Serving Others Through Leadership By Sam Squires

So, you’ve started your own barbershop, or you’ve been promoted to a management position or you’ve taken on the education for your shop location. Firstly, congratulations and secondly now is the time to work on your leadership skills.

In this article I’ll touch on the differences between being an all-star performer on the shop floor - to moving into a senior role in management.

Sorry shop owners, but you’re not getting off Scott free, leadership is of the highest importance in your dayto-day role and it’s not a one size fits all method for everyone that works for you.

Not all employees are receptive to the same kind of motivators. Not everyone gets a buzz over competitions and expos or training and changes to the business. Maneuvering around personality types and different people’s priorities can be a huge challenge and one that all leaders will face.

A study by Scholar David McClelland discusses three main needs, or motivators, which are profoundly important when managing people.

They are indeed evident in the barber businesses throughout Australia, and I want to touch on how these needs can be addressed within the barbering world, and how you can utilize the positives of each need.

The Need for Achievement

We have all worked with or may even relate to being a super high achiever who only has eyes on the prize, whether that is taking the most money in the shop. Winning barbering awards or priding themselves on excelling constantly. With this kind of employee or if you are applying this to yourself a great way to shift this amazing trait is to set goals and targets. A fantastic way to bring out the achievement drive is to attempt to get your staff to help others achieve their goals. Whether they help the apprentice write a job list or work on competition entries. That level of high standard will then work its way down your business.

The Need for Affiliation

Within the barbering world the need for affiliation is very prominent, it relates to having common interests and building friendships within the workplace. Building team morale using out of work events such as meals or drinks can work well but motivating our employees to better themselves and stay on top of their craft via workshops and external training is what ends up producing better barbers, better teams, and better client experiences. Being in an environment out of the comfortable shop space as a unit and meeting industry peers whilst all representing your barbershop business is a fantastic way to promote the need for affiliation. Keep in mind that building friendly relationships with staff will also promote open conversations that could make harder talks and decisions a lot easier.

The Need for Power

This is the need that is considered “dirty” when discussed but in his study, David McClelland points out that the need for power is very human. The temptation to only use your power for your own benefit or good is called “Personalized Power” and when working in teams of barbers is not received well. The use of “Socialized Power” which is the use of power or influence to better the situations of everyone around you, and the business you’re involved in, is something that can result in amazing synergy. As leaders we need to tap into what our needs are and what motivates us. In using these motivations to serve others we will get the best out of employees which will result in the best service for our clients.

Ask yourself, how can you serve others through leadership?

@Samthebarberman is the founder of Backbone Barbershop Group @BackboneBarbershop @BackbonebarbershopBurleigh