Ep. 25 - What's Holding You Back From Leaving The Treatment Room?

I get this question (or statement) all the time: "I want to get out of the treatment room, but I'm not sure why I can't seem to let it go."

I totally get this because there was a time when I was like this too.

I've completely removed myself from the treatment room, then stepped back in when we lost a team member, then went on maternity leave, then didn't go back, then did go back, then left on maternity again. It's like this whole thing.

But every single iteration has helped me strongly define each season and each reason for why I will or will not go back into the treatment room.

There's nothing wrong with being in the treatment room. But today I want to address those of you who want to get out—even if it's just for a couple extra days—and make it more of an option and less of a requirement.

For me, I'm in the treatment room once every other week. And it's not because I feel like I need to. It's because the people I see bring me so much joy that I get excited to go into work and see them.

I also know that if I needed to, I can completely step away from the treatment room without ever skipping a beat. I'd still pay myself the same. I wouldn't lose any revenue. My business would not tank. It would be 100% okay.

So if that's you, today's episode will help you figure out what's really holding you back. Because once you know what your block is, you can finally move into this new leadership role with confidence.

What's Really Holding You Back?

This is mainly speaking to the spa owner who has a team and is still in the treatment room. Sometimes there's this internal struggle, or maybe something happened with your team that's causing some type of struggle.

Block #1: Trusting Your Team

Some owners struggle with trusting their team. They micromanage, they hover, they correct every little move, they jump in to fix things.

If you find yourself saying this phrase: "It's faster if I just do it myself."

That might feel like the case in the moment. But if you add up all those times you say "it's faster if I just do it" and you just do it once, record yourself doing it, someone else can do it. And maybe they're going to do it faster. They're going to be smarter about it because their brain works differently or they have more knowledge on the subject.

If you hire someone for social media who is a social media marketer, they will have all that knowledge and background and can do a better job than you. But you're not going to ever know that unless you let them go through the motions of it.

Block #2: The Skill Gap

If you're unsure of how to lead, this was a big thing for me. Giving feedback can feel awkward if you've never done it before. It might make you want to avoid tough conversations instead of leading.

Sometimes you'll step back and just hope things land where they're supposed to. That's not always the case. Everything really needs to be intentional.

Obviously anything you do for the very first time is going to feel hard. It's going to be weird and awkward, and it's going to come out a little bit jumbled. But that also makes you human.

Your team is going to see that. "Wow, she's really trying. She's really putting in the effort. I can tell this is hard for her."

Any compassionate person you hire will see that and respect your role as leader.

You just get better and better at leading as you lead. It's like any other muscle—you grow it over time. Everything gets easier because you know how to say it, you know why you're saying it, you can back yourself up with the facts and confidence.

Block #3: Payroll Anxiety

This fear of "Oh my gosh, I don't even know if I can afford to step out of the treatment room."

I felt this SO, SO strongly. It definitely prevented me from truly stepping completely out for probably three or four years. It's this whole money piece.

You might believe that if you take yourself out of the room, the payroll won't be covered. You pay your team first, yourself last, and that constant stress keeps you from fully leading your team.

Which One Makes Your Stomach Churn?

Ask yourself: Which of these makes your stomach churn?

• Is it trust?

• The skill gap?

• The payroll anxiety?

Whatever thing stood out to you the most, address it first because it's going to give you the most peace when it's fixed.

Your Next Step

This week, write down the one leadership block that feels most true to you right now. Naming it is your very first step to fixing it.

Once you know what it is—whether it's not trusting your team, feeling like there's a gap in skill, or this money problem of not feeling like you can afford to step out of the treatment room—you can start mapping out a plan for how to get to the goal you're trying to achieve.

Ready to step into your leadership role with confidence?

Fill out this intake form to book a discovery call with me. Let's map out your leadership path forward so we can get you this dream life you absolutely deserve and have worked so hard for.

The number one thing I do is help my clients pay themselves more through team building.