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People are the Business
You pull into the parking lot, park your car, walk up to the "taj mahal" office building, dental office, storefront, etc., and enter into the fabulously decorated reception area with the highest of expectations, and you are...
greeted by the wicked witch!
Wow! So much for the "wow" experience you were expecting.
What happened? Seems as though the business owner didn't recognize the value his or her employees have to the business. He or she focused too much on the "trappings".
Sure, customers, clients, and the like can be wowed by the trappings, but if that is all they have to be wowed about, what next? Chances are they will leave, and that is not what you had in mind when you designed your place of business, is it?
Speaker and author Brian Tracy said it best:
"I used to think that people were an important part of any business. Then I learned a great truth; people are the business.
The furniture and fixtures can be replaced. The products, services and customers will change over time. But if you have the right people, the company will continue to prosper.
The most important single responsibility of the executive is to ensure harmony and happiness among the people he or she is responsible for, to create a climate of optimism, enthusiasm and high morale. This 'esprit de corps' is the distinguishing quality of all world class organizations."
How does your business stack up?
Rate yourself, your business, and your people in these key areas:
How well do you build connections and establish rapport with everyone?
Are you having fun at work? Do you laugh and smile or do you count the hours until you can leave?
Leaders, do you give your employees responsibility, accountability, and trust?
Are the right people in the right seat on your bus?
Are your employees empowered to be the best that they can be and given the tools to achieve their best?
Are your employees committed, spirited, positive, appreciated, and working as a team?
Are you hiring for skills or for attitude? Remember that 80% of a person's success in the business world is due to their attitude and only 20% to their skills. Don't ignore the advice: Hire for attitude, not for skills, and you can teach skills, but not attitude.
Do your employees believe in themselves, their team members, your products (service), your company, and YOU?
Your customers are astute. They might be wowed for a moment by all the trappings of your "taj mahal" place of business, but unless you have the people (and that includes you), with the "wow" people skills who can truly wow your customers, your business will never be the best that it can be.
Never underestimate the power of people. People are the business - starting at the top and filtering throughout. The "esprit de corps" must be there for your business to prosper.
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