2023, The Year of the Amazing Team

By David Watts

Kick off the year with a BANG and set your intention for 2023. Something that is going to help you take massive action and deliver big results. – “I am going to create, inspire and lead my amazing salon team.”

We have all laid awake at night thinking about how to get the dream team in our salon. Frustrated about the way things are playing out currently and wondering what on earth you will do next. You have done training, held meetings, changed the processes yet everything stays the same, you are exhausted and it’s likely your team are too.

In your business journey you have probably had moments where you have put your head in your hands and said where did I go wrong. The bills are rising, the team want more money and you haven’t got enough time in your day to get everything done.

A lot of owners tell me they cannot be away from the salon without the wheels falling off or their phones ringing 10,000 times in a day to answer basic questions. They feel like their team is pulling in the opposite direction to the course they want to take.

You need to remember that you are not alone, even the most confident of salon owners have had challenges when it comes to their teams. It’s not just attracting and retaining team but building a culture that is fun to be in, supports high performance and delivers exceptional service to your clients.

DEVELOPING YOUR TEAM STARTS WITH YOU!

Things can be different; it will take a fresh approach, a new attitude, and your commitment to success. There is no time like the present to rip the band-aid off and get a little uncomfortable. If you make the changes required and show up consistently you will be playing a winning hand.

You need to take responsibility for where you are now. Accept that what you have now is not as good it gets. Ask yourself what you are going to do differently? Create a plan not just for you but for every individual team member and then execute on it.

LEADERSHIP

In these pages many times has been one of our favourite sayings at ZING “You are the problem, and you are the solution” and this is how you are going to tackle your team this year, with extreme ownership.

You have a choice on the leadership style you bring to the table. When you role model good behaviours you are setting the tone for the entire salon. How you show up physically and emotionally is critical. When your team know that you truly have their back, they are more likely to have yours too. It is inconceivable to expect them to do things that you wouldn’t do yourself.

You know how to be an amazing stylist; you have experience and importantly the technical skills to face anything a client throws at you. You need to work on your leadership skills and style to be a MASTER at this side of your business too. This will help you eliminate the sleepless nights.

COMMUNICATION

Are you giving your team members any time? Not a quick conversation in the back room, but scheduled time individually for them? Start this today if you’re not. Set a regular 1:1 meeting with all your team members that are sacred (cannot be moved in the book,) this is critical to improving morale, culture and importantly performance. Best practice would be to have these meetings weekly.

How do you share other important information? Are things just sent in a messenger chat or text? Do you provide clarity on your expectations when you implement something new? Knowledge is power and giving your team the what, the why and the how are critical when sharing information. Ask for what you need and want, stop avoiding the courageous conversations.

Sometimes problems get worse when we avoid or ignore small issues. Of course, it can be uncomfortable, but something addressed quickly and kindly generally doesn’t fester or explode. Conversations are often delayed to avoid confrontation when in reality waiting is more likely to create conflict. You want to foster a growth mindset in your team and honesty is always the best policy.

STRUCTURE

This does not have to boring, but you do need to outline expectations to your team on how things are to be done. When your team is always running their own race it translates to inconsistent results, frustration, and confusion.

Set your team up for success by giving them guidelines. If you don’t have anything in place for them, it would be an ideal exercise to involve them in developing resources. Think about it as the way things are done around here. If everyone is singing from the same hymn book the sound is always better.

You will see a turnaround in other aspects of the business too when you start to develop more processes. Your client experience will be better, your sales will improve, and your team will be a lot calmer along the way.

ACCOUNTABILITY

It’s a pointless exercise to implement structure in your salon without ways of tracking it. Accountability is not about micromanaging, in fact it’s the opposite. It is a way for your team to track what they are supposed to be doing consistently.

Whenever we implement a process, it is natural for the gloss to wear off it and old behaviours to creep back in. This is not just for your team members but for you too. For every action you put in place to happen, ensure you have a way to track and measure it is being delivered as expected.

TRAINING

Develop an environment centred around growth for your team members. You should be conducting regular training in your salon that is stimulating and relevant. Your team are one of your biggest assets and you need to nurture and upskill them. Like a seed you plant in the garden, without care it will not flower. think about consultation, client journey and soft skills like communication.

The other area that will connect your team more to you and the salon is to work on them as people. Think about how you (or using your network) could help them develop skills in self-mastery, self-care, mental health or fitness and nutrition. Keep it interesting and involve them in mapping out the year ahead.

FUN

Are you having any fun? Nobody wants to be serious 24/7, do they?

Think about the vibe of the salon and is it conducive to some fun and frivolity along the way. Obviously, you need to match the vibe to the client experience, but if it’s like walking into a morgue there’s a problem.

Make sure you plan (and execute) on some fun social activities with your team throughout the year. You do not need to break the bank to do this but allowing opportunities to relax and enjoy each other’s company is important.

SEEK HELP

Stop winging it and get into some professional development on these areas. Read some books, listen to podcasts, work with a coach or professional. When you want to learn a new technical skill you jump in the deep end, be the same when it comes to leading your team There is a lot to be gained by asking for help and knowing this does not make you a failure, it is how you make yourself a success. I work with salon owners every day who have been scared to make the required changes and together we have overcome their barriers, I know you can too.

Oh, and PLEASE stay the hell away from social media groups (you know the ones) that feed into the myths and false stories that this is a generational problem and there is nothing you can do about it… they talk crap!

Happy New Year!

David XoX

A salon owner and support coach on Team Chrissy – The ZING Project. David has a diverse background in sales, marketing and operations and is passionate about improving the professionalism of the industry. Contact David via email davidsc@zingcoach.com.au or DM on Instagram @davidwatts_zing