Q. What role can lower-level employees play?
There is a lot to be said for
taking the time to mine your
own human resources in
support of many different initiatives.
We have referral bonus programs for people to participate
in to help us identify and hire
individuals. A lot of times, it’s as
simple as sitting down and talking to team members. You’ll start
talking about things that will
drive us down a path, and all of
a sudden, you’ll see an opportunity or you’ll see something you
never would have known if you
hadn’t taken the time to chat.
Q. How can you get the most out of your people?
As a business owner, you have
to understand that everyone
that works for you has a life.
They have a significant other,
a spouse and kids. They have
things that they have to do.
You have to ensure you find a
way to create a work environment and expectation that
doesn’t constantly put them in
conflict with living their life.
You’re trying to go as fast as
you can go, and you’re trying
to create, and you load people
up, and you can overburden
folks.
Show your employees some
respect and understanding by
not trying to kill them. Try to
help everyone understand that
what they are doing has the ultimate impact on your financial
performance.
Talk to them about performance. Talk to them about your
ambition for the year. Let people work. Let them go ahead
and work at what you’ve asked
them to do.
Put them in a position to be
successful. Stay out of their
way until they determine they
need some support. That gives
them a feeling of some autonomy and that you respect and
appreciate what they are doing.
If you manage them constantly,
they don’t feel that.
Q. What is the danger of micromanaging?
It makes them feel as though
one, you don’t trust them, and
two, you don’t think they are
competent. Be close enough to
know if you need to influence
and help. But the reality is,
you have to give them a
chance to be successful.
When you’re dead, who is
coming to your funeral? Very
few people you meet in your
business life are coming.
HOW TO REACH: Innovative Media Solutions, (714) 854-8600 or www.imsinflight.com
