Watch what you say

As a hairstylist it is our job to not just make people look beautiful, it's also our job to listen to people. Many people think of their stylists as one step below their therapists. Clients want to sometimes unload on their stylist - just to get things off their chest with an unbiased ear. For clients that's a big deal - trusting someone they hardly know. And with that "big deal" comes responsibility.

Much (if not all) that is heard from your client should stay in your space - it should never leave your lips to any other's ears. That would break a trust you are forming - a trust that is very hard to come by without seeing a therapist or psychiatrist. This should, of course, all go without saying.

But one issue that might not be so obvious is that stylists shouldn't just feel free to either unload on their clients or say things about their fellow workers or, for the most part, anyone else. You never know who is connected to whom and who is listening in.

Most people probably don't realize how multi-layered being a hair stylist is. It's not just about having the skills to pretty people up. Although that is certainly a large portion of a stylists palette, it is not the only tool. Stylists have to know how to listen intently, when to talk and when not to talk, and (when the occasion arises) how to comfort.

The stylist/client relationship is a very complex one. And it's one that must be fostered and nurtured. It doesn't just happen automatically. And it never will if you blather on about yourself, talk about your fellow stylists, or break the bonds of trust created between you and your client.

Know when to talk and when not to talk. It'll take you just as far as knowing what to cut and what not to cut.