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Baby Store: Hormonal Cocktail
September 5, 2007

We all know that pregnant women battle raging hormones from time to time (or from day to day).  Experienced staff know how to handle these delicate customers.  What we sometimes forget, though, is that the staff in a baby store (typically predominantly female) can encounter hormonal imbalance as well.  Be aware that when you have a store full of women there is bound to be some drama.  

In our store, we sometimes experience waves of intense emotional conflict that can lead to outright chaos if not managed well.  It really does help that my mom, the store boss, is female and can sense when problems are hormone driven.  She has a real knack for knowing just what to do in every situation.  

I worked under my uncle at our other location for several years.  While he possessed a great deal of business knowledge, he never did understand the delicate hormonal balance beam on which his mostly-female-staff teetered.  Whenever there was an emotional conflict, it was swept under the proverbial rug to pile up with the other discarded emotional debris.  I, apparently, took much of that debris with me when I transfered to my mom's store.  Mom was left to sort through it and I've required some reshaping under her supervision.

My best advise to anyone who has a predominantly female staff is to be sympathetic or empathetic.  I'm not saying to let your employees run all over you, by any means.  Just understand that there will be days for each female when she feels like the world is caving in on her.  It will pass.  Let her know that she is an important part of your staff and that you'll be glad when she's feeling better.  Often times the strongest cure for female hormonal imbalance is a small dose of encouragement.  Hang in there gals!

Posted by Kelly Nelson on September 5, 2007 | Comments (0)