The term 'team building' has been so misunderstood over the years that it often conjures up images of tug-of-war exercises and awkward group outings. The real concept of building a team, however, is critical to every business, especially those in the salon industry, where each member of the team must work independently—and in unison—to allow the salon to reach its full potential. The goal is to create an effective, strong team environment—without drama, disruptions or misunderstandings.
The usual talk among leaders is about needed conversations with employees regarding behavior and performance issues. And for those conversations that are guaranteed to raise your blood pressure, there are some fine books available, such as "Fierce Conversations" and "Crucial Conversations" to help you through. But what happens when employees need to tell you about issues with your behavior and performance as their leader?
From the calls we’ve been getting at Strategies, it seems like the employee revolving door is spinning a bit faster this summer. It sounds something like, “My salon/spa lost $160,000 in sales because these technicians quit and went down the street.” And then there’s all the drama, ugly words and feelings of betrayal. It’s like that voice in your head keeps saying, “How could they do this to me after all I did for them?”
