Focus on What's Important ... Your Strengths!

“Educate—Differentiate—Elevate” —Vicki Malo, President, North American School of Podology and CIDESCO Diplomate

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a very successful business owner in our industry. He and his staff were always extremely pleasant, happy, confident and exceptionally knowledgeable in their specific duties—doing business with his company was always an absolute joy. During day-to-day business, I noticed each of their e-mail signatures ended with five unique, distinctive and descriptive words. After a few months, I asked him to what he attributed his success. He simply said it was working with a diverse group of employees with a varying range of strengths: strengths-based leadership.

He told me he required each of his team members to partake in an online assessment titled StrengthFinders by Tom Rath, which resulted in the five words in their signatures. The exercise begins with a short, easy-to-read book, followed by a 30-minute online evaluation. Within minutes, your character strengths are revealed with a guide about how to apply them personally and professionally. Statistics show that people are happiest and most successful doing what they are good at, allowing them to love what they do.

This leads me to what’s really relevant: It is so important to focus on your strengths. Vying for the title of “expert”—whether it’s in men’s intimate waxing, pedicures or as a business owner—requires constant cultivation, which leads to greater success. Focus on your strengths and do what you love to do; this will change the way you see yourself. Higher learning and advanced education is the key component to strengthening and developing your area of expertise and securing success. Reach out to manufacturers and industry leaders. Trade shows, such as Face & Body® Northern California, October 6–8, 2012, in San Jose, California, present many growth opportunities and have a positive impact on the skin care industry’s progression. Currently, there are 13 states requiring continuing education, while several states are considering deregulation. Skin care is our strength; we have to be the change we wish to see and, as an individual, by continuing to advance yourself, you progress as the industry progresses. If all the states come together with respectable requirements for both basic and continuing education, we will be stronger and will continue to prosper.

Until Next Time,

Lynn Maestro Editor in Chief

Maximizer, Strategic, Positivity, Woo, Communication

“Identifying strengths in this way is beneficial to any organization in order to know where each team member is coming from. Plus, it really highlights how DIFFERENT people are, and how tendencies aren’t right or wrong, they are just different.”

—Cathy Christensen, Senior Editor, Skin Inc. magazine

Strategic, Arranger, Communicator, Achiever, Relator

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