Part 2: Just because you’re here doesn’t mean you’re present.
This is a topic that has many different faces, but the real reason I wrote the last article about being present was to get to today’s point.
Just because you’re here doesn’t mean your present. What is the meaning of that phrase today?
Well, just because you show up to work today doesn’t mean you’re here.
When you own a small business, you have to more than know how to clean the toilets and wash the laundry and schedule the appointments and sell your products, you have to actually do it to gain the respect of your staff.
There’s a tremendous difference between having knowledge of the different pieces of your company and having working experience of it.
Small Business Owners
You can’t possibly expect your staff to dutifully clean the toilets if you have never picked up a bottle of Tidy Bowl yourself.
I know that the phrase lead by example is so overused, but for good reason. The reason that phrase never dies is because it’s the crux of a every thriving business.
If you walk into your business throwing about orders and not rolling up your sleeves to join the cause, then your cause is already lost.
Large Business Owners and Managers
[ad#in-post-image-ad]If you have never done the dirty work, imagine what kind of respect you would get from your juniors if you stood beside them and showed them that you are capable.
It is so easy to lose touch with staff that is twice removed from your position because you are so caught up in your own duties. How realistic do you think your directives are if you have forgotten what it’s like to have to wash the crap from under your fingernails? How differently would you look at your employees if you took the time to ask them their opinions about their job? Do you think you could create a more productive staff? Do you think that staff loyalty would shoot through the roof? Give it a shot. You’d be amazed.
The Truth
I watched 1st hand a couple of new entrepreneurs who got into business the 1st quarter of 2008 and was out of business 5 1/2 months later – by letting their ego get in the way of their success.
Rather than learning every single aspect of the job, they barked out orders, sent out accusing emails and singled out a new employee each week to blame their failures on. Yet they never picked up a toilet brush, did the laundry, take a receptionist’s shift or make sales to lead by example.
They showed up to work at 9am, left at 6pm and thought their presence was powerful enough to run a business. They were wrong.
If you are this type of manager, one that hides out in your cubicle an office, then I’m talking to you. And you know who you are. You dread anyone interfering with your everyday routines:
- Walk in the office.
- Say hello to whoever is on the path to the kitchen.
- Get your cup of coffee.
- Chat with whoever’s around the coffee pot.
- Walk the floor.
- Walk to your office.
- Get on your computer and stay there until lunch.
- Your afternoon has a few variations, but is much like what happened before lunch.
How about this instead:
- Walk in the office & say hello to whoever is on the path to the kitchen.
- Get your cup of coffee and say your morning hello’s.
- Plan out your day on your Outlook (or Mac equivalent:-)
- Look over the performance logs.
- Pick out 3 people that you want to coach today. (1 who’s doing exceptionally well & 2 who are not)
- Go out there and spend 5-10 minutes with each person with an agenda and a goal. *Note – make sure to point out positives with each person and schedule 1 & 1 time with them. Remember that those who are doing well need your attention to keep thriving.
After only 1 hour at work, you have contributed to the success of your business whether you own your own or work for someone else. I won’t get too much deeper in the coaching and counseling since we’re veering off the main topic, but you are welcome to email me for a free consult on coaching your staff to success. You’ll be surprised to see that most of the changes will be to your own habits.
But remember, just showing your pretty mug won’t build your business or increase staff production.
And don’t flush your business down the toilet by being afraid to clean one.
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