Let’s say you have a popular service provider, Ava. Ava has a large repeat clientele, gets rave revues, is well-respected by her colleagues, and even manages to sell some retail. But Ava just came and asked you for a Saturday off, in May, a busy time of year. And she has already exceeded her allotment of Saturdays off. What to do…

Your brain says, Ava can’t take off that Saturday, we need her here, and she’s already taken her quota. But your heart would like to say yes. Time to check in with your gut!

Leading with Your Head, Heart and Guts

Being an effective leader of any organization today requires a broad skillset. At the We Work Well event last September, attendees spent some time exploring the Head, Heart and Guts aspects of leadership, as detailed in the highly-regarded book by David L. Dotlich, Peter C. Cairo and Stephen H. Rhinesmith. Many leaders already are comfortable operating in the “Head” space, defined as providing clear purpose, strategy and direction for the company. “Head” leaders balance strategic and operational thinking to come up with the best functional model, focusing on the viewpoint and experience of the customer in the process. 

In spa and wellness businesses, it is also common to encounter those who work from the heart, a relationship-first orientation. Heart” leaders are deeply interested in balancing the needs of the staff and the business, managing relationships, and developing organizational talent. 

But what about the role of intuition? Leading with “Guts” means acting with integrity, being courageous enough to raise tough issues within the company, and being a “champion for change,” especially relevant in the world today.

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Most humans are naturally oriented to one of these three realms; we can manage and make decisions without even considering which of the three formed the root of our thinking. But as we delve into developing ourselves as effective leaders, we learn that perhaps our instinctive reaction is not always the best one for the situation or moment. 

When making decisions, it’s useful to pause and reflect on what other approaches you might employ to get the result you are really looking for, and address all sides of an issue. Being more deliberate in your approach gives you the opportunity to also consider the potential downsides of your natural reaction. Head leaders, while having the best intentions, can be dominating and intimidating, and their focus on performance can leave some other company values by the wayside. The orientation to relationships can actually get in the way of Heart leaders; they can let compassion and empathy overrule the issue, and have difficulty making necessary but unpopular decisions. And while working from intuition can often be the right decision, sometimes Gut leaders fail to solicit input from their teams, and sometimes act without really considering the consequences.

But no one is perfect! 

The important thing is to recognize your natural tendency, and be self-aware enough to know when you may need to pivot. We Work Well attendees considered their ingrained habits and traits and listed ways they would work on making changes upon returning to worklife. We’re sharing a selection here, maybe one or two will inspire you too!

HEAD

HEART

Listen more, judge less

Be more patient

Strategically lift team morale

Daily recognition of contributions

Develop external network

Seek input from diverse cultural backgrounds

Help my team to be more creative

GUTS

Raise tough issues

Be champion for change

Go with the flow and adapt

Commit to bold courses of action

Handle disagreement better

Let go and trust my team

Weekly lunch with staff to get to know them more personally

About the Author

Lisa Starr is the Principal of Wynne Business Consulting & Education, which specializes in spa, wellness & salon businesses. Lisa has over 30 years of experience in the beauty industry, in all aspects from technician to regional manager. She has spent the last 18 years as a consultant and educator, helping companies maximize spa operations performance in both front and back of the house, and consults on a variety of topics including operations issues, finances & compensation, marketing, inventory management, retailing, human resource development, and business process improvement. Lisa is leading the Grow Well, professional development for We Work Well.

Follow Lisa on Twitter@StarrTalk, on Instagram@WynneBusiness, or email lstarr@wynnebusiness.com