Have you ever wondered who is working behind the scenes to create a culture that is vibrant, creative and community-focused? At NUOVO, it’s the Culture Club Influencers. This exclusive club makes the magic happen . . . streamlining values, honing the mission statement, planning upcoming events (like a masquerade ball!) and fostering an environment of excellence.
To find out exactly what happens at the round table, we sat down with Terry McKee, co-owner of NUOVO Salons.
Who started the Culture Club Influencers? Where did you get the inspiration?
Terry: The Culture Club Influencers were started six years ago, inspired by an article in Salon Today magazine about the importance of culture. NUOVO has won the ST200 Culture Award yearly—it’s extremely important to us. Although we have always had a very defined culture on paper, we wanted to translate that into a more collaborative and tangible space. The best way to do this was to gather the influencers within the salon and work with them to refine our culture.
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What is anti-static culture?
T: Culture is not static . . . it’s ever-evolving. The pandemic taught us, more than ever, to be fluid. It’s important to stand for who you are, while also evolving into who you want to be. We are never stagnant and always adapting—keeping our culture fluid, flexible and strong.
What does a Culture Club Influencer meeting look like?
T: We meet every other month for roughly 90 minutes. Breakfast is provided for community bonding. We always have an agenda—but a portion of the time is dedicated to brainstorming on upcoming events and areas of interest.
What can we expect to see from the Culture Club Influencers?
T: Our meetings used to be task-driven and issue-oriented, but we’ve pivoted to more foundational discussions. We still focus on specific tasks and even some aspects of crisis management, but our influencers now work with leadership to streamline values, re-write our mission statement, and adapt guidelines for support and culture.
Our Culture Club Influencers will announce the changes to our values system during the next all-team meeting . . . and we are excited to see what these changes bring to the table.
In terms of what’s coming next . . . the future will be three-fold: guarding and upholding the culture; addressing, managing and innovating current affairs; and providing extra input on special events—such as the upcoming technicolor masquerade ball.
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Can any member of the NUOVO team become a Culture Club Influencer? How do they apply?
T: Our leadership team recognizes the influencers in the company and extends an invitation to join the Culture Club. However, team members can always put themselves in the running by demonstrating interest and involvement in the company culture. Team members can always refer other stylists they think should participate as well. We are looking for people with leadership and influence among peers, who consistently represent their company in a positive manner, who are supportive of their co-workers, and who take pride in their company and their craft.
How will the NUOVO Culture Club Influencers impact the NUOVO community?
T: Our goal is to go viral within the salon like wildfire while spreading positivity and motivation within the company. We aim to provide stylists with a sense of ownership as part of the decision-making process. By creating their culture, they are a part of something bigger.
We heard mention of a technicolor masquerade ball! Can you tell us more?
T: We are extremely excited about this upcoming holiday event . . . in keeping with the creativity of our culture, we’ve decided to host a long-awaited holiday celebration. Stay tuned!
Any other must-know details about the Culture Club Influencers?
T: We’re very fortunate to have a team that is motivated and willing to participate. It all starts with a commitment from the leadership team—a commitment to meet, structure the meetings, make the agenda, mix the right people together, leave a safe space open for brainstorming, and manage any creative friction. We’ve grown as leaders just figuring out how to direct the conversation and respect various perspectives. It’s okay to collide on your differences . . . as long as you see the collision and friction as a positive. That’s a foundational piece of the Culture Club.
See NUOVO’s values in action. Book your next appointment online here.