10 Career and Life Lessons Learned From 10 Years In The Cosmetology Industry: Part 2

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of this series! Here's Part 2... enjoy!

4. You can be firm and compassionate simultaneously.

When I was promoted to management at a former job, I had a really hard time adjusting. I went from being everyone's friend to being their boss. My natural response to managing my team was to make everyone happy. Unfortunately, that isn't possible. My problem was that I was looking at the situation in black and white. I thought you were either a tough boss or a compassionate boss. It took me awhile to learn that the best results come from being both. I learned that being compassionate is a vital trait of being a leader, but it needs to be complimented by firmness. You might not make everyone happy, but you will earn more respect and ultimately help your team become better employees.

5. Staying humble keeps you on top of your game. Or, be absorbent. 

I know in #2 I stressed the importance of letting yourself shine. Here I am talking about not only being willing to learn, but seeking the opportunity to learn. Nobody is such an expert in their field that they have nothing more to learn. Education is an integral part of your journey as a professional. I don't care if you are the President of a major international company or an entry level employee at Subway, if you aren't growing then you are declining. When I look at the most talented, skilled, high performing people I have worked with, I see the ones who were always willing to learn something new, even if they were already the "best" on their team. Adopt an attitude of valuing and seeking education, and watch yourself bloom.

6. The day always ends with your head on a pillow.

Let me ask you a question: Have you ever had a day on the job where the task ahead seemed so overwhelming that you had to talk yourself out of walking out and quitting on the spot? Me too.

In the Cosmetology world there is a service called a Jheri-curl. Mostly performed on African Americans, this service requires a full relaxing service (to get the natural curl out), followed by a shampoo, followed by a perm with the solution on it while you wrap (unlike a traditional perm). Take into account the added stress that comes with trying to wrap the rods as fast as you can because the hair is processing as you go, plus throw in the fact that to protect your hands from the solution you have to wear gloves that are constantly getting stuck in the rods, flinging toxic chemicals in your face when they snap back. Lets just say it is a feat for a seasoned pro to get them out the door in three hours- for a cos student, about four and a half. We only had one client in the whole school who got one. And she always requested me.

That is an extreme situation, but there are others that deserve overwhelm. Being busy and pregnant. Working when you're sick, or have a headache. Knowing you have a sick child at home. A slow day that is dragging. So many situations that make work that much more unbearable. What always seemed to help me was the mindset of knowing that no matter what I had to endure during the day, the end result would always be the same: Me relaxing in bed with my head on the pillow. Just focus on that, even take a bathroom break if you need to and visualize yourself savoring the softness of your sheets and the warmth of your bed. Having that to look forward to is sure to make the day a little more bearable.

Stay tuned for part 3!

-Lindsay