they are no longer welcome in the salon.

Your team need to see that you will support them and show some solidarity, that you respect them and won't stand by and see them mistreated or belittled. They will respect you for it and feel proud about what they do.

We are part of the service industry but everyone should be treated with dignity and professional courtesy.

Have a great week!

You can’t do everything yourself

You can’t do everything yourself!

When you’re running a small business it is tempting to think you can do everything yourself and only ask for help as a last resort. That, is a big mistake!

No matter how much you try, no matter how indispensable you may think you are, you can’t do everything yourself! So, the smart thing to do is take advantage of other peoples expertise.

So, three questions.

First of all; At what point do you get help?

Second. What roles do you relinquish?

And third. Where do you go to find help?

All good questions. Let’s start with the first one.

1. “At what point do you enlist help?”

The answer is that there is no standard answer. But, it’s important to recognise that the very thing that got you to this point, in other words your entrepreneurial spirt, your work ethic, your willingness to learn new skills and multi task, now stands in the way of you growing further.

The very nature of small business is just that ‘small’, and they are typically started with limited resources [both financial and people]. And so by virtue of that, the small business owner has to do everything themselves. I’m sure that sounds familiar!

Doing everything yourself is often a necessity when you first start the business, and has the added upside of giving the business owner a real grounding in all the multiple aspects of running a small business.

But typically, before long the business owner is operating in a state of overwhelm, wearing too many hats and spinning too many plates. And inevitably sooner or later ‘some will start to fall’, so don’t wait until it’s too late, be proactive rather than reactive.

That brings us onto the second question which was…

2.“What roles do you relinquish?”

I suggest that the best way to answer that is to start by identifying where your strengths and weaknesses are, play to your strengths and enlist help in the areas that you need it most.

Some entrepreneurs are great at having a good idea and then seeing the commercial potential, but others lack the business acumen to implement their ideas properly.

So it’s critical to have access to people who can put in place the business processes around those ideas which will typically be in the areas of Management, Finance, Marketing and Human Resources.

As you start to expand the business you will have to delegate, and if the people you are delegating to don’t share your passion or vision or the values of the business, it can become un-necessarily difficult.

Which brings us to the last of the three questions which is…

3.“Where do you go to find help?”

There are many different ways of surrounding yourself with the help you need to run your business so it is important to choose a way that is right for you.

In some cases, it might be time to get another full time employee, other times it might be wise to start off by employing someone in a part time role, or you might outsource it to a company that specialises in a particular area, for example for something like payroll or bookkeeping.

And the last option is that you might engage the services of a business coach or other external consultants that you can use as you need them.

One of the things that you need to bear in mind is that as the business starts to grow it’s important to keep the culture you established.

The culture is like the DNA of the business and it lives only through the people you hire, so anyone you work with has to be a ‘cultural fit’ as well as bring an additional expertise.

Once again, there isn’t a right or wrong solution that is a fit for everyone. It really depends on budgets, the skillsets that you are looking for and whether it’s an ongoing position or something you need just to get the business to the next level.

So if this has caused you to think about your current situation the…

Next steps are to…

Sit down with your team and brainstorm these 5 questions:

• What areas are we operating in overwhelm?
• What are our key strengths?
• What areas do we need the most help with?
• Is there any further internal delegation we can do to make us more effective?
• What type of business relationship would work best for us if we get external help?

Thank you for watching…

I hope you got something out of today. If this has been helpful and you would like to find out more about what we do or are wondering if one to one coaching might be right for you then visit growmysalonbusiness.com/coaching and make sure that you read GROW 2 Management as there are lots of valuable ideas in there which will be of help. 

And if you don’t already subscribe to ‘The Two Minute Salon Manager’ you can do so at growmysalonbusiness.com or opt in @paulmitchellpro.com

Have a great week! 

If there was one thing that you…

If there was one personal characteristic you would attribute your success to, what would it be?

In the early 90’s I once had the pleasure to cut the hair of the founder of the Body Shop, the late Anita Roddick and I asked her that question.

 After a little thought she said… “If I had to narrow it down to just one thing it would be that I never listened to the people who said, it can’t be done, and there were always plenty of them. In fact the more they said it couldn’t be done the more determined I was to do it and prove them wrong”

What a great philosophy to live by, and remembering that she went on to build a huge international brand and influence the way all cosmetic companies operate as well as championing many social, political and environmental causes in the world.

How would you answer that question?

What is the one thing that you would attribute your successes to in life? [Because while you and I may not be Anita Roddick we have both succeeded at many things]. 

And here’s a twist on the same question. “What is the one thing, [if there was only one] that stops you achieving more, what would it be?”

I think it was Henry Ford who amongst many famous quotes said “Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re probably right”

And I think there-in lies the answer to the question, “What is the one thing that is stopping both you and I from achieving more?”, ‘Self belief’.

I am lucky in that I get to work with hairdressers all over the world, and I am privy to what they manage to achieve on a daily and weekly basis in their salons.

Whether you’re talking about service and retail totals, or rebooking and request clients, or any other measure of productivity, the variance in the productivity levels amongst any group of hairdressers is nearly always the full range of results.

The justifications, blame game, and denial are usually all rooted in ‘beliefs’ about what is and isn’t possible, and what is and what isn’t their job.

Those who adopt limiting beliefs about ‘what is possible’, not only short change themselves and the business they work in, but often are also short changing the clients by not giving them the opportunity to choose.

So, whether you believe you can, or believe you can’t, you’re probably right. The achievers in every area of life are the ones that take ownership.

They understand that they are accountable for the results, and recognise it is their responsibility so they start off with those empowering beliefs.

Just like Anita Roddick, they believe they can!

So as a next step, I suggest you sit down with your team and brainstorm these 5 questions:

1. What areas in your life are you, or your team, underperforming in?
2. What beliefs do you, and your team have, that are perhaps getting in the way of you achieving what you want?
3. What references do you have, [usually meaning past experiences] that you use to justify or validate those beliefs?
4. We all have beliefs because of past references that sometimes limit our view of ‘what is possible’, so how can you create new and better references or examples to help move you forward?
5. What positive empowering examples of success could you focus on instead?

Thank you for watching…

Have a great week! 

Should I stay or should I go?

“Should I stay or should I go now…

if I go there will be trouble, if I stay it will be double, come on and let me know should I stay or should I go?”

The Clash 1982

Let’s talk about, leaving…

If you are the salon owner, generally you don’t want people to leave, because it’s going to hit you where it hurts, financially.

But, almost everyone has times in their life when it’s time to move on. Time to leave home, leave relationships and leave jobs. Sometimes maybe it is easy, usually, it’s hard, but it’s all part of the cycle of your life.

I often see situations in other peoples businesses where the business is not working and nobody is really happy because there is someone or several someones who really should move on but for whatever the reason they don’t.

The result is that nobody is happy, nobody is growing and there is an uneasy standoff until either the person resigns or the manager brings it to a head and fires them.

It always happens, it’s just a matter of who makes the first move, how long it takes for them to do it and how much damage is done in the process.

Be brave…

moving on and taking that step as either the employee and resigning or the employer who dismisses someone, takes courage.

If you are the employee it’s not always easy to let go of the security you have and to deal with the conflict and emotional upheaval that is involved with change.

And if you’re the employer it’s not always easy to recognise that’s it’s time for someone to move on for the benefit of everyone.

Many years ago I had a situation where there were a couple of people working for me who no longer wanted to be there and I no longer wanted them there.

One of them even said, “if you give me $30,000 I’ll go!” [and you thought you had problems]… As the saying goes “what doesn’t kill you…makes you stronger.” I got stronger.

They didn’t have the courage to go and decided that my business would be run “their way.” The problem was that as the owner “their way” wasn’t working for me…to put it mildly.

When you are not happy where you are working… be brave and move on! Maybe the vision you have is no longer in alignment with the vision the owner has for the business, the question becomes “who’s working for who?”

Know when it’s time to go…

Staff members don’t have the right to steer the business in a direction that they want it to go. They usually have the opportunity to constructively suggest and discuss their ideas, but unless it is some kind of workers co-operative the ultimate responsibility and direction for the business is set by the owner and that must be respected by everyone on the team.

For your own dignity and future growth as well as the success of the business the worst thing you can do is stay where you are and destroy the business from within by sabotaging and undermining the owners wishes at every opportunity.

So if that’s you, make the leap, do the right thing, leave on good terms with a reference and your pride intact. Believe me, you will be glad you did.

Change is part of life…

sometimes change requires courage, it requires you to step out of your comfort zone and leave the security and predictability of what you know.

If you are part of the team and you disagree with the owner's vision and way of running the business that’s okay, but be brave, leave and follow your own dream. Start your own business or find another team out there that has the same vision as you.

If you have people on your team who are working against you it’s time to take control. Legally, firm but fair don’t be afraid to be the boss and sometimes that means getting rid of people.

There’s a great quote I read somewhere, “Change your people or change your people”

Thank you for watching…

If this has been helpful and you would like to find out more about what we do visit www.growmysalonbusiness.com

You can follow me on Instagram @growmysalonbusiness

Have a great week!

I still think I’m 40 but unfortunately…

“I still think I’m 40! But then I look in the mirror and I realise that unfortunately, I’m not…

Where did the last 20+ years go? I still have so much to do.”

Recently I read the following passage that was spoken almost 60 years ago from Martin Luther King Junior and it definitely resonated at a deeper level with me.

“We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.”

It was part of a much longer speech and they are great words and probably they would’ve been wasted on me when I was younger. But now that I am a little older, I appreciate not just the passion and eloquence with which they were spoken, but also the meaning and absolute truth behind those words.

The clock is ticking…

It doesn’t matter what age you currently are, how clever you are, or how much money you have got, “time” is the great leveller and “time” waits for no one.

Whether it’s your personal life or your business life, what are the things that you keep putting off, procrastinating for whatever reason? How long will it be before it’s…“too late” the opportunity gone, game over!

What's stopping you…

What are the things you keep putting off and when will you make a start?

Why do you keep putting it [whatever it is] off? What resources do you need, who’s help do you need, what first step do you need to take?

I know it isn’t always easy, life isn't always fair, just turn on the TV and watch the news or open a newspaper anytime and you will see that. Life isn’t about being fair and most of us don't get all the chances we deserve.

Sometimes due to forces beyond our control, there are huge hurdles to overcome. The mere fact that you are watching this means that you have a huge head start on most of the population.

Whatever it is you want in life, make a start, expect challenges, expect your resolve to be tested. Some people give up at the first stumble, but if you want it bad enough, get up and go again and again until you succeed.

Before it’s “too late.”

Thank you for watching…

Have a great week! 

What is your what?

So, “What is it that you want to achieve now?”

If you are a salon owner think back to when you began on this journey of starting your own business. You probably had a dream of what you wanted, and it was probably based on what your salon was going to ‘look like’, the visual representation of the business.

As hairdressers we are good at the visual representation, the ‘what it will look like’. And while that’s important, it’s only the beginning. It’s the dream that got you started on this journey, but on its own it’s not enough.

So, “What is it that you want to achieve now?”

’The What’ is the start point, the middle point and the end result. It’s the guiding light, it’s your compass, your true north, the thing you are trying to achieve, the dream, the goal. Call it what you want, but it’s the ‘What’ you are trying to do..

‘The What’ is the thing that gets you up in the morning, it’s the thing that gets you through the tough times… It’s where your energy, determination, passion and ability to lead and inspire others comes from.

It’s the, ‘how big’, the ‘how many’, the ‘how much?’ It’s the what it will ‘look like’, what ‘it will ‘sound like’, what it will ‘feel like’, it’s the when and the where and the how. It’s the end result.

The ‘What’ is the vision that you have for your business.

If you are a salon owner you need a ‘What’ or a ‘Vision’ for your business.

And do you know something, for many salon owners there is no ‘what’, there is no vision for what they are trying to do. Because for many salon owners their vision has become just about survival, just about getting to the end of the week, end of the month or year. It’s to, ‘just to keep on going’ and hope that it gets better.

Your business needs to be about more than just survival, it needs to be built around a clear and compelling vision.

A defined and easily understood business vision is the very cornerstone of your commercial success, not just for you and your staff but for anyone that has a vested interest in your business. Your vision is the starting point for setting clear objectives and targets, and for creating a detailed business plan that gives purpose to your training, marketing, financials and branding.

The vision delivers shared goals into the hands of your team members and gives you something with which to align your business and benchmark your success. So, what is your ‘what’?

Once you have defined it, what is the next step?

Your vision can’t be a secret. Communicating what the the vision is, is an essential part to bringing it alive in your business and making it happen. But you can’t communicate it until you define it.

So, what do you want to achieve, what will you represent, who do you want to be in the minds of your clients, your team, your community?

When you can describe that vision to a team of people and then get their buy-in to the big picture, it will give them a sense of ownership which will also help guide their actions and behaviours. That feeling of belonging is a powerful force and encourages your team to embrace and build on your vision.

So why is it that so many salon owners have no vision beyond simply surviving. I think it’s because once they open their salon, they become bogged down in the day-to-day operations of the business and stuck behind the chair servicing a full column of clients.

They don’t make the time to step back and to constantly be re-evaluating and say ‘this is what we are trying to achieve’. That lack of perspective robs them of their opportunity to see their business objectively and build a realistic and long term vision.

So ask yourself, where and what is your vision? The dream, the excitement the hunger the passion… where is it now? Do you still have it? If not, why, and how do you get it back?

So here’s 10 practical steps that you can do to help develop your vision.

1. Step back and ask yourself, your family or your partner, what is it that you really want out of this?
2. The key word is “WHAT” not how you are going to do it, that comes next, but what do you want?
3. Define what you want your business to be like a year from now, five or ten years from now?
4. Write the vision you have for your business down. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just start by putting words and sentences on paper. Writing it down is simply another tool to help give you clarity.
5. Once you have it all down on paper, then start refining it. Try and end up with something brief, keep it focused, use bullet points if need be, but make sure it can still be written on the back of a business card. You should be able to remember and articulate it word for word.
6. Is it inspiring to you? If it isn’t it wont be inspiring to anyone else
7. Discuss what the vision means with your team. Getting them motivated to fulfil the business vision is about getting their buy-in and ownership of it, there has to be something in it for them.
8. Don’t be afraid to tweak it and evolve it until you’re happy with it. Then perhaps have it professionally written and framed, hang it on the staff room wall and in your office, maybe turn it into a screen saver – make it alive and in your face everyday.
9. Remember it is not meant to sit in a folder and be forgotten, it is meant to give you and your team focus and a purpose.
10. Finally, You don’t want it to become stale and irrelevant, so revisit it at the beginning of every year and don’t be afraid to completely reinvent it.

Thank you for watching…

If you haven’t already got it I recommend that you get my book ‘GROW 2 Management' there is more in there about defining your business vision.

If this has been helpful and you would like to find out more about what we do visit growmysalonbusiness.com

Don’t forget to follow me on my Facebook and Instagram page @growmysalonbusiness

Have a great week! 

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