Becoming An Emotionally Intelligent Leader

By Angeli Marie Shaw

Running a business, especially a hair salon, requires more than just technical skills and business smarts. It demands the ability to connect with your clients, lead a team, and navigate the ever-changing demands of the industry.

In the fast-paced and competitive world of salon ownership, effective leadership plays a pivotal role in the success of any salon, but it’s emotional intelligence that has begun to emerge as the true differentiator amongst our industry leaders.

Even on a personal level, emotional intelligence can help you connect with your feelings, act on your intentions and make informed decisions regarding your own personal goals, so let’s take the time to explore the significance of emotional intelligence for hair salon owners and discuss how this, along with a positive mindset can enhance your client relationships, foster a harmonious work environment for your team, drive business and personal growth, and ensure long-term success in a competitive industry.

When it comes to building up your salon business, salon owners who possess high emotional intelligence are better at understanding and empathising with their client’s needs, preferences, and emotions. They actively listen to clients, provide personalised experiences, and create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere.

This awareness also enables you to train your team to connect on an emotional level so you can build trust and loyalty, resulting in repeat business, positive word-of-mouth referrals, and a strong client base.

If you’re a successful salon owner, you understand that your team is your greatest asset and with EI skills you can communicate with empathy, motivate, and inspire your staff, and provide constructive feedback when appropriate. You will understand the strengths and weaknesses of team members and assign tasks, accordingly, fostering a sense of purpose as well as nurturing job satisfaction.

By cultivating a positive salon environment through emotional intelligence, salon owners can create a cohesive team that is dedicated to delivering exceptional service and achieving shared goals together.

We all know how dynamic our industry is, with trends, techniques, and client expectations constantly changing and evolving and as an emotionally intelligent salon owner, you can effectively manage stress and pressure, enabling you to make informed decisions, find creative solutions, and stay ahead of the competition. By fostering a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation, salon owners can position their businesses for long-term success.

Emotionally intelligent salon owners prioritise work-life balance, encourage self-care, and invest in their employees personal and professional development. By cultivating a positive work culture, salon owners can nurture a team of motivated, passionate, and loyal individuals, leading to higher employee retention.

Emotional intelligence and a positive mindset are vital for driving business growth and adaptation in the hair salon industry. Salon owners with high emotional intelligence can anticipate and respond to market trends, customer demands, and emerging technologies.

They embrace innovation, seek out new opportunities, and are not afraid to take calculated risks. These salon owners prioritize customer feedback, adapt their services and offerings accordingly, and continuously seek ways to improve the client experience. By staying attuned to the industry and maintaining a growth-oriented mindset, salon owners can ensure their businesses thrive in an ever-changing landscape.

So now that we’ve learnt more about emotional intelligence and its importance, how do we work on it?

Here are some of my tips to enhance it:

1. Self-reflection - Take the time to understand your own emotions, triggers, and patterns of behaviour. Reflect on how your own emotions affect your interactions with others and the outcomes of situations.

2. Active listening - Practice active listening to be able to genuinely understand other peoples’ perspectives and emotions and pay attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues, such as body language and someone’s tone of voice.

3. Empathy - Put yourself in others’ shoes and try to understand their emotions and experiences. Show genuine care and concern for their well-being. This helps you build stronger relationships and fosters understanding.

4. Emotional regulation - Learn to manage and regulate your own emotions effectively. Develop strategies to handle stress, frustration, and anger constructively. This enables you to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.

5. Social awareness - Pay attention to the emotions and dynamics of the people around you. Observe their non-verbal cues. Cultivate sensitivity to social situations and adapt your behaviour accordingly.

6. Effective communication - Develop your communication skills to express yourself clearly and assertively while considering others’ emotions. Use “I” statements to express your feelings and avoid blaming others for why you do or say certain things. Seek feedback and use this to actively work on improving your communication style.

7. Conflict resolution - Learn techniques for resolving conflicts peacefully and constructively. Practice active listening, empathy, and finding common ground. Focus on problem-solving rather than personal attacks and blame.

8. Continuous learning - Emotionally intelligent individuals understand that emotional intelligence is a lifelong journey.! Seek opportunities for growth, such as attending workshops, reading books on emotional intelligence, and seeking feedback from trusted mentors, coaches, or colleagues.

Remember, developing these skills take time and effort. By improving your self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication, you can enhance your emotional intelligence and positively impact your life on a personal and professional level.

To sum it all up, emotional intelligence and mindset are invaluable traits for any salon owner or industry leader and by cultivating and working on it, we can build strong relationships, lead, and inspire teams, navigate challenges, create a positive work culture, and drive business growth.

When combined with a positive mindset, we can adapt to industry changes, embrace innovation, and position business for long-term success. Prioritise emotional intelligence and mindset and see that you can indeed create a thriving business that exceeds expectations and stands out in a competitive market, you just need to be willing to do the work!

You can do it; I believe in you!

“What really matters for success, character, happiness and life-long achievements is a definite set of emotional skills – your EQ –not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests” – Daniel Goleman

Love & Bliss, Angeli xoxo

Angeli is a Holistic Empowerment Coach, Mindset Mentor & founder of The Bliss Coach. To work with me in 2023, get in touch by visiting www.theblisscoach.com.au or follow us on our socials @theblisscoach