The True Modern Family
I’m damn good at writing about love. Mostly the tragic version. I don’t know if that makes me romantic or pessimistic. Probably both. Anyway, today I wanted to write a happy love piece. So I thought about things I love (outside of humans and animals). Football, holidays, fantasy football, the stock market, weird instruments (banjo, ukulele, bongo drums), good books (from all genres), short movies (limited patience) and customer/collaborator focused companies.
Companies that love their collaborators (your employees, this is what you should consider them) and love their customers equally. That treat them like spouses and children. You are open and honest with your spouse, you’re a team. This is how companies and collaborators should interact. Your employees are your collaborators, your spouses. And your customers are your kids. These companies are rare and beautiful. And successful. Wildly.
It may seem condescending to talk about customers as your children. But think about it, who do you love more in the world than your kids? No one. Except now, your customers. You’re saying to them, I love you and I will do everything in my power to give you the best. What better message could you possibly send to your customers?
You cater to your children and try to give them what they want but you also make sure they get what they need. And you know that it doesn’t always match up. But you do what’s best for them. And sometimes if your kid travels a truly bad path, you cut them off. You don’t enable their bad behavior any longer. This is where you send bad, draining customers over to your competition (muahaha).
And to your collaborators you’re saying, here is love and trust. Open and honest communication. Support and guidance. In sickness and in health. Not necessarily until death do you part, but you get the general idea. You’re partners, a real team. You against the world. Mutual love and respect (but no weird stuff, you don’t want to give HR a heart attack). You’ll beat your competitors by fostering these feelings. You’ll have people that enjoy coming to work. You’ll enjoy being their “boss”.
I may enjoy a sad, sad love story but I also like happy endings. I’d like to see your company have a happy, crazy, silly love affair with your collaborators and customers. This isn’t a set path or rules you follow, it’s a mindset you adopt. Unfortunately most companies will have no real idea how to implement the concept I’ve put forth here. But if your company has the leadership and vision to do it, you’ll be a love story more like America and apple pie than Romeo and Juliet. And trust me, you’ll love being America and apple pie.
If you’re interested in sharing ideas or offering me free banjo lessons, email me at caitmackcs@gmail.com or visit me on Twitter, @caitmackcs
I’m also always down to connect on LinkedIn
