Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/460894
Setting Boundaries It is easy to unintentionally blur the boundaries of how much we should share with our clients. We are often entrusted with sensitive personal information about the issues in their lives. Estheticians constantly walk a fi ne line between the professional distance most businesspeople maintain with their customers and the emotional intimacy typically reserved for a friend or family member. Not all emotional sharing equals emotional branding. Merely listening to our clients, or sharing topics of discussion that are personal and sensitive, doesn't constitute a healthy business model. The emotional intimacy of the salon setting is a sacred space that demands personal discretion and professional integrity. Industry newcomers and seasoned professionals alike need to carefully navigate this space, discerning the comfort level and wishes of each guest with regard to sharing. We need to operate using healthy, mindful, and respectful forms of communication, while keeping specifi c precautions, guidelines, and professional and ethical boundaries in mind. Is Your Spa a Drama-Free Zone? Dale Carnegie said, "When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion." Navigating an environment where emotional intensity is the norm takes intentionality and skill. It is not enough to simply show up and wing it. I've often heard salon professionals say they don't like drama in the salon. But drama is inevitable. It's the nature of the business. The good news is that drama— excessive or uncontrolled emotion—can be managed. If you have employees, here's how: • Hire employees who have a desire to be part of your well-crafted vision for your brand. • Be a role model in how you treat customers and staff— including how you talk to them and how you talk about them. • Schedule regular meetings and maintain open lines of communication to facilitate healthy dynamics and encourage professional, as well as personal, growth. • Provide training around boundary issues and the safe space you want to create for customers and staff. • Have systems and scripts in place that can be used in specifi c situations—and practice using them. Estheticians constantly walk a fi ne line between professional distance and emotional intimacy. Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 27 Be a role model in how you treat customers and staff — including how you talk to them and how you talk about them.