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Whenever someone talks to me about their business,
they normally begin by describing their products or services. Next
they may provide a litany of sales figures and how they have survived
the ups and downs of the marketplace. Then comes a lengthy description
of the building, the computer system, or the new phone system with
all its bells and whistles.
Very seldom does anyone describe their business in
terms of people. Yet without the people involved in a business,
there are no products or services or sales, and no need for a building,
computers, or a phone system. In this competitive world, to grow
our businesses, we need to grow our people personally and professionally.
We need to "take care" of our people, or one of our competitors
will.
So how do we help people maximize their personal performance?
How do we help them maintain a balance between work and home? Simply,
how do we help people want to come to work rather than feel they've
"gotta" come to work?
To answer those questions, business owners and managers
must understand what people need from work. Most of these needs
are quite simple, yet meeting them often becomes complicated. A
few of these needs are as follows:
 Work that is interesting and that brings out "their best." (This
would support a move away from an "assembly line" mentality to cross-training
and work teams.)
Appreciation by co-workers and supervisors. (People never can be
thanked enough for their contributions, provided the gratitude expressed
is sincere.)
Competitive pay and flexible benefits. (Wages need to be good, but
not necessarily top of the line, to attract and keep good people;
money is only one form of payment for work completed.)
A positive environment, including an atmosphere in which they are
listened to. (Nonjudgmental, non-threatening, and safe work conditions
go a long way toward maintaining loyalty and morale.)
A workplace that is challenging, where personal and professional
growth is encouraged. (Lifelong learning has become the norm and
a necessity for businesses that want to match global competition.)
An organization that lives its "mission" to customers and employees.
("Saying" and "doing" need to match, or the integrity of the business
becomes questionable to its people.)
Feeling "in" on things and having the right materials and equipment
to do the job correctly. (People don't like surprises when it comes
to their work; the more they can be part of decisions that affect
them, the better they will feel about those decisions and, consequently,
the better they will perform.)
Help with personal problems and a "family-friendly" attitude from
the company. (There's no denying family issues affect work; companies
that work with, rather than against, employees with special difficulties
build committed teams.)
Meeting these needs can become complicated, because
today's businesses and their workers constantly are bombarded with
change. During my programs with business audiences, I ask people
from all kinds of industries what their greatest fear is. I almost
always hear that change is the most difficult fear to overcome.
How organizations help their people adapt to change
is very important to their growth and retention. Is change just
"shoved down people's throats," or is change recognized as a continuum?
Do employees, managers, and owners work in teams to help each other
get through the changes at hand? In addition to its effectiveness
in helping companies successfully deal with change, this team approach
also engenders feelings of respect among team members, who will
begin to help each other meet their individual needs too.
Along with change comes the questioning of the company
mission. More and more people are having difficulty believing and
understanding their organization's focus for the future. All of
us need some reason to be doing what we do. When a business's goals
blend with people's individual goals, productivity and loyalty soar.
A distinct difference in an organization's environment is felt if
the direction is believed by the people, the progress is tracked,
and the results are communicated throughout the group.
People really do want communication with owners, managers,
and co-workers. Very few people complain that they receive too much
communication at work. When there is a lack of clear communication,
then that lack is filled by the rumor mill. When I analyze businesses
during consultation sessions, I often suggest that owners and managers
give regular status reports as to where the business is with regard
to its "journey," and to allow employee questioning of that journey.
Once this process is in place, people assume responsibility for
themselves and what they do.
Many organizations just flat out do NOT allow "questioning
the journey." I've never understood why certain leaders believe
that people should not question decision-making procedures, customer
beliefs, or information about the organization.
Which brings me to SQ and DQ. These stand for smart
questions and dumb questions. Many times it's hard to tell the difference!
Sometimes smart questions turn out to be dumb, and many times dumb
questions are the smartest questions after all. The question is
not the problem; rather it is the threatening environment for the
questioning process that often haunts businesses. People feel much
more ownership of their work if questioning is allowed and even
encouraged. Who knows? Maybe someone will come up with time-saving,
money-saving ideas. When that begins to happen, real progress in
growth can occur.
When we take care of our people, we create "authorized
personnel" in our businesses. As the sign shows, there's no room
for "bozos" anymore. Take care of your people, or someone else will!
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