If you’re considering becoming a cosmetologist, you’re definitely on the right track for a prosperous career. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for cosmetologists is expected to grow by 14 percent from 2010 to 2020. However, a successful career in cosmetology takes more than just great cosmetology skills such as cutting hair, doing highlights and hair color, or giving manicures—it’s crucial to your success to gain leadership skills. Undergoing leadership training will help you acquire those skills that are essential to client retention in order to build yourself a reliable client base.
Solid communication skills are vital to those in cosmetology—and leadership training can assist you in learning how to communicate well with your clients, coworkers, and staff. You must be able to establish a good rapport with your clients and be able to assess their needs quickly during a consultation. This involves giving clear guidance and information about services as well as explaining policies and procedures. Healthy communication skills also allow you to get a sense of what kind of interaction your client wants during your appointments—if your client wants to chat, that’s fine, but you shouldn’t assume all your clients want to have social interactions throughout your sessions. Learning to pick up on social cues such as these will help you retain clients.
Another important leadership skill to develop is your ability to adapt. The cosmetology field is a fast-paced and ever-changing industry with trends that come and go. Additionally, state and federal regulations change regularly so placing emphasis on changing with the times and remaining up-to-date on new techniques, styles, and laws is vital. After all, the most successful entrepreneurs are those who adapt to changes in their industry.
Professionalism is also a significant leadership skill to develop. Leadership training can help you determine how to balance friendliness and honesty with professionalism. This is important if you want to maintain a good reputation with your existing and prospective clients. Of course, professionalism as a skill is wide-reaching: along with other tasks, you must respect your clients’ privacy and personal information, obey rules and regulations, and maintain valid professional certifications and licensing.
To be sure you are getting high-quality leadership training specifically for the beauty profession, look at well-respected cosmetology schools that offer additional courses in business and leadership. At Ron King Academy, we offer our students courses centered on business skills in order to give them the knowledge necessary to succeed in owning and operating salons.