Popping Your Collar
Ah, yes. Everyone has met one. Whether in the classroom or in the salon, the Know-it-All will make their way into everyone's life eventually; particularly in the world of cosmetology. In the salon, this can be particularly frustrating seeing as you spent several hours listening to lectures and additional hours practicing what you learned hands on. Cosmetology has yet to get the respect that it deserves, and with the average person thinking that anyone could do and that the tests are too easy for anyone to possibly fail, there is only one way to handle that: Poppin' Your Collar! Lol. For all of you who are unfamiliar with any hip hop songs, this is a slang term for brag about it or be proud and show off. For a professional setting, we would have to apply a variation of this.
Know-it-alls have a tendency to feel invalidated; whether they have a look that stereotypes their intelligence or someone who is constantly telling them they are wrong, they feel the need to show how smart they actually are. I find that the best solution is to acknowledge and expand. This means that if they are right about something, tell them that they are right, and then continue with why this is so perhaps using those big words you learned in school. The more that you show your knowledge, the more that they will realize maybe several hours in school does teach you something. You could also ask them if they are familiar with a specific toxin in the shampoo, conditioner, or make-up that they use daily or recently recalled products. Product knowledge increases credibility immensely and with the average stylist lacking an in-depth knowledge in chemistry, this puts you more than a step ahead above the rest. Keep up to date with these things and more in my New Image Today Facebook group. My app on PapTap will let you have access a tap away at any time.