Why can’t your team just get along? If you’ve ever asked that question about your med spa staff, you’re not alone. Gossip, poor attitudes, and constant conflict are some of the most common complaints med spa owners bring to the table. But what if the personalities on your team aren’t actually the problem?
Katlin Cauffman, founder and CEO of Diamond Accelerator, sat down with Cathy Christensen, founder of Christensen Consulting, host of the Medical Spa Mastermind Podcast, COO of The Confidence Bar and The Confidence Lab in Chicago, and former COO of AmSpa (American Med Spa Association), to unpack one of the most uncomfortable, but important conversations a leader can have: is team drama really a leadership problem?
With more than 20 years of experience in the aesthetics industry, Christensen says team management issues rarely start with employees. Instead, they often stem from the systems, expectations, and leadership behaviors that shape workplace culture.
Is Team Drama Really a Leadership Problem?
Yes, in most cases, team drama is a symptom of a deeper leadership or communication gap, not a personality clash. As Christensen explains:
"It's easy to say, well, it's a personality problem or there's a personality clash, but the reality very well could be leadership and communication. And basically how leadership is dealing with issues within the practice and communicating with folks that they know are having conflict or problems."
She’s quick to point out that this isn’t about blame. It’s about awareness.
"It's uncomfortable to think that way, that you've actually probably very much unintentionally created this kind of whirlwind of drama by maybe doing something as simple as avoiding something because you think you're trying to be nice."
This avoidance, however well-intentioned, is often at the root of ongoing med spa team drama and leadership problems.
What Questions Should You Ask Before Firing an Employee?
Before assuming a team member is the problem, ask whether you’ve been consistent, transparent, and proactive as a leader. Cauffman shared a real example from a client who insisted her whole staff was “full of drama” and that no one took ownership. A few pointed questions revealed the truth:
- How often do employees get one-on-ones? Rarely, if ever.
- Do employees know what’s expected of them? Not clearly.
- Are performance issues addressed immediately? No, they’re avoided.
- Is everyone held to the same standard? No, standards vary by person.
By the end of the conversation, the focus shifted from replacing the team to improving leadership and team management practices.
Christensen recommends a genuine self-assessment before writing anyone off:
"There is such thing as a toxic employee, right? But I don't think it's nearly as common as we like to think it is."
She suggests checking your own emotional intelligence, having honest conversations with a trusted friend or manager, and asking direct questions like, “Am I providing an environment that diffuses this kind of drama?”
What Leadership Habits Quietly Create Team Drama?
Several common, often unintentional leadership habits erode trust and consistency over time. According to Christensen, these include:
- Lack of reliability and transparency
- Inconsistent standards across team members
- Emotional unsteadiness or moodiness
- Failing to take responsibility for mistakes
- Poor listening, or listening only to respond
- Micromanaging instead of empowering
- Withholding feedback or team advocacy
She frames this compassionately, noting that most med spa owners never set out to become people managers.
"Leaders in this space are often unintentional leaders. They decided to go out on their own, they wanted to start something they believed in and grow something. And when you grow, you actually have to become a leader."
Small inconsistencies compound quickly. Christensen describes how overlooking one uniform violation “because Sally was tired” can spiral into a full breakdown of standards. Left unaddressed, these gaps often lead straight to the kind of hidden profit leaks that quietly drain a growing practice.
Why Do Documentation and Systems Matter for Culture?
Documentation matters because it turns expectations into something enforceable, not just implied. Without written standards, accountability conversations become subjective and easy to dismiss. Christensen puts it plainly:
"If you don't have something to point to where you say, 'Hey, on December 13th, you and I talked about this, and you signed it, and so we should be good to go... So, you have to start putting these things in place so that they understand this isn't just your whim or your like want, this is actually the rule of the business."
This is exactly why getting med spa operations in order before recruitment matters so much. Systems and clear onboarding and offboarding processes give both leadership and staff a shared reference point, removing ambiguity from difficult conversations.
What Happens If You Don’t Address the First Sign of Drama?
If one unaddressed issue is left alone, it signals to the entire team that standards are optional, and both high performers and low performers respond accordingly. Christensen reinforced this point by recalling advice from her mentor, Brian Durocher, who often reminded leaders that employees are constantly observing how they respond to problems:
"Team members are watching your every move, and if you don't enforce, then they're taking note of that. They're all looking for you to show weakness." -Brian Durocher, as quoted by Cathy Christensen
Cauffman adds that this erosion has a compounding effect:
- Top performers become frustrated and disengaged
- Low performers get comfortable cutting corners
- Trust in leadership erodes, making future accountability harder to enforce
How Do You Know If You’re the Bottleneck?
Start with a blunt self-assessment, ideally validated by someone who will be honest with you. Christensen recommends going beyond asking employees directly, since they may soften their answers.
"If you're asking an employee, you're going to get a very lovely version of what your problem is."
Instead, she suggests reviewing emotional intelligence across its four core components: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and relationship management. These are learnable skills, not fixed traits.
Is It Ever Worth Keeping a Toxic High Performer?
No, even a high-revenue employee who creates a toxic culture is rarely worth keeping long-term. This comes up constantly with injectors who generate significant revenue but damage morale. Christensen is direct:
"That person is affecting you, your team, and probably your patients... the toxic culture is just, it's not worth it to your overall business."
Cauffman shares a real client example: an injector generating a million dollars annually was kept three years longer than ideal due to “golden handcuffs.” When the practice finally let her go, growth followed, and their only regret was not acting sooner. This is a pattern that shows up often during injector hiring decisions, where short-term revenue concerns can overshadow long-term culture costs.
The Bottom Line on Team Management
Strong team management starts with leadership self-reflection, not personnel replacement. Before assuming your team is the problem, ask what behaviors you’ve tolerated, what conversations you’ve avoided, and whether your standards are applied consistently.
If you’re ready to build the systems, hiring practices, and leadership habits that create real accountability, our consulting services and recruiting support are built specifically for med spa owners navigating this exact challenge.
Ready to Eliminate Team Drama?
If your practice feels like it’s constantly dealing with gossip, staff conflicts, poor communication, or low accountability, the problem may not be your team—it may be the systems and leadership supporting them.
At Diamond Accelerator, we help med spa owners create healthy team cultures, stronger leaders, and scalable systems that reduce drama while improving performance and profitability.
During your free strategy session, you’ll discover:
- Why team conflict keeps repeating in your practice
- The leadership gaps that may be fueling workplace drama
- Proven systems to improve accountability and communication
- Practical strategies to build a team that works together—not against each other
Stop managing constant conflict and start building the kind of culture your team and patients deserve.
Book your free strategy session with Diamond Accelerator today and take the first step toward a stronger, more profitable practice.
