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?
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 hit 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.