Turning Your Ducks Into Swans

Just who’s running your business?
Most people would like to think that they were at the helm making all the important decisions in their business but in actual fact the people who have a big chunk of control are the ones who are dealing with your customers at the coalface each and every day. Yes – that would be your staff and they can make or break your business by the actions they take and the decisions they make on your behalf.
Most small business owners who have a team tell me it is one of their biggest ongoing challenges. Getting their staff to do what they want seems impossible to them and this leads to masses of stress and frustration. So the question I often have posed to me is “how can I make my staff do what I want them to?” The answer to this is very simple. You can’t make your staff do what you want them to unless they want to do it! And for that to happen your team have to feel that they are appreciated and valued by you and that you share a common goal.
Before your staff will come on board and follow your vision you need to put in some groundwork. You have to take the time to build a great employer employee relationship. You can never forget that your staff are simply human beings with emotions and wants that need to be addressed if they are going to be loyal and hardworking employees.
There is no such thing as the perfect boss as they too are human beings but there are many things that you, as an employer, can do to align the visions of your staff with yours.
5 Sure Fire Ways to Reduce Employee Commitment to your Business
1. Deny them their entitlements. Pay them late and forget about their superannuation contributions. After all, they don’t need to pay rent, mortgages or buy food and if they do that is their problem. They should feel honoured just to work for you.
2. Never give them a lunch break. They don’t need to eat! Eating and resting is highly overrated and not necessary to keep up stamina and enthusiasm.
3. Criticise or reprimand them in front of other people especially staff and customers. Everybody needs to be told when they are doing something wrong and what a better time to do it than when there is an audience.
4. Never provide positive feedback for work well done. Why should you? They get paid to do the job don’t they?
5. Never say good morning, good night or thank you - ever. If you start down this track they might begin to think you care about them as people.
5 Even Better Ways to Build Employee Loyalty and Support
1. Take the time out to get to know what makes your team tick. Spend some quality recreational time with your team and get to know them as individuals. Learn about what is important to them and develop ways to incorporate this into your business strategy.
2. Reward them for performance above and beyond the norm. Employees have a knack for doing just what they have to do to keep a job and the boss off their back. If you want “above and beyond” performance from then you need to find ways to reward it.
3. Share your vision and goals for your business. Everybody needs to know what path they are travelling on in their life. Your employees need to know and understand what your passion is so that they can appreciate why they are expected to do what you want from them.
4. Run regular team meetings. Encourage their input and reward great ideas. Some of the best ideas can be generated by your employees because they are usually the ones interacting with your clients and hearing their needs and concerns.
5. Tell your people when they have done a great job. Never pass up an opportunity to find an employee doing something right. People will nearly always live up to your expectations of them. If you tell them they are great, they will try always to be great whereas if you tell them they are terrible you have just set the benchmark for their future performance.
Managing people is without a doubt one of the hardest parts of business ownership but if you want this valuable asset to be working with you and not against you then you must begin to value them and to recognise that as normal human beings, they too need to feel valued for their work and given the recognition they deserve when they have performed above normal expectations.