The success of a team can depend on many things, but certainly a leader’s attitude, energy, and confidence makes a huge difference. This can be referred to as “mojo” – that certain charm or personal magnetism that makes people and teams more successful.
One gifted leader I know recently referred to that intangible quality in an insightful communication to managers, which said in part:* (more…)
It seems intuitive and also smart that we should hire the best possible people for every position in our company or on our team. But in reality, this happens less often than we may care to believe.
The hiring process is critically important, and it needs to be well executed. If you are truly looking to hire the best talent, then you will be competing against other companies. Putting your best foot forward may make all the difference.
So, if it’s so important, what keeps us from hiring the best people?
Customers have more and more choices in today’s market. Serving them well must be a primary business focus if you are to stay competitive. Their expectations must be understood if they are to be met. Consistently exceeding expectation is even better.
Use every means possible to track and measure customer satisfaction. Improve practices to make it easier to delight and retain customers. Use recognition and reward to maintain the service level customers demand.
Take care of your customer, so you’ll get a chance to take care of them again in the future.
Service Matters
You may be as appalled as I am by the lack of quality service everywhere you turn. In a way, we have become so desensitized by poor service and bad attitudes that we are startled when we receive even moderately good service.
This is a great reason to strive for excellent service: it will startle our customers, and keep them coming back for more.
Employees are critical to success in any business. The best results are achieved when you have highly productive, energized employees who add long-term value. New employees can contribute from the day they start.
Once the right person has been identified and hired, there is much more to do. The new employee needs to be properly welcomed into the company, or “on-boarded.” There is much to learn and absorb.
All companies, regardless of size, need a well thought-out and intentional process to welcome, train, and integrate new employees into the company. It’s more than skimming the employee handbook, and learning the required systems. New employees must understand the company’s vision, strategy, defining principles, and culture. They also need to know what is expected from them to succeed in their role.
The key building blocks for success are people — the right people — who are committed to executing a business strategy that wins customers and sets your company or team apart. Exceptional performance should be standard operating procedure.
If you want to be the best, you don’t just hire anyone to fill a position. You must select the best people to execute your vision. Don’t lower your standards because you have an immediate opening or a chance to hire an experienced “headline” person who may not fit into your culture or enhance your business model.
Hiring the right person every time can make all the difference. Top performers want to work with the best, so set and keep your standards high.
For years I’ve made it a practice to talk to as many employees as possible. They need to know what’s working and what’s not, and to feel they are an integral part of the organization.
I have always encouraged employees from day one to embrace the idea that we all need to work hard in order for the company to be successful, and that we need to work together because teamwork makes the job easier, more fun and more productive.
When you and your team are working hard and working together, you should be guided by the principle of doing right by customers and team members every day. There is no compromise with integrity. You must do what you say you will do, every time.
No matter what business advantages you may have, it’s your employees that make a lasting difference. Being profitable, rewarding stakeholders or shareholders, and meeting or exceeding the expectations of customers are all essential components for long-term business survivability. Your people are the ones who make all that happen.
In order to perform at their best, your team must be empowered, encouraged, coached, given clear direction, rewarded appropriately and always treated with respect. At the same time, putting people first doesn’t mean that you should ignore performance issues. Employees are not automatically entitled to their employment, and you should expect them to aim for a high standard. Just remember that your employees are your best competitive advantage.
This leadership blog is dedicated to sharing specific ideas and actions to help lead and manage people more effectively. I believe that continuous learning from the ideas of others and reflecting upon your own experiences are critically important to your success as a leader.
This is not intended to be an academic exercise, although such books and studies can be highly useful. Don’t expect lofty prose or eloquent reports on management or leadership theory here. What you should expect is common sense wisdom gathered from experience and my own share of mistakes. What you will find is a practical review of management and leadership strategies and actions that have been proven to work over time.
I have seen extraordinary results come from ordinary people who were well led. Leadership is not a one-person, only from the top effort. The real leader knows the difference between “I” and “we.” He or she builds a team that moves together in a common and well-understood direction. Results and success come from many leaders throughout the team who work together to get the job done.
Jerry Baker began his career in the management development program at Ford Motor Company, later became a manager of budgets and analysis for Northrop Corporation, then furthered his management development as Deputy Director for the California Department of Commerce when Ronald Reagan was Governor.
He advanced through senior management ranks at Countrywide Financial, becoming Managing Director. He then became Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fleet Mortgage Group, a public company. Jerry joined First Horizon in 1998, holding several senior executive positions before becoming President and CEO of First Horizon National Corporation and First Tennessee Bank.
As a member of the Board of Directors Jerry helped to refocus, develop, recruit and lead the company through a tumultuous period. Under his leadership the company had nearly 10 years of double digit growth in returns.