Globally, Skin treatment clinic leaders typically have industry experience, and industry knowledge. The best leaders have the additional skills of both foresight and insight. This allows them to see the future trends and events as they draw upon their vast well of subject matter. Seeing future trends allows them to ensure the clinic will be organised to make change and growth happen. As Leaders know how to make it happen, you need some action.
Clinic Leaders need to know what it will take to affect change in the business in terms of organisation, people, process and the financial input required to get a result. In our current market the Leader knows that resources are finite so to affect change, priorities have to be listed and acted upon. Changes may often be adamantly opposed at the time yet when the leader leads from the front and make sacrifices, this is evidence to staff and clients that they are walking the talk and that is when others follow!
Model your 2013 Leadership ability on the following 4 Successful Strategies:
- Learn to be aware. Develop the need to read and become more aware of the culture in your clinic. Take the time to be the receptionist a half day a week as staff and clients enjoy the presence of a good leader. Attend the Business Network Groups locally, talk and learn from your accountant and avoid just filing that data and get to understand the figures so you can test and measure all that moves in your clinic - clients, retail, services, stock turn-over, staff, in-coming phone calls and yourself! Test and measure yourself with a business coach or mentor or product supplier; even if it is only three times a year. This will hone your leadership skills as you personally learn to be accountable for your clinic's culture of success.
- Always be an example and be visible, be conspicuous, be present at staff meetings - you are the clinic Leader and what you do the business will do. Unfortunately there is no escape from this accountability when you are the Leader. This leadership role is more demanding during challenging economic times yet your role as Leader remains crucial to your success. You set the behaviour of the business in your clinic. Lift your professionalism and join, yourself and your entire team, with the Professional Association of your Country; eg New Zealand Association of Registered Beauty Therapists. Be sure to all wear your name badges every day to work on your uniforms. This is a truly visible, professional difference that you can do, today, to set an example that your team, your clientèle and your suppliers can see. The leader is who the managers, the senior and new graduate beauty therapists/aestheticians and all other staff follow.
- The leader must know themselves as a person. Be the person that you truly are. Be grounded, be compassionate, be understanding and live your values. Ask for and accept only the best on the day and be respected for having standards and make your decisions focussed on honesty, integrity and dignity.
- Execute to make a difference. The leader must focus on the major business themes - the important issues in the clinic - and have the day to day operational processes managed by another team member.
Inspiring Leadership must ensure that you keep your entire team informed and let them know they are appreciated.
The Leader must engage all of the team - accepting of course that the team is all different. Spend time with each individual, if your staffing numbers allow, and establish what their motivational drivers are. Is it performance based rewards? Work-life balance? Opportunity to learn and grow in the beauty therapy industry? Collaborative and positive team relationships or the Purpose that your clinic embraces as it works towards making a real difference in the community?
The above leadership in action skills will allow you to grow into a strong leader in your clinic. To execute to make a difference in this decade, you must acquire this good will. You acquire it by embracing the above strategic steps and in so doing you are helping and enabling your staff and colleagues, customers, suppliers and business neighbours to be successful!
The Leader that makes a difference and is successful will need to embrace this new stewardship role of ëwhat can I do for you to enable you to be successful?
And as you begin, or continue, on your leadership journey please embrace Jim Rohnís statement:
"Don't wish it was easier; wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems; wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenges; wish for more wisdom."
Margaret Walsh Consulting
www.margaretwalshconsulting.co.nz
Director Margaret Walsh
+64 9 274 735914
