The most precious resources in any business are your human resources. In the beauty business, it’s easy to make everything about the commodity (haircut, color, facial, etc) when the key ingredient in the whole process are the people who provide that commodity every day!
Savvy salon and spa owners that get this create interdependent cultures. Where many salons and spas struggle is that the focus is about building the commodity first when it should be the reverse. Build team first, commodity second! Your team is your culture. The people that choose to work with you do so because they see something special and inspiring about the culture you are creating or they choose to work for you because they need a steady paycheck. Which one do you want?
Building your cultural capital is like building financial capital. More profit in the bank means increased financial stability and with it more creative outlets to grow the business. The same thought process applies to building cultural capital.
Cultural capital is a combination of shared core values and a common vision for what is possible in the future. It’s the fuel that drives a group of people to execute a mission with passion, commitment and perseverance. It is the essence of the business. It’s something greater than one person. It’s a deeply held driving force that creates empowerment, creativity, team work and growth. It’s something that permeates within the culture. It’s magic!
In my latest book, Interdependent Leadership: Creating a Salon Culture of Inclusive Growth, I offer six steps to building your cultural capital:
- Lead from a common set of core values that are clearly defined, actionable and create accountability
- Create a culture that supports people to achieve personal and professional goals
- Work with the team to create the vision and mission of the company
- Create a collaborative environment where people contribute to each other and to the success of the whole
- Delegate tasks and use it as a learning process to help people grow.
- Build time into the schedule that allows for team meetings and one-on-one dialogue that strengthens communication and enhances the decision-making process.
Each of these steps, when taken, lead to a more exciting and empowered environment where the team works together to grow the business and fulfill the vision of each person involved! Make it your mission to do this and everyone wins! Pick up your copy of the book today. You can find it in my store on my website www.stephengomez.net
