Employee systems are great–they provide consistency and guidance for your staff. And it gets a whole bunch of stuff off your shoulders. But systems alone won't create a loyal workforce, will it? And if not, what will?
"Mentoring," argues Jonathan Raymond, former E-Myth CEO and founder of Refound, a management and leadership training company. On this episode, Jonathan explores how to find and keep good people, and even implement systems to replace them easily as they move on.
Aim for 1 business day feedback to and from your employees. Gone are the days of one-way communication and barking orders. Ask: how do they feel about the work they're doing? What in the process needs changing–for the company's sake, and theirs? Free-flowing communication builds trust.
Lead by example. Hold yourself accountable to the standards you set. This creates a strong foundation on which you build your other business systems.
Dive into the difficult conversations. Nothing about leadership is safe. When an employee doesn't meet expectations, let them know right away (constructive, of course). Don't overlook flaws, don't overcompensate for strengths. These are the moments where both of you can grow.
Hold weekly meetings to keep your team connected … but don't focus on tasks or project management. Instead, ask layered questions that require more than a one-word answer so you get a feel for how the team is working and how you might better support them. What's their lead gen process? Is something proving harder than they initially thought?
Become a "work experience creator"–not just a job creator. You attract and retain great people when you offer a level of personal and professional development they can't get elsewhere. Which, by the way, doesn't have to mean handing out financial benefits like jellybeans.
Respect, feedback, open communication go a v-e-r-y long way to attracting and retain good people. Find out how to do it well. Make sure you block out time to listen to this episode of Business Breakthrough.
Jonathan Raymond is a principal at Refound, a mentoring company that helps to facilitate culture change by teaching managers how to become mentors to the people on their team. He's in love with his wife, tries not to spoil his stepdaughter, and will never give up on the New York Knicks. He is the former CEO of EMyth where he led a multi-year transformation of a global coaching brand, made some big mistakes and lived to tell the tale. Over a twenty-year career, he's worked in tech, clean tech and the nonprofit world. He's studied and trained in a wide-range of personal growth and spiritual traditions, east and west, looking for answers to the big questions about life, love and what exactly are we doing here on planet earth, and feels blessed to have a few good friends in this crazy mixed up world.