Success Through People

At the heart of every business are its people. At the heart of success are your people. If you want your people to care for your customer/client, take care of your people. 

Owners often contact me with frustrations about their people. When we dig into the root cause, we find most often; it is not a problem with people. It often is a leadership, management, or systems problem. Problems with people are a symptom of something not working in the business.

When owners are frustrated with their people, they can explore factors that impact people.

• Right People: Having the right people means people who are qualified to do or can learn the work, but most important are people who align with your vision for the business, the values you hold, and the customer experience you want them to deliver. Find this out before you hire a qualified person.

• Inspire and Engage: You can’t make people do anything, so your role as the leader is to engage and inspire your people to work with you to achieve your vision for the business, which includes building the culture you want in the company, care for your customer, your people and the financial health of the business. All three aspects must be taken care of by everyone.

• Precise Results: Let your people know what you expect from them precisely. Be clear about their responsibilities and the results you desire. Without that clarity, they are just working and perhaps frustrating you. It is just a job. Have those responsibilities written, discussed, and mutually agreed upon. Without their agreement, you cannot expect results. Track and review those results together regularly. If it matters to you, then help it matter to them by being on top of their results.

• Resources & Support: Give your people what they need to achieve the objectives they have agreed to perform. People will work to achieve goals that seem possible to them and have the resources they need. Train and continue to develop them to do the work well. Give them a primary manager who will meet with them regularly to see what the employee needs to achieve their objectives.

• Develop & Retain: Focusing on results develops your people in ways that they become high-performing members of your team. Recognize results. Provide opportunities for personal and professional growth. Do you people see opportunities within the company, or do they feel they will need to go elsewhere for professional growth? Talking with your people about their personal and professional goals helps you retain your best people.

Having great people who produce results begins with your leadership to engage and inspire them. Managers make clear their responsibilities and expected results, then give them what they need to succeed. People want to succeed, to feel good about what they do, and to know how they contribute to the business’s success. This is the foundation of a successful business.