Honor your partners. What does that mean? You stay in business because of the efforts of many; your teachers, your staff and your contractors. Each and every one of these participants can generate good will and profits for your studio, or cost your studio precious time and business.
So what does this mean to honor your partner? It means to know what your partner’s needs are and to make every effort to meet those needs in order to have incentivized people working tirelessly on your studio’s behalf. Sometimes it can seem exhausting to constantly be having to check in with everyone to make sure that they are happy with their job and confident in the way things are being done, but this is a big and often very productive part of a Studio Owner or Manager’s job.
It’s amazing how excited and productive employees can get when they feel that they are being listened to, that they are being fairly compensated, and that their contributions are helping to mold real change and success at your studio.
On the contrary, you can also see employees complete lack of engagement when they feel their efforts are being thwarted by inefficiencies and poor studio policies. The greatest contributors are not robots. Not literally or figuratively do they act as unfeeling entities that execute repetitive tasks without regard to emotion. At least not for any period of time.
So check in. Give employees/partners feedback.
If you are viewing a report in your Studio Management Software and start to see a slide in someone’s performance, either in sales, or class numbers or whatever metric is used for that persons job, the first response is to check in with that person. Find out how they are doing, what is working for them, what is not, how you can help them do their job more successfully. Then, if it turns out that they are confident and feel that things are running smoothly, you have eliminated one critical variable and can focus on the real problem at hand; why are customers not responding to the product or service you’re offering?
This process alone will help your employee/partner feel more engaged and ready to tackle the real joy of creating growth for you and your studio.
Your employees and partners are your most valuable asset. They bring the joy directly to your customers and students. When the team works together the energy is contagious and your customers will want to be a part of it. They will return with uplifted spirits because of it.
Though we may at times think we are simply selling a product or service, we have to remember our job really is to create positive emotions and experiences for people who, by the way, will exchange us their hard earned money for it. They deserve the best we have to offer.
Education, clear vision and a willingness to make the right choices is the path to happy studio doors swinging wildly! If you have an experience to share, maybe something that worked or didn’t work for your studio, please send me a note.Jeff@Mybeststudio.com
Happy travels,
Jeff Haywood