how we cultivate our team

​I’m approaching the year and a half mark of being the Spa Coordinator and it has me reflecting on the function and dynamic of our spa. It has taken some time and effort, but we pride ourselves on how we have fostered a nurturing and thriving team (and we are slightly protective over it!). I am fascinated by people, the function of relationships and how that spills over into the workplace. So, it’s only natural that I have keenly thought about the environment I have come to spend 7+ hours a day in.
 
Maybe you’re also fascinated by this topic as well, or maybe you are just curious as to what our work atmosphere is like. Either way, I’ve compiled some habits and characteristics I have found work well for our team.

1.) Personality Tests  

I put this one first because it has helped us SO much in MANY ways. I know you cannot understand a person completely from a personality test. However, I still would suggest this if you are interested in learning about your fellow co-workers, your manager or whoever is leading you in your job. Since our staff has taken a few different types of personality tests, we understand the other person’s weaknesses (or strengths). I see where I am lacking and where my team fills those cracks.
 
I will give a detailed example of our personalities and how we play off of each other. Since we refer to it a lot in the spa, I will use the Enneagram in my example. For those of you not familiar with the Enneagram, I will give a short description of the types used. There are 9 personality types in all, below showcases ours. 

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"Together, we are like a healthy, growing plant."

​Emily is a type 1. Types 1s are known as rational, idealistic types. They value justice, integrity and can be perfectionists. Types 1s have a strong sense of mission, which works great for us because our business needs a leader. Emily is that great source behind our mission.

Martha is a type 2. I honestly feel like we would fall apart without our type 2. Type 2s are called “The Helpers”. They are warm-hearted, desire to fulfill other’s needs and truly create space for others agendas in their lives. This is a huge asset to us because Martha is like a fairy who checks on us all day. So many things get accomplished because of this—from the laundry, to client’s questions…the list goes on!

​Me, Liz, I am a type 4. Types 4 are idealistic like types 1s as well. However, we are lacking the rationality of type 1s so my lack is made up with that key characteristic of Emily. The great thing about 4s is they are highly creative and are rich in cultivating purpose and beauty wherever they go. Often times, I feel as if it is my job to bring inspiration and meaning to our days at work. That can be found in spending one on one time with a client in quality conversation or reminding my team of the times we have impacted a client’s journey on understanding their unique beauty.
 
Together, we are like a healthy growing plant. Emily, the roots of the plants, being our strong foundation that grounds us. Martha, the soil, keeping us fed and fertilizing the plant with her nurturing demeanor, and Liz, the flower, bringing beauty and allowing us to see the gift of what the plant truly is.
 
Now…. can you tell I am a bit obsessed with analyzing people and personalities? On to the next point.
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2. Focusing on our Purpose 
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We are here to help. Our job is to comfort clients with our knowledge and skills. When we recognize that our skills are here to serve others, we can humble ourselves and become a happy servant. This can be difficult, because we have work tasks like any other job. We have a constant pile of laundry that needs to be done, we have voicemails and emails galore, a website to maintain, 3 clients that just walked in the door that know nothing about skincare or makeup--it is an endless check list. I find that the days where we focus on the overall meaning of our job, our days are smoother. The days where we seem to be frustrated with menial matters, our minds are bogged down. Stepping back for just a few moments a day and realizing this can calm the anxiety that we carry around our team. It’s an intentional workout, right?

"The days we focus on the overall meaning of our job, our days are smoother."

​3. Set goals 

Goals propel us into the direction we are seeking. Goals can be of all sizes—weekly goals, monthly goals, etc. Right now, our team has a few different goals we are trying to achieve. We can get distracted talking about all our ideas and visions, setting goals keeps us focused. Our goals focus on different areas of our business and are often designated to whoever is suited best for that particular goal while also keeping on track with our goals as a team.
 
4. Learn from success AND from failure  
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Some ideas work and others don’t. It’s the cliché example of trial and error. I would say that as a team, we are pretty good at quickly realizing when something that isn’t working for us needs to be cast aside. If you are blessed to have a leader that is more likely to extend grace in the face of a mistake, then you understand what a privilege it is to learn from that leader. 

5. Know your audience
 
Are we even doing our job if we are so wonderful and smart but don’t know who needs us? No. Paying attention to the people put into our path is crucial. This is where being detail oriented is very important. Watching the response to our social media accounts, reviewing our new client intake forms and being personal with our clients helps us to excel in knowing our audience. 

"A healthy team is both a gift and a reward in life."

​A healthy team is a both a gift and a reward in life. A gift because it is given to us in plain form, but then it is also a reward because the gift matures as it is worked for. It is a comforting thought as you drive to work each day, knowing that the load may be heavy, but you aren’t carrying it alone.

I hope these examples encourage you + plant seeds of hope and vision for you.
 
Sincerely,
 
Liz