Leadership

While attending a conference last month I was taken aback as I listened to many of my friends express discontentment about their current employment. Interesting to note, most of these friends are at very good companies–companies that are winning: results are exceeding expectations and there is tangible evidence of further growth in 2018. Still, there was an overarching sense of discontentment through our conversations.

As a leader, this got my attention. I wondered how this could be, so I asked a few of these people why they felt the way they did. Further, I wanted to know what specifically I could do as a leader to improve the culture at Hoffer Plastics. Since our results for 2017 were also positive, I didn’t want to fall into the trap of thinking this was not applicable to us. I share below the three most striking lessons I learned from asking these questions:

People want to feel like they can make a difference in the company. More than this, they want to feel empowered to do so. Empowerment means autonomy. (Note: the people I asked these questions to are all accomplished. In short, they’re winners. Winning people want to make a difference, and winning companies want winning people on their team. Period.  Empowering winning people makes them want to stay, and benefits the company as a whole.)People want to be rewarded. (Note: This does not automatically mean money, although money can be a driver. One individual shared their bonus with me (a much larger sum than mine, so I am in the wrong business!) and yet, they still don’t feel like they’re being rewarded. This is NOT because they’re greedy–I have personal evidence that they’re not. It is because they do not feel like their sacrifice and commitment to the company is recognized.)People have a need to be validated and appreciated. (Note: In my experience, a reward without personal validation feels like a “pay off.” People need to hear that they matter regularly. This can’t be inauthentic either. The leader should never say it unless they mean it because people can spot insincerity a mile away.)

To be sure, these aren’t the only ways to fix the discontentment problem. However, implementing them will help improve your team’s culture.

For some more thoughts on how I am working to implement these ideas into my leadership at Hoffer Plastics click the following link.

“I was just there to shop for new shoes,” my friend told me. “But, when I complained that the shoes I had on had were slightly coming apart at the sole, and that they were less than a year old, the guy helping me demanded that I take them off. Before I knew it, I was walking out of the store with a brand new pair of Allen Edmonds shoes. No bill. No receipt. Nothing. I was speechless.”

“Will you ever buy a pair of work shoes anywhere else?” I asked.

“No,” he replied.

Two things stand out from this story.

First, the salesperson was empowered. They didn’t have to ask a boss or a manager what they could do. They just handled the situation, going above and beyond to ensure a happy customer. Furthermore, they did not argue with my friend. What if the shoes had been put under extreme stress? Perhaps this would have been noticeable upon examination, or perhaps it did not matter. Perhaps the $350 price tag comes with insurance? Whatever the reason, this worker — who, by the way is not just a WORKER because they have power and influence, which makes them a leader, regardless of what their title is — made the decision to serve the customer! What a thought!

The second thing worth noting is the outcome of the exceptional customer service: the response from my friend that he will never buy shoes elsewhere. Isn’t this what those of us in sales dream about? Seriously, would you ever buy shoes from somewhere else if you were my friend?

Me neither.

The challenge, and what I want to work on in 2018, is empowering our team to live like this. To handle problems with exceptional service. To show that they care. That we care. And to know that they have our support as they are out there making game time decisions for the good of the customer.

It takes real trust.

And to be sure, it isn’t the only way. In fact, many companies would have told my friend how sorry they are for his experience. Some may have even offered him a discount for the next pair of shoes.

And to be sure, had that been the case, he would still be shopping around the next time he was looking for a new pair of shoes.

That’s why this story is so instructive.