There is an old saying in business that nothing happens until the sale happens. That might be true when looking through the lens of the end customer, but without people engaged in the business and the effort to attract customers by them, then no sale would even be possible.
We have moved well beyond the time in history where the general idea was that the business should be so happy that I work here to the place where business needs to place people first in their priorities and decision-making processes.
Sometimes when these statements are read, you might get the feeling that business in the past was bad or ruthless. That is not the case. People have always been an important ingredient in the success of a business, but the alignment of placing people much higher on the value chain is definitely at a new place and the demand is growing not shrinking.
The other thing which has changed is that people are not living to work. They work to live. Going back to the agricultural age, it was quite common for people to rise in the morning and head to the fields to work all day just in order to survive. This framework is no longer applicable, yet some organizations still view their people in this light. They see the offering of work as something of a gift to the employee rather than viewing the relationship with the employee as them bringing their talents to the business for the mutual benefit of all parties – themselves, the business, and the customers. This is where it ties back into the organization with a well-defined and lived “Purpose” is going to attract the best-in-class employees. They cannot just relate but feel valued in the work setting. It helps in answering the “Why” they do what they do in life.
As we look forward in building the best businesses we can, leaders like you must evolve our views to be focused on the engagement of employees for the mutual benefit of all parties. People are not just expendable. They are not just necessary. People have many dimensions and as such leaders are being challenged to flex and be more emotionally aligned to the demands of their teams. Leaders can no longer ignore the emotional intelligence required to navigate the dynamics of the people in their business. The world continues to shift and change and so must leaders.
This week as you look at your business, take a good solid view of the practices you have in place for engaging your staff. Do the practices encourage them while still holding them accountable for their valued contributions? If a third party were to ask your employees what they thought about the culture and environment of the business, what would they respond?
Interested in making People a Priority in your business moving forward? Consider engaging in a Mastermind Cohort with a Promise Guide from JKL Associates. The May 2021 Prioritized Leader Cohort is forming now. Give JKL Associates a call at MI- (313) 527-7945 or FL- (407) 984-7246