I’M THE MANAGER… BUT WHAT’S MY JOB? By Kym Krey
When you’re the owner or manager of a business, it’s a fair call that whatever happens within those four walls is your responsibility, but …. that’s a pretty broad job description that often also leads to a sickening sense of overwhelm. If I’m responsible for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g and there’s always so much to do, then where on earth do I start? When I never seem to have enough time, there’s always some kind of crisis and I never see the end of my To Do list, how can I manage my time? The trick here is to make sure you’re getting the right things done. The things that will have the most impact on your business and move you closer to where you want to be… and that’s likely going to mean saying ‘No’ or ‘not now’ to things that others want you to do if they’re not also high on your priority list. So what are your key areas of responsibility? For anyone managing a team, your 3 most important areas of focus are the 3 P’s: • People • Processes • Performance Let’s have a closer look at each one:
PEOPLE
This is about making sure you have the right people on your team which means that they share your values, respect and adopt your expectations and are committed to working with you to achieve your business goals. Basically they know where your business ‘bus’ is going and they’re happy to be on board. • They arrive at work on time, appropriately dressed and in a great frame of mind, ready to deliver excellence to each of your guests today • They’re excellent ambassadors for your business, embodying the attitudes, behaviours, and standards that you want to be known for. • They have the knowledge and skills needed to perform each of their required services to a high standard and within your expected time frames.
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Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 4
What does it take from YOU to get this part right? For your staff to know exactly what you expect from them behaviourally, then you need to have explained this to them.. no ‘It’s just common sense, isn’t it?’ or ‘Shouldn’t they just know?’
through our own perceptions and experiences too. Just because you explained it, doesn’t mean you’re instantly on the same page!) and finally…. gain their commitment to your expectations. Are you going to be able to rely on them to live and breathe these values, every client, every day?
People come from very different backgrounds and family upbringings and what you think is ‘normal’ may be very different to them. If you’re going to be successful as a Manager, you’ll need to get very good at managing people who are quite different to you.
And in order to explain it to them clearly, you’re going to need to take a moment to get clear on what it is that you expect, yourself! How do you want them to conduct themselves in your business? What are your non-negotiables? What are your red flags or ‘not OK here’?
So, if you’re going to expect it from them, you must first explain it thoroughly then check that they’ve understood (we filter information
Now that you’re clearer on People, let’s take a look at processes.
