Practical Skills for Effective Management
DURING THE JULY ISPA TOWN HALL, Dr. Bryan K. Williams offered an exclusive preview of his Manager Skills Course, available through ISPA’ s iLearn platform. Designed to equip spa professionals with the tools and mindset of effective leadership, the session introduced core principles every new and aspiring leader should know. Special thanks to this month’ s Town Hall sponsor, KNESKO SKIN.
LEADING WITH PURPOSE:
Practical Skills for Effective Management
Course overview“ I’ ve had a lot of requests to create a program for emerging leaders that gives them the foundational elements of how to truly manage a team and move them forward,” said Williams.“ This course was designed with three audiences in mind: emerging leaders, experienced leaders, and those looking to mentor younger managers coming up.”
The course includes eight modules, each approximately 30 minutes long. Within those modules are three to four micro-lessons. Participants can access the content anytime and complete the course at their own pace.
Greatest challenges for new managers“ Over the last seven to eight years, I’ ve seen a trend,” said Williams.“ People are asking, How do we motivate people and put their best foot forward?— and also managers wanting to feel more comfortable giving constructive feedback.”
Module 7 addresses these issues directly, focusing on motivation and team building.“ Whenever someone joins a spa team, they are already motivated,” Williams explained.“ Then over time, they may become demotivated. So, the real question we have to ask is, What would demotivate a motivated person?”
Constructive feedback is the focus of Module 6, which covers effective communication techniques.“ Most communication is nonverbal,” Williams said, explaining that others pick up on our tone and posture— not just our words.
Applying the lessons Williams emphasizes the course is designed for immediate, real-world application. He shared that when creating a new course or conference, he thinks about the practicality and how individuals can apply its lessons immediately.
One module explores the connection between delegation
“ Believe in your people. When you believe in somebody, you assume the best. You want to develop them, grow them and mentor them.”
— DR. BRYAN K. WILLIAMS
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