BY JONATHAN ELLERBY, PH. D.

A SERIES OF 10 LEADERSHIP LESSONS FOR THRIVING SPA TEAMS

IN THE FAST-MOVING WORLD OF SPA and wellness, change is inevitable. Shifting guest expectations, evolving staff dynamics, global health concerns and business restructures are now familiar features of the landscape. Yet beyond the disruption, every change offers a vital opportunity— not just for adjustment, but for profound learning, renewal and leadership.

THIS IS PART 7 OF A SERIES. Watch for all 10 Leadership Lessons for Thriving Spa Teams from Dr. Jonathan Ellerby.

Drawing from years of organizational consulting, personal growth work and the most common coaching themes I explore with clients, I’ ve found that five essential practices can help spa leaders and their teams transform periods of uncertainty into moments of real inspiration and greater coherence.

1. LET CHANGE BE A TEACHER The question isn’ t just Why is this happening? but What is

this change giving me the chance to learn, practice or become?

Change has a way of revealing what is undeveloped in us— it could be patience, communication, resilience or creative thinking. When we lean into it, even reluctantly, change can cultivate new levels of mastery and maturity. For spa leaders, this might mean learning to delegate more, listen more deeply or reimagine team structures.

Ask yourself or your team: l What strength is this moment asking you to build? l What skill is this moment inviting your team to develop?

2. FACE THE FEAR Every change carries some fear— fear of failure, loss or uncertainty. But when we avoid these feelings, they grow.

Instead, we need to ask: What resistance is this change triggering in me? Often, repeated emotional patterns reveal hidden beliefs about our worth, our control or our expectations.

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