If you are not growing, you are dying.
Let’s talk a little bit about being self aware. The better you know yourself, the stronger your relationships can be. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses is key to becoming the best version of yourself. Now why am I bringing this up? When you enter into a work environment you get introduced to a lot of different personality types. Some that you are attracted to and some that repel. I feel that it is important to know how you think and what you needs are. I’ll give you an example. Some people are very structured and need direction. So if you are in an environment that is not structured, doesn’t record notes of previous grooms, has inconsistent pricing, you may find yourself in psychological distress. You operate best with structure and clear definitive instruction. Some people are polar opposite and thrive with improvisation, so a overly structured environment may not be fit for them. They may feel as if there are too many guard rails. I feel that this is another reason that some groomers do very well in a corporate setting vs a private salon. Private salons can have less structure than corporate. You will see that some groomers switched from corporate to private and are living their best life.
Your user manual and love language
Wait, aren’t we talking about being a pet groomer? Why are we talking about love languages? I want you to be successful in your work environment. Let me explain. Wouldn’t it be frustrating to receive a product without a user manual and have to figure it all out by trial and error? It can kind of be the same thing when your manager has to “figure” you out. When I hire a new employee, I will ask them a series of questions to figure out what their “User Manual” is. I believe this is all a part in learning about yourself and giving your team and/or manager the best chance of having a successful relationship with you. If you read the book, The five love languages, you will understand what I mean. For example, if I have someone whos love language is “Words of Affirmation”, I will be sure to verbally praise them when they have done a good job. If I have someone whos love language is “Gifts”, I will leave them a written note praising them. If you can determine your love language, it would benefit you relationships (professional and personal) if they know what it is. What are the five love languages?
- Words of Affirmation
- Gifts
- Physical Touch
- Quality Time
- Acts of service
Let me take it to the next level. Just as you have a love language, so does everyone around you. Knowing your teammates language can make for a better relationship. Now if someone’s love language is “Physical Touch”, I’m not saying you need to run around hugging them, but maybe a high five or pat on the back can work.
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What I suggest to take the next step forward
- Take a personality test
- Identify you love language
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses
- Work on being the best version of yourself everyday