Create the right environment to get results

The landscape has changed.

The U.S. business sector has transitioned from a major maker of “things” to a major provider of products and services. Sure we make computer chips, tires and houses but no longer are we the smoke-stack industry of the past.

The measurables we use to determine successes have changed.

No longer are we measured by how many widgets we output, but on how satisfied our customers are with the products and services we provide. Business leaders, managers, supervisors and front-line employees need to be keenly aware how they do their jobs directly impacts profitability. 

Ever walk into an establishment and sense they “get it”? There is something about the look and feel of the place and the employees; they get it. That is effectiveness in the workplace.

How they got there is not a mystery. It is simply a structured approach to doing business and having the right people in the right places. The right people means having people with skills that complement the business. 

Skills I refer to as tools. And those tools are transferable from one responsibility to another, from one job to another. Business owners need to know the value of these tools because they are a significant part of an entity being successful. 

The assumption here is there is a clear and understood set of values, mission statement and vision. Once those are in place, the rank and file can begin to use the tools to support the mission, vision and values.

What are these tools?

There are the traditional tools like goal setting, project management, establishing measurables and timelines. But just as important are the “soft” tools that make a difference.

People must be taught about behaviors in the workplace (people pleaser, rebel rouser, victim, enforcer) and how to deal with each. They must be taught about empathic listening (truly understanding the other person and where they are coming from), circles of influence, managing conflict, about internal victories and external victories, about effective communication, agreeing to disagree, archetypes, celebrating successes, accountability and integrity.

What is truly unique about these soft tools (life skills) is they are transferable from work to home. 

That business you walked into and had a feeling they “get it” likely has employees with these skills, skills which allow them to be a self-managed work group and lets business owners, managers and supervisors do more at the strategic level to ensure a successful future.