Hello friends, colleagues, and guest! Welcome to another page from the Social barber.
Today it’s all about mistakes and how learning through them will make you a stronger barber, A more wise barber. Perfection isn’t possible for a human being, so we should be prepared for things that just won’t go our way. It’s not enough to acknowledge a mistake .. we have to be willing to learn from our mistakes. We have to ask ourselves will we be better than yesterday?. and proceed to be better tomorrow. Learning through your mistakes will separate a good barber from a GREAT barber!
Mistakes are necessary for growth!
Mistakes cannot be avoided, and will happen a lot when beginning as a barber as you grow experienced you will begin to limit those mistakes. The process of learning is to remain willing to take in information, honest about what you don’t know, and open about making corrections. An old proverb goes “he who teaches himself has a fool for a teacher.
We need some sort of instruction to gain the proper know how in any subject. “When the student shows up the teacher will appear” that old saying is true. Having the Will to learn will begin the process of becoming accomplished & better than the day before.
Honesty only works when we can remain humble and ask “can you explain exactly?” it doesn’t do any good to pretend to know. The possibility to be wrong is now present, and you will end up looking like a complete fool when you were just trying to be mr. know it all. Be are open about not knowing then you will receive clarification which will in turn guarantee no mistakes can be made from not knowing!
Corrections play a big role in the mistake. Remember that the mistake doesn’t matter, but how we bounce back from it is key. Imagine a supermarket is crowded and you’re in aisle 8 debating ragu, or prego. The lady feeding an army with the carriage filled to ceiling comes down and knocks a bottle off the shelf and sauce gets OVER EVERYTHING including you! Now two things can take place from this honest mistake. An apology can be offered and attempt to get you cleaned up will be made, or she can keep strolling because it wasn’t her fault. In her eyes her she couldn’t see anything above the Cheerios and kibble n bits!
Same rule applies with us barbers. The customer know what they want when they sit down. Our job is to recommend professionally alternatives to meet the request. Imposing our sense of style is a no no! The Biggest mistake made is to take into your own hands how a customer is to be styled. 2 things can happen you can offer an apology accompanied with a discount or you can deny the mistake and find every reason why it isn’t your fault.
Why is it important to bounce back?
Being able to find a way to understand what went wrong is what will determine how well you are received. People don’t care about mishaps they care about feeling respected. It doesn’t matter you took it down too low or nick him behind his ear what matters was the way you made it right.
This makes your customer trust you for one and gives you point for being professional. The more accidents you make is another opportunity to understand next time what NOT to do! Today your blending is patchy and you leave the blend line too heavy.
That’s OK!
Today you will practice on working the weight of the blend line and use your mirrors to check for consistency throughout your work. The more you realize your mistakes it will be easier to advance. My motto is to make as many mistakes early in your journey while you have guidance to ensure you are learning properly. The person who is perfect and never made a mistake doesn’t exist. Keep a positive outlook on your career while learning through your mistakes will prove your worth for the rest of your career!
Stay positive, keep grooming, and be Social!
Shannon Kamal