If I had a dime for every time someone said, “I can never find enough good people to keep my business moving forward,” I’d be sitting in a cabin somewhere rather than baking in the hot Texas summer.
It is a challenge. Finding good people requires a commitment of time and effort that business owners who are spending time working IN the business do not have. Therefore the first questions to ask whenever you can’t find enough good people are: How much time do I spend looking for good people on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis? What would I have to give up if I were to dedicate regular time to finding good employees?
A pipeline of potential hires is just like a marketing pipeline. If the phone stops ringing and you haven’t been marketing consistently, you’re going to find yourself scrambling to get more customers. If someone leaves your employ and you haven’t been consistently looking for employees even when you’re not hiring, you’re going to find yourself scrambling when someone leaves.
With that in mind, one of your best sources of potential hires is your current team of employees. Follow these three rules to keep your people excited about working for you, and spreading the good news about how great it is to work at your business.
The fundamental principle is this: Your team is your first customer. As your team is turned loose to be and do their best… you’ll have the business you want.
Here are three rules to help you live out that principle in your business:
Rule #1: Your team’s performance is a reflection of your thoughts/behavior.
What does your team’s performance tell you about your behavior? When employees are under-performing or creating inter-personal challenges for you, you need look no further than the example you’re setting and the amount of intentional work you are doing to improve your own communication skills. You have, under your direct control, only the ability to improve yourself. Having said that….
Rule # 2: Team culture and morale are contagious.
What if your team was treating your customers like they treat each other?
BREAKING NEWS: Your team IS treating your customers in similar ways to how they treat each other.
What you also have control over in your business is the sort of training and consistently high expectations that make you the sort of person everyone wants to work for. Not unlike the parent who wants their children to be their “friend” and ends up with unruly kids, the business owner who shies away from standing behind high standards will find themselves with unruly employees.
What’s worse is, your team is treating your customers like they treat each other.
Rule #3: Your employees talk about their workplace.
The talk about your workplace to potential customers. They talk about your workplace to potential hires. Their circle of friends will directly impact your bottom line.
What are they telling them? Is it more likely or less likely their friends and associates will do business with you?
Remember: Your Team is Your First Customer… As your team is turned loose to be and do their best… you’ll have the business you want.
And that would be good news for your business!
By business coach and Blue Ribbon News special contributor Trey Finley. Visit his website at rockwallbusinesscoach.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/actioncoachtrey.
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READ MORE FROM TREY FINLEY:
4 things to do on a slow business week
What to do when the competition moves in down the street
The Ten Commandments of Business
Life is stressful. Suffering is optional.
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