Employees vs. Profits

“I wish I was older so I could retire.”

“The company just isn’t what it used to be.”

“The company has lost the vision of the founder.”

These were just a few comments that I read in a string of Facebook posts.  The company that the employees were referring to will remain nameless. The name isn’t as important as the sentiments of the employees.

This once great company, although still profitable, has lost its way.  Some might say, “As long as it is profitable what’s the issue?”

I have spoken with current employees of the company, and they say it is not the same as it once was. It is all about the numbers and no longer about customer service or proper treatment of employees.  IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT LEAVE. YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY JUST TO HAVE A JOB!

Although these statements may be true, using them as a tool to silence employees is not the way any of us would want to be treated.

That’s the issue.

It’s my opinion that most employees understand the importance of profits and are willing to work hard to produce them. However, they also know that in order for any company to succeed, it needs a solid team of employees who are aligned with the goals of the company in order for the organization to achieve them.

Most employees want to be proud of the company they work for, and they also want to feel that they are a valued part of their company’s success.  When leadership is focused primarily on profits and productivity as most important, employees, instead, get the message that the company does not care about them.

Examples of poor leadership are all around us. Many of us can point to numerous individuals who demonstrate extraordinarily poor leadership. With the current up and down state of the economy, there is a lot of pressure on companies to perform at a very high level. Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with profits, they sustain jobs and fuel growth. However, if a company is to remain sustainable, it will need a team of individuals who are engaged with the vision and mission of the organization.

If you are a leader of a company, what do you think current and former employees say about your organization?

The New Age of Leadership

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the new offices of two up and coming entrepreneurs. A sister and brother combination who, while having coffee together one day, came up with the idea of starting a software company. Their idea is to bring all social media, email, voice mail and text together in a usable platform that will not only increase productivity, but will allow for collaborative work groups to be more innovative and efficient.

Their company is not the real reason for this post, but it is their vision and leadership I find inspiring. It was this vision that led them to create a company that now has 8 employees and is continuing to grow. Their leadership has captured the attention of several large technology firms in the Silicon Valley.

Oh, did I mention that one of them is 18 and the other is 21 years old?

If our country is to regain our position as a world leader in innovation, it will be through the efforts of the next generation of leaders. I am encouraged because they see the results of the dreadfully poor leadership in Washington and want to take a different path. 

These two incredible young people have set a course in leadership that will take them and their team to the top.  It's not often that you see such strong leadership characteristics in the youth of today. The foundation of their leadership was established by the love and support of their parents who are tremendous leaders in their own right.

At the end of my time touring their office and meeting their team, I left inspired and charged up to focus on the new opportunities to enhance my leadership skills.

In this time in our country's history we need true leaders to take their place on the world stage and lead with strength and humility, (these characteristics are not in conflict).

How are you leading? What can you do to be a better leader?  

Delegate, Don't Dump!

Have you ever had a manager come to you on a Friday evening and gave you a last minute project that had to be done before you could leave for the weekend and then he walked out the door to enjoy his? Maybe you have had a manager that assigned you tasks that belong to her. Well, leading is not dumping. I don't know how many times I have heard the complaint, "I feel like I'm being dumped on," or "Why do I have to do their job?" or “I have been given an assignment with little or no instruction on how to get it done.”

When leaders dump instead of delegate, it demonstrates disrespect for the contributions of the team, and it can lead to dissatisfaction and frustration.  Most good, hard-working people don't mind helping or pitching in to help get a job done for the good of the entire team and organization. Good leaders will never assign a task without first explaining what they want done and without making sure you have the ability to get it done.

Good leaders delegate, they don’t dump!