Comments for Strategies Coaching & Training Blog http://www.strategies.com/blog Mon, 14 May 2012 15:29:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on How to harness the power of momentum by Kirstin Ansbacher http://www.strategies.com/blog/how-to-harness-the-power-of-momentum/#comment-2155 Kirstin Ansbacher Mon, 14 May 2012 15:29:19 +0000 http://nocompromiseleadership.wordpress.com/?p=2213#comment-2155 Just wanted to say thank you!!! Just wanted to say thank you!!!

]]> Comment on Why fundamentals matter in your salon or spa by Chris Murphy http://www.strategies.com/blog/why-fundamentals-matter-in-your-salon-or-spa/#comment-2154 Chris Murphy Sat, 12 May 2012 13:03:23 +0000 http://www.strategies.com/blog/?p=2352#comment-2154 Great post Daryl! I couldn't agree with you more. We did this two years ago by going back to basics. We also established our core values and purpose as a company and then refocused our efforts on giving "knock your socks off customer service". Results didn't come over night but when they did, they were steady and consistently improving without fluctuations. Great post Daryl! I couldn’t agree with you more. We did this two years ago by going back to basics. We also established our core values and purpose as a company and then refocused our efforts on giving “knock your socks off customer service”. Results didn’t come over night but when they did, they were steady and consistently improving without fluctuations.

]]> Comment on Why fundamentals matter in your salon or spa by Neil Ducoff http://www.strategies.com/blog/why-fundamentals-matter-in-your-salon-or-spa/#comment-2150 Neil Ducoff Thu, 10 May 2012 13:12:35 +0000 http://www.strategies.com/blog/?p=2352#comment-2150 Brilliantly stated Daryl. Mastering the fundamentals is the only way to build a solid business and cultural foundation that can execute efficiently. Quick fixes are much like skyrockets. They blast off, sparkle their way upward -- explode into a dazzling display -- then fizzle. Getting the fundamentals right is the tough work of leadership and business. Brilliantly stated Daryl. Mastering the fundamentals is the only way to build a solid business and cultural foundation that can execute efficiently. Quick fixes are much like skyrockets. They blast off, sparkle their way upward — explode into a dazzling display — then fizzle. Getting the fundamentals right is the tough work of leadership and business.

]]> Comment on How to ensure policies are followed by Neil Ducoff http://www.strategies.com/blog/how-to-ensure-policies-are-followed/#comment-2149 Neil Ducoff Sun, 06 May 2012 10:31:27 +0000 http://nocompromiseleadership.wordpress.com/?p=2198#comment-2149 Hi Abi, Rules are the "laws of your business." They support and protect what your company stands for. They protect the vision of your company. They protect the promise your company makes to the customer. If the connection between your employees and your company's vision is weak, rules can be regarded as infringements on personal freedom and expression. When it's about the "rules" and not the vision the rules protect, it's easy for employees to justify jumping ship ... even for something that's less of an opportunity. If working alone as a booth renter is more enticing than working with a team to build something truly extraordinary, then it's time to do some major reconnecting with your vision and business culture. Take your vision and put it front and center. Polish it up until it glows. Rediscover the magic that gives a company life. Rules make a whole lot more sense when connected to a vision that's worthy of hard work -- that captures the imagination of team to achieve the extraordinary. It's about the vision -- not the rules Hope this helps. - Neil Hi Abi,
Rules are the “laws of your business.” They support and protect what your company stands for. They protect the vision of your company. They protect the promise your company makes to the customer. If the connection between your employees and your company’s vision is weak, rules can be regarded as infringements on personal freedom and expression. When it’s about the “rules” and not the vision the rules protect, it’s easy for employees to justify jumping ship … even for something that’s less of an opportunity. If working alone as a booth renter is more enticing than working with a team to build something truly extraordinary, then it’s time to do some major reconnecting with your vision and business culture. Take your vision and put it front and center. Polish it up until it glows. Rediscover the magic that gives a company life.

Rules make a whole lot more sense when connected to a vision that’s worthy of hard work — that captures the imagination of team to achieve the extraordinary.

It’s about the vision — not the rules

Hope this helps.

- Neil

]]> Comment on How to ensure policies are followed by Abi Goldberg http://www.strategies.com/blog/how-to-ensure-policies-are-followed/#comment-2148 Abi Goldberg Sun, 06 May 2012 08:53:06 +0000 http://nocompromiseleadership.wordpress.com/?p=2198#comment-2148 Neil, I read your Monday morning wake up every week. This one I find thought provoking due to the fact that I have struggled for 5 years now with enforcing the rules. I have managed commission salons with no issues up North for 10 years before coming to NC, a state that allows booth rental. I find that if employees don't like the rules, they just find a booth rental salon where they can make their own rules whether they compromise their income or not. It's an interesting phenomenon here, one that I would love to dig into deeper. I struggle as an owner here getting the professionalism I know our industry deserves. I am with Pat as it seems when rules are enforced, the employees really feel the negative effects of "the rules" rather than the positives that provide them the opportunity for bettering themselves and the salon as a.whole. Neil,
I read your Monday morning wake up every week. This one I find thought provoking due to the fact that I have struggled for 5 years now with enforcing the rules. I have managed commission salons with no issues up North for 10 years before coming to NC, a state that allows booth rental. I find that if employees don’t like the rules, they just find a booth rental salon where they can make their own rules whether they compromise their income or not. It’s an interesting phenomenon here, one that I would love to dig into deeper. I struggle as an owner here getting the professionalism I know our industry deserves. I am with Pat as it seems when rules are enforced, the employees really feel the negative effects of “the rules” rather than the positives that provide them the opportunity for bettering themselves and the salon as a.whole.

]]> Comment on How to ensure policies are followed by Nan Napier http://www.strategies.com/blog/how-to-ensure-policies-are-followed/#comment-2144 Nan Napier Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:21:55 +0000 http://nocompromiseleadership.wordpress.com/?p=2198#comment-2144 Great Monday Morning blog. Pplicies and rules are a never-ending topic. The most significant, yet difficult part, is that, "Rules are othing withyout accountability." And accountability requires the one-on-one courage to gently get in someone's face and insist that compromise stop. We are doing Broadband reviews again this week. The balance of courage and compassion! Great Monday Morning blog. Pplicies and rules are a never-ending topic. The most significant, yet difficult part, is that, “Rules are othing withyout accountability.” And accountability requires the one-on-one courage to gently get in someone’s face and insist that compromise stop. We are doing Broadband reviews again this week. The balance of courage and compassion!

]]> Comment on How to ensure policies are followed by Irene Schreiber http://www.strategies.com/blog/how-to-ensure-policies-are-followed/#comment-2143 Irene Schreiber Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:45:29 +0000 http://nocompromiseleadership.wordpress.com/?p=2198#comment-2143 Great article Neil. Pat's input was genuinely thought provoking.Pat I like the rewards ideas. As Neil said, the rulebook becomes much thicker over time and as I found in my case, more of a burden than an enforcer of the rules. I had a formal spiral bound book of my house rules,which was becoming too much.This was, like Pat said, all initialed and nodding heads in agreement. So why was it being ignored?. Daily infractions and bending the rules to suit their own agendas made me decide to go back to my original format of a salon rule book, written many years ago for the City&Guilds (UK) class in college. Anything that makes us look at the progression of the business is a helpful indicator of where we have come from and where we are going. All the things Neil mentioned are covered, especially the vacation rules. It is first come first served, that is, the person who fills in the vacation request form first gets the weeks they choose. No exceptions. I agree there are certain rules that are more flexible but not in the case of productivity during busy times. I also know this, communication and a reminder now and then in a staff meeting of why the rules exist is essential. People need reminding of boundaries. I would recommend a rethink of policies and a meeting focused on why we have the rules. So I guess my reply goes with the old adage, 'keep it simple' worked for me and my team. Great article Neil.
Pat’s input was genuinely thought provoking.Pat I like the rewards ideas.
As Neil said, the rulebook becomes much thicker over time and as I found in my case, more of a burden than an enforcer of the rules. I had a formal spiral bound book of my house rules,which was becoming too much.This was, like Pat said, all initialed and nodding heads in agreement. So why was it being ignored?. Daily infractions and bending the rules to suit their own agendas made me decide to go back to my original format of a salon rule book, written many years ago for the City&Guilds (UK) class in college. Anything that makes us look at the progression of the business is a helpful indicator of where we have come from and where we are going.
All the things Neil mentioned are covered, especially the vacation rules. It is first come first served, that is, the person who fills in the vacation request form first gets the weeks they choose. No exceptions. I agree there are certain rules that are more flexible but not in the case of productivity during busy times.
I also know this, communication and a reminder now and then in a staff meeting of why the rules exist is essential. People need reminding of boundaries.
I would recommend a rethink of policies and a meeting focused on why we have the rules.
So I guess my reply goes with the old adage, ‘keep it simple’ worked for me and my team.

]]> Comment on How to ensure policies are followed by Neil Ducoff http://www.strategies.com/blog/how-to-ensure-policies-are-followed/#comment-2142 Neil Ducoff Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:39:23 +0000 http://nocompromiseleadership.wordpress.com/?p=2198#comment-2142 Pat, what a wonderfully enlightening post you wrote. You got it. BTW: At Strategies, "Broadbands" are still called "Broadbands." You can call them "career maps," if that works for you. :) Pat, what a wonderfully enlightening post you wrote. You got it.
BTW: At Strategies, “Broadbands” are still called “Broadbands.” You can call them “career maps,” if that works for you. :)

]]> Comment on How to ensure policies are followed by Pat Helmandollar http://www.strategies.com/blog/how-to-ensure-policies-are-followed/#comment-2141 Pat Helmandollar Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:28:26 +0000 http://nocompromiseleadership.wordpress.com/?p=2198#comment-2141 After my last mastery class my leadership team and I began putting into place the new "Career Map" that was introduced to me at that time. This is similar to the format of the former "broadbands"", with the exception of there are point allowances for each category within a skill set on the spreadsheet. As it is currently designed, we allow 40% of the points to be applied to their individual numbers. The remaining 60% is assigned to various other segments, such as "Building Trust", "Teamwork", etc. The essence of this new format is it rewards heavily the behaviors, which ultimately rewards both the employee as well as the company. "What gets rewarded gets repeated.!" This has proven to be the best/worst thing we have ever done to support TBP. The best comes from where it places the focus. The worst comes from misunderstanding, distrust, unaccountably and a myriad of other things that were actually "rules" that were being broken every second of every day. To them it felt as though the hammer had fallen and it had fallen hard! The reality is, these are the things we have always embraced, coached toward and held valuable. Until it came right down to their 'individual' pay, it really did not resonate. So, yes, for over ten years, now, rules have been broken, crimes committed and virtually the punishment, (if that is the right word) has never been stiff enough. So we turned that around to become a reward and their whole world turned upside down. Now, through lots of training, coaching, group discussions and everything else we can think of our culture is truly beginning to change. Regarding a human resources department, for the time being, I guess I am it! Until we are much larger we cannot afford to pay one individual just to head up that department, but it is truly a critical department and I would love to figure out how to pass this pressing challenge on to the next generation. Thanks for a great article today as it was just like salve on a burn for me. After my last mastery class my leadership team and I began putting into place the new “Career Map” that was introduced to me at that time. This is similar to the format of the former “broadbands”", with the exception of there are point allowances for each category within a skill set on the spreadsheet. As it is currently designed, we allow 40% of the points to be applied to their individual numbers. The remaining 60% is assigned to various other segments, such as “Building Trust”, “Teamwork”, etc. The essence of this new format is it rewards heavily the behaviors, which ultimately rewards both the employee as well as the company. “What gets rewarded gets repeated.!”

This has proven to be the best/worst thing we have ever done to support TBP. The best comes from where it places the focus. The worst comes from misunderstanding, distrust, unaccountably and a myriad of other things that were actually “rules” that were being broken every second of every day. To them it felt as though the hammer had fallen and it had fallen hard! The reality is, these are the things we have always embraced, coached toward and held valuable. Until it came right down to their ‘individual’ pay, it really did not resonate.

So, yes, for over ten years, now, rules have been broken, crimes committed and virtually the punishment, (if that is the right word) has never been stiff enough. So we turned that around to become a reward and their whole world turned upside down.

Now, through lots of training, coaching, group discussions and everything else we can think of our culture is truly beginning to change.

Regarding a human resources department, for the time being, I guess I am it! Until we are much larger we cannot afford to pay one individual just to head up that department, but it is truly a critical department and I would love to figure out how to pass this pressing challenge on to the next generation.

Thanks for a great article today as it was just like salve on a burn for me.

]]> Comment on Six strategies to building your dream team by Nan Napier http://www.strategies.com/blog/six-strategies-to-building-your-dream-team/#comment-2120 Nan Napier Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:33:42 +0000 http://nocompromiseleadership.wordpress.com/?p=2170#comment-2120 Whew! Building a stroner chain takes determination and persistence. Thanks for the encouragement. Whew! Building a stroner chain takes determination and persistence. Thanks for the encouragement.

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