Apply Your Skills: Case for Critical Analysis

SmartStyle Salons

Jamika Westbrook takes pride in her position as salon manager for SmartStyle Salon, one of six local hair salons associated with a large retail store chain located in the Southeast and one of five chain store groups under the Gold Group umbrella. She oversees a staff of 30, including hairdressers, a nail technician, receptionists, shampoo assistants, and a custodian. She enjoys a reputation as a manager who works very hard and takes care of her people. Hairdressers want to work for her.

Following the salon’s new-hire policy, Jamika began as a shampoo assistant and quickly became a top hairdresser in the company through a combination of skill, a large and loyal client base, and long hours at work. In 2007, retiring manager Carla Weems hand-picked Jamika as her successor, and the board quickly approved.

Initially, the salon, located in a suburban mall, managed a strong, steady increase, holding its position as one of the corporate’s top performers. But economic woes affect the area hard, with increases in unemployment, mortgage woes, and foreclosures among current and potential customers. As families sought ways to save, the luxury of regular visits to the hair salon was among the first logical budget cuts. The past year has reflected this economic reality, and Jamika’s salon saw a sharp decrease in profits.

Jamika’s stomach is in knots as she arrives at the salon on Monday. Scheduled to fly to Atlanta the next morning for a meeting at corporate, she fears potential staffing cuts, but more important, she fears the loss of opportunity to secure her dream job, replacing the retiring manager at Riverwood Mall, the top-performing salon located in an upscale area of the city.

Distracted, Jamika walks past the receptionist, Marianne, who is busily answering the phones. Hanging up the phone, Marianne tells Jamika that Holly and Carol Jean, two popular hairdressers, called in sick, and Jamika now has to reschedule their clients. Jamika had denied their earlier request to travel out of town to attend a concert, and her irritation is obvious. She orders Marianne to call both women and instruct them that, when they return to work, they are to bring a doctor’s statement and a copy of any prescriptions that they were given. “They had better be sick!” Jamika shouts as she enters her office, slamming the door more forcefully than she intended. Startled employees and early-morning customers heard the outburst, and, after a momentary pause, they resumed their activities and quiet conversation, surprised by the show of managerial anger. Jamika knows she has let Holly and Carol Jean get away with unwarranted absences before and worries that she will do it again. She needs every head of hair they can style to help the salon’s profit.

Jamika takes a deep breath and sits at her desk, turning on the computer and checking e-mails, including one from the group manager reminding her to send the salon’s status report in advance of tomorrow’s meeting. She buzzes Marianne on the intercom to request final figures for the report on her desk by 1:00 P.M.

Picking up the phone, she calls Sharon, a manager at another SmartStyle salon. “I really lost my cool in front of everyone, but I’m not apologizing,” Jamika admits, adding that she wished she had the guts to fire both stylists. “But this is not the day for that drama. I’ve got that report hanging over my head. I have no idea how to make things look better than they are, but I have to come up with something. Things look pretty dismal.”

Sharon assures her that she did the best she could dealing with two “irresponsible” employees. “What will you do if they show up tomorrow with no doctor’s statement?”

“I don’t know. I hope I scared them enough so that they’ll come in with something.”

“I know you’re worried about the report and the effect it might have on the Riverwood job,” Sharon says. “But everyone knows you can’t control the economy and its effect on the business. Just focus on the positive. You’ll be fine.”

At 10:30, as Jamika struggles to put the best possible spin on the report, she is paged to the receptionist desk to speak to an angry customer. “Another interruption,” Jamika fumes to herself. Just then, the door opens and top stylist/assistant manager Victoria Boone sticks her head into the office.

“I know you’re busy with the report. I’ll handle this,” she says enthusiastically.

“Thanks,” Jamika replies.

No sooner had she handed off the irate client to Victoria than she second-guessed the decision. In addition to her talents as a hairdresser, Victoria had experience as the manager of a successful salon in another city before moving to the area. Recognizing her organizational and people skills, Jamika promoted Victoria to assistant manager soon after her arrival. Now each “I’ll handle this” remark by Victoria convinces Jamika that her assistant manager is positioning herself as a potential rival for the Riverwood job. Jamika appreciates her enthusiastic attitude, but she’s also trying to limit her opportunities to lead or appear too competent before staff, customers, and company officials. Jamika finds herself wanting to hide Victoria’s competence, and she has condescendingly reminded management that Victoria is a “great help to me.”

Now, thinking of Victoria’s cheerful “I’ll handle this,” Jamika rises from her desk and marches to the door.No, Jamika thinks, I’ll take care of this personally.

Questions

1. What positive and negative managerial characteristics does Jamika possess?

2. How do these traits help or hinder her potential to get the top position at the Riverwood Mall salon?

3. How do you think Jamika should have handled each of the incidents with Marianne? Holly and Carol Jean? Victoria?