All too often the cry is heard, “You can’t get good people,” or “Why can’t I get my people to do as I tell them?”
Most people go into business for themselves with the aim of having financial freedom as well as more time. Consider then for a moment, the business owner who has 10 people working in the business, yet he/she is the one doing all the work. What’s the point?
Well, there are a few things you can do in this situation. First, let’s get back to basics. Most people in business will understand how important systems are. Systems are usually responsible for having a business that runs smoothly (and profitably). With systems in place, it’s simply a matter of employing people to run those systems.
Michael Gerber’s fantastic book, The E-Myth, really highlights how important systems are for businesses to be successful. A real life example of course is McDonald’s. With a food product that at best could only be described as average, it is simply a matter of systems that keep it a hugely successful entity.
The aim is to get the systems built into your business. If you feel like you’re banging your head up against a brick wall, take a look at the systems in your business. Look at the most basic things from answering the phone all the way to how you produce your product.
If your systems aren’t clearly defined and easy to understand, how can you expect anyone to understand what you want? It is beneficial and desirable to write them down and turn them into checklists. This is the basic foundation of business as well as building great teams.
Once the systems have been built and are clearly defined, it’s only a matter of recruiting the right people to run those systems. The DISC working personality profile can really help in selecting the right people for the job.
However, the real challenge lies ahead. It’s not just a matter of having people who come in, follow the systems and get the job done. What you are looking for now is SYNERGY!
Synergy comes from having people who are committed to a ‘common goal’. If people are involved in setting the ‘common goal’, they are generally more likely to commit to it. If you, as the business owner are dictating to your team, “this is the goal,” don’t expect much commitment.
If your team members have ownership, they are much more likely to achieve their goals. Ownership is not only useful for setting goals but also for designing and building your systems. Keep asking the team this question, “I’m looking for [a certain outcome], how do you think we should go about achieving that?”
A successful business owner has team members that say, “I think we should do this to achieve the desired outcome.” An unsuccessful business owner has team members that say, “I don’t know- you’re the boss.” Finally, be aware of what you are teaching your team.
By this I mean, if a baby cries and the mother comes running, what will the baby learn to do after a while? Exactly, let out a cry and in rushes mom. All I ask is for you to be very aware of what you are teaching your team.
If you’re saying to yourself, “no-one can do it like me” and you jump in and do it yourself every time, your team is learning from that.
