I cannot say this any louder – studio businesses aren’t like other businesses. Your relationship with your consumers is completely unique. It’s so unique that it feels strange to call your students ‘consumers’ or ‘customers’. That wording doesn’t feel right, does it? Your students are so much more than simple transactional customers, and when we realise that, it’s the first step to evolving as leaders.
Evolving Leaders is one of the most transformative pillars in Studio Evolution— you can read about it here. I chose terracotta as the signature colour for this pillar because it symbolises being grounded, stable, and reliable. Like the earth, an Evolving Leader forms the solid foundation for a truly thriving studio. This also lines up with our Season of Awakening of Potential in our manifesto.
I wrote about [Studio]HQ in Evolving Leaders last week – you can read about it here – it outlines the importance of creating a central hub in your studio business. My friends, I cannot tell you how much [Studio]HQ changed my life, and I don’t even run a brick-and-mortar studio! To say it’s essential for studio owners is a wild understatement. As we add to the learning scaffold for Evolving Leaders this week we’re deep-diving into leadership and locking in our Vision Dates.
There are three Vision Dates in the Evolving Leaders Pillar in Studio Evolution (my two-year signature program). Vision Dates give you the gift of time. You pencil it in your diary and use that time to think and connect to what you truly want in your business. Here’s the guide of vision dates for Evolving Leaders.
- Strengths – this is where we take the Clifton Strengths assessment to identify your leadership strengths. The strengths that are unique to you, the special sauce that makes your students flock to your studio.
- Leverage – this is about exploring the balance between control and collaboration. Allowing other people to step into their leadership within your studio business. I also take you through the 10-80-10 principle for project delegation. It’s my (almost) foolproof method for getting things done in your studio (particularly if you have control issues *side eye*.)
- The List – This is where we dig deep. I ask you to write a list of goals and aspirations. We pivot and leverage the business to achieve these dreams. If your studio business isn’t working for you, who is it working for?
Now, let’s discuss why traditional leadership doesn’t work in studio businesses. Let’s break it down.
1. Studio businesses thrive on connection and empathy
Traditionally, patriarchal leadership is all about hierarchy and authority. This leads to a big (huge!) disconnect between leaders and their teams. In studio business, we need to be personal and emphatic. Warm, compassionate leadership within the team that radiates out to your students and community. You cannot underestimate the magic you can make with your studio business and Evolving Leaders is just the first beautiful step.
2. Studios need creativity and flexibility
Top-down decision making be gone! It stifles innovation and creativity, which are essential for a thriving studio business. Evolving Leaders is about sharing the responsibility and empowering your team to lean into your business. A nurtured team is a happy and functional team.
3. Control and micromanagement aren’t cool, my friend
Traditional leadership models are built on control and micromanagement – yuck! This often leads to burnout, demotivation and a very unhappy team. I will help you to shift from control to collaboration in a flexible and creative way. We’re studio owners – we are creative. You can’t make us be Big Bad Bosses! We won’t do it!
Evolving Leaders is a beautiful foundation pillar where I take you on a journey of holistic growth, choosing collaboration over control. Embracing continuous learning to become the best leader you can be. That’s when your studio will truly shine.
If you’re interested in this different take on leadership and want to find out more about how Studio Evolution could help you, simply go to https://studioevolution.com/start.
