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LEADERSHIP IN MANAGEMENT BY ANALYSING LABELS AND WHAT THEY MEAN, THE ZING PROJECT HAS TAKEN A DEEP DIVE INTO HOW THIS DELINEATES LEADERSHIP AGAINST MANAGEMENT IN THE SALON, WRITES ESTELLE CARROLL.
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hroughout our lives people attach labels to us and those labels reflect and affect how others think about us. Let’s explain where this fits into a salon context.
SALON MANAGER
This implies that you manage the salon, but what is that exactly? Is it that they manage operations, clients, training, quality control, what about the team culture? If we know that labels can define what people think of the person and what they think of themselves - how can we use this to our advantage? If you want to have someone on your team to help you do administrative tasks - you might be better to employ a personal assistant or receptionist than a salon manager. If you’re looking for someone to be the guiding light when you’re not there, or even to support when you are there - you’re asking them to be a leader.
TEAM LEADERS A team leader is someone the salon owner appoints in the position of leadership and management to ensure that the salon operations run smoothly, the standards of skills, communication and customer service are of a high level and are consistent. Your salon leaders need to be able to lead by example, they will have some parts of their role that include management - but if the pure focus of the role is around management - your culture will decline and retention of team will too.
LEADERSHIP VS MANAGEMENT Management suggests controlling a group to accomplish a goal. Leadership refers to an individual’s ability to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute toward the team’s success. Forbes Global Media explains the differences between a leader and manager well.
LEADERS CREATE A VISION AND MANAGERS CREATE GOALS Leaders paint a picture of what they see as possible and inspire and engage their people in turning that vision into reality. They know that high-functioning teams can accomplish a lot more working together than individuals working autonomously. Managers focus on setting, measuring and achieving goals. They control situations to reach or exceed their objectives
LEADERS ARE CHANGE AGENTS, MANAGERS MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO Leaders are proud disrupters. Innovation is their mantra. They embrace change and know that even if things are working, there
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could be a better way forward. They understand and accept the fact that changes to the system often create waves. Managers stick with what works, refining systems, structures and processes to make them better.
LEADERS TAKE RISKS, MANAGERS CONTROL RISK Leaders are willing to try new things even if they may fail miserably, they know that failure is often a step on the path to success. Managers work to minimise risk, they seek to avoid or control problems rather than embracing them.
LEADERS GROW PERSONALLY, MANAGERS RELY ON EXISTING, PROVEN SKILLS Leaders know if they aren’t learning something new every day, they aren’t standing still, they’re falling behind. Managers often double down on what made them successful, perfecting existing skills and adopting proven behaviours.
LEADERS BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, MANAGERS BUILD SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES Leaders focus on people in order to realise their vision. They know who their team members are and spend most of their time with them. They build loyalty and trust by consistently delivering on their promise. Managers focus on the structures necessary to set and achieve goals. They focus on the analytical and ensure systems are in place to attain desired outcomes. They work with individuals and their goals and objectives. Both management and leadership have important functions in your business. It’s important the salon owner and the team leader are clear about your expectations around this. In smaller businesses it’s likely you will do both roles as a salon owner and as a team leader. Leaders create and communicate the vision and managers implement the vision. Leaders ask ‘why, ‘what’ ‘who’ and managers ask ‘how’ and ‘when’. Leaders mentor, teach, motivate, inspire and unleash potential, managers coordinate resources. I believe you need both. In my Leadership in Management program we go through the mindset and behaviours of a leader and manager so that you as the salon owner and your leadership team can feel confident, have clarity and create an amazing team culture. Estelle Carroll is a Business and Leadership Coach with The ZING Project. For further information regarding her Leadership in Management short course contact Estelle at estelle@zingcoach.com.au or visit www.estellecarroll.com