possibilities does this opportunity allow us to do that we
have never tried before?”
4. Refuel
One of the most difficult things to do in a time of crisis
that interrupts your regular routine is to find a new harmony
between meeting your work needs and the needs
of your own physical well-being. In a crisis atmosphere,
your team will need recovery time, or at some point something
will give—performance or, worse, health. At Orange
Theory, they build in time for clients to recover before
pushing them to go to the next level. Similarly, you need
to let your associates know that you expect them to build
time into their schedule to refuel themselves before they
burn out. I love working with coaching clients to design a
personalized refueling strategy based on each clients’
unique joy code, which consists of analyzing what drains
them and what fills their bucket until it overflows. We
then develop a strategy filled with micro-practices that
people can utilize in their daily routines to help them
create sustained success.
5. Reimagine
People in your spa may feel so grabbed by this crisis that
it is hard to imagine it ending, so that is why it is so
important as a leader that you help your team reimagine
what work will be like when we get through this crisis.
Some countries have already seen a glimmer of the other
side of this pandemic and so now is the time to explore:
How can we strengthen the well-being of our workforce?
How can we use this crisis to innovate?
As Jeremy McCarthy, Group Director Spa & Wellness
for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group recently stated, “I
think spas have a real opportunity to establish themselves
as place to go for ‘safe touch’ and that beauty and wellness
will continue to thrive because people will still need
to ‘feel good.’”
The question then isn’t, “Will the spa industry survive?”
Rather the question is, “Are your spa colleagues mentally
strong as they return to work and help your spa business
thrive?” Do they feel that you are setting them up for success
as a compassionate leader or do they feel like you
have not just social distanced from them, but completely
abandoned them during this unprecedented time? Unprecedented
times call for unprecedented compassion
from leaders. Being compassionate isn’t another task on
your to-do list, it is the key element of successfully leading
through a crisis. n
“Help people reflect upon and recall specific
ways they’ve already demonstrated
adaptability throughout their lives and work;
they can then rely on this innate capacity to
navigate through uncertainty with resilience.”
DAWN KAISER is an author, speaker and coach who specializes in helping others lead with joy and purpose.
She has previously led educations sessions at multiple ISPA Conference & Expos, including last year’s event in
Las Vegas, Nevada. Learn more about Kaiser at dawnkaiser.com.
SEPTEMBER 2020 ■ PULSE 55