Thursday, November 19, 2009

But I ain’t one to gossip, so you didn’t hear that from me

Benita was one of my favorite characters on that 90's tv show "In Living Color"


Benita would sit in her rocking chair and say nice things to the people who would pass by and once they were gone spill all the angry gossip about that person.

Everyone has a Benita in there lives. If you know one avoid their calls you don't need the negativity. If you work with one, well that is a problem like a disease it can infect everyone at work. 

How do you diagnose the symptoms of having a Benita:

  1. Benita is really nice to you.
  2. Benita asks you many personal questions like a friend would.
  3. Benita tells you some gossip, if you take the bait she embellishes and tells you more.
  4. Benita will make up gossip to make herself look good.
  5. Benita will make up gossip to make others around her look bad.
  6. Benita will tell gossip about you to your fellow employees.
  7. Benita will try to turn the employees against each other.
  8. If you don't help Benita steal she will try to get you fired. How?
  9. If your job is to clean she will tell you not to, then complain to the Boss about uncleanliness.
  10. Benita will even complain to her clients about the uncleanliness of her space.
  11. Benita will take things without asking or paying the actual cost of the item.
  12. Benita will do her whole family in your salon without offering to pay the cost of color.
If you have a Benita growing in your salon or workspace. You will have to decide if you want to remove the cancer with surgery or heal it using a holistic approach. 

Remember the bigger your Benita gets the more painful it will be to remove, but you and your staff will feel much better and happier. You could even make Benita's clients happy too by giving them 50% off all services.

If you realize you yourself are becoming a Benita take some yoga classes, meditate and change!

Rip Van Winkle

I have been asleep for about two years. I dreamed I sold my business moved to South America with my girlfriend and became  a stock and commodities trader. Today I suddenly awoke and went to the gym at 5am. I am weak, but I will be strong again.  While on the elliptical machine, I repeated to myself "I am a creative businessman and hairstylist; I do this one thing well;  I can't do anything else."  I realize it is important in life to find the thing you do best and focus.
I am lucky to have built a strong business to withstand my Rip Van Winkle years and the financial collapse.