Empowering Employees
Servant leadership pioneer, Robert Greenleaf once said, “Good
leaders must first become good servants.” This is a perfect
mantra for spa leaders. It isn’t enough to expect your employees
to be servants to your guests. You must also think of yourself as
a servant.
“Everything starts with leadership and trickles down, be the
example,” says Branda Kocak, owner of Modern Male Spas in
Dublin, Ohio. “My advice is to create awareness. In our industry
we strive to provide a high level of customer service, and more
times than not, the employees that we expect to provide that
level of customer service have never experienced it themselves.”
In other words, the kindness you show your employees will
translate directly to the kindness your employees show your
customers.
The best way to do this is to
recently the
hire employees based on
isPa staff used a disc
personality, not necessarily
assessment to learn how
skill. A skill can always be
our unique personalities
taught, but some people
compare. it was a fun way
simply have service
ingrained
in them.
to learn more about each
Professor Jonathan Paul
other and made for
De
Vierville,
director of the
a grEat staff
Alamo Plaza Spa in San Antonio,
rEtrEat!
Texas, suggests personality tests as a
way to find the best people for your unique
culture. “Look at the various ways of human communications
and living relationships,” he recommends. “Explore C. G. Jung’s
basic psychological types: sensation, thinking, feeling and
intuition. Also check out the Meyers-Briggs Personality Typology
for fun, self-exploration and insight into your team’s personal-
ities and strengths.”
You can use this data to see who will fit in your team when
hiring, but you can also use the data to bring your current team
closer and allow them to see how everyone works best. You
may have one idea of the best way to help a customer, but a
more introverted staff member might have another that the
bolder members of your team might not understand. These
tests can allow your team to grow closer and empower each
“...while training is necessary
for basic service knowledge
and company policies, it’s
important your employees
know they have the power to
make decisions when it comes
to their clients.”
those who are exceptional at
customer service are always
one step ahead of their
customer’s needs.
June 2018
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