Lessons Learned #4
I was asked recently if I would share lessons I have learned in 40 years of working, and in particular, the last 20+ years as an entrepreneur. I thought I would share some of those with you, over the coming weeks or months. These are not in any particular order, I hope you enjoy.
Lesson #4: If someone tells you their people are the problem, be very skeptical.
Some years ago we were engaged to help a large, national business which was stuck in neutral and not very profitable. Management told us that their people in the field were the problem. Apparently they didn’t listen, were obstructive, and just not very good. After a deep dive into the financials and sales data, and meeting with employees and customers across the country, we learned that the people in the field knew their business very well. They understood the issues confronting profitability and had practical solutions to propose. They told us no one would listen. They did not feel empowered to propose change let alone to make it. But they cared deeply. It was an unhappy predicament for the business and the people, and entirely preventable.
We have found that almost everyone takes pride in their work and wants to go home feeling that they made a contribution. If you listen and empower them to contribute it can have a huge impact. In another case, after developing a 5 year plan for a manufacturer, we insisted that it be presented to the workers in the plants, and asked for their feedback. We also invited workers’ ideas on how to innovate and improve. Within days, people in the plant did something that had never happened in 50 years. They volunteered for overtime, happily. Ideas started coming in on how to improve manufacturing processes. We got practical and helpful feedback on the plan. One plant employee said “I didn’t think anybody would be interested in my ideas.” Productivity and efficiency improved tangibly, as did employee engagement.
Most people go to work every day wanting to make a difference. Your job as a leader is to help them.
