Barack Obama and Mitt Romney walk into a barber shop. No. This is not the beginning of a joke. This is a serious question.
The question is not about who you vote for. We really do not care about the politics. We care about the hair. The question is... When Barack Obama and Mitt Romney walk in to your barber shop can you cut them both? Can you make a high profile public figure look perfect, no matter the texture, lenght or style of their hair?
These two guys have very different hair. These two guys have very different looks. Both wear their hair in a crisp, clean and professional style. One is a lot longer than the other. One is a pure clipper cut with light scissor finishing. One sports classic barber scissor work with light perimeter trimmer detailing. Are you the master of all your tools? Can you deliver looks on all textures and all lengths. Too many haircutters today are one-trick ponies. They can do one cut really well and very little else. Some cutters have strong command of a single type or texture of hair (usually similar to their own) and shy away from hair that is different.
What about hair color? Both these guys will want to talk about grey blending. More than likely they will not want to talk about it. They will just want you to be able to address this need with confidence and competence. Blending away some of their grey is an important technique for managing perceptions of their political competency. They want a little grey in the corners. It adds creditibility. It speaks of experience. Too much grey and we young'uns will perceive them to be our parent's candidates. Cover all that hair with shoe-poilsh dark color and we sense a cover-up and start to question their integrity. How are your color skills for guys for grey blending and managing this important conversation?
How about the wait? These are busy guys. If they have an appointment they expect to be seated and served on time. If they are walking in they will expect to be in your chair with a reasonable (and short) wait. How do you do in the timing, department? Do you run on time? Do you respect the time of your busy clients? Can a client with an oppointment count on that time slot? If they take the time to be on time, are you running on time for them? Great technical work becomes medoicre work when delivered late or with too much of a wait.
How do you look today? Do you present a crisp and clean professional look. The barber shop stop might be a photo op for a busy candidate. Do you have a look such that a Presidental candate would be interested and willing to pose for a picture with you? A barber is supposed to be an every man, a perfect person for a candidate to associate with. They know we talk politics in the shop. They recognize you are a huge influencer of attitudes and opinions of many of your clients. They know you hear the ideas, opinions and concerns of broad cross sections of the voting populace. You, the barber, are an important link in the chain of the political process. Are you capable of handling that responsability with professionalsim and class?
So, I ask you, when Barack Obama and Mitt Romney walk into your barber shop, can you serve them? Can you serve your community? Can you serve yourself?
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