This came from a question I recently heard. I was at a mastermind, and someone asked a question of whether, how they thought staff and things were going to change. And in the following year, in 2017, how things would change with staff and with people.
And when he came to me, I said my opinion. And I think that people when we are talking about people, we are talking about the management, and the leadership, the people at the top.
So me as in the buck stops at the top. Now one of the things I learned a long long time ago in my business is that everything is my fault. If it goes wrong, then that’s my fault because I am the one who didn’t give them enough training.
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I am the one who gave them the responsibility that perhaps they shouldn’t have had. I am the one that allowed them to do things without the double check.
I am the one that allowed someone to be in doing a job that they weren’t qualified to do. Whichever it is of those there is a reason, it’s my reason.
Now of course they could have had a manager. I am the one who put the manager in place. I am the one who hired the manager. Do you see what I mean? Everything comes back.
One day, this business, any of, this business, marketing for owners, my fire protection online and any other business I have, was just me.
One day it’s just me and then there were more. So everything I put in place is, has to protect the business from these things happen. So it’s my fault.
But here’s the thing, many of us, so listening to other people in this question and answer thing, talk about people. They were very nice of course.
And it wasn’t all about staff. But I hear it a lot. People say refer to the staff. Now first of all, that is a them and us. Them and us, as if they are different. And this was my opinion that.
Because people are talking about Brexit, this is the UK thing. Should, would Brexit affect them? And I first of all, so, sorry I am going to go all over the place. First of all the Brexit thing.
The Brexit thing leads to uncertainty. So did the banking collapse of 2008-9 whatever it was. So did the recession before that. Everything leads to uncertainty. And then it all comes back again. So we are all worried about the future.
We all believe the hype that’s talked in the media and the newspaper. Especially in the UK, where they talk up hype where it doesn’t exist. And then we start to believe it. And then we question things. When all we have to do is just get on with our work.
It effects everybody the same, everybody equally. Some people gain more money because they import stuff and they export things and it’s cheaper for people to buy when they export. Other around some wins and loses. All over.
So that’s not it. Its other problems. And the real problem is complacency in business and treating staff as if they are something else, different to us.
So let’s get equal. Let’s get some equal footing. This is the thing because when you think those problems are caused by someone else, you think it’s someone who is below you.
You want to naturally blame someone. that is the nature of life. We all want to blame somebody. It’s very very hard to take responsibility when it’s not direct.
Look at politicians. Very seldom do they fall on their swords. Because they say it’s not my problem, it’s caused by the previous government and all that sort of thing.
They certainly don’t take responsibility. But lead by example. So show your staff how much you care, and show how much you value them. These are human beings. They can have babies.
They can drive cars. They can put their kids in school. They can have mortgages. Alright, they are just the same as you.
You are not, it’s not management and staff, it’s all of us. We all work for a company. You may get paid more, they may get paid less. But everybody is a cog in the gears of that business.
Everyone has a responsibility. Your responsibility is to give them the adequate training, and to make them feel confident, to give them the confidence to be able to make the kind of decisions, they are perfectly comfortable making in their private life at home.
That’s what’s important you’ve got to remember that they can do things exactly extra ordinarily well. And it’s only you.
Are you a control freak? Are you of the case of well nobody can do it as well as me. That’s because you’ve been doing it for ever. And nobody has told you, you are doing it wrong. And when you learn to do something, you were probably rubbish at the start.
Then you did it over and over because you had to, and you got better. But no one is going to be able to tell you. No one was around to tell you you weren’t very good, because you are the boss. And even now no one’s going to tell you.
There are many things that you do that people think why does he do that himself? He’s not very good. But you are the boss. And so get that equality.
Allow your staff to make decisions and allow them to make mistakes. Convince them, alright. Convince them that they are your equal in this. You’re all in it together.
So talk to them. Alright talk to them. Talk, involve them in things. Tell them how much stuff you sell. Tell them how much profit you make. Why are you scared?
Did you think, they all think you are a millionaire, even if you are making loss, they all think you drive a Ferrari. Why not be honest? Why not be honest and explain how well your business is doing. Okay?
Involve them and then they start to feel more involved. Explain why you the company exists. What its mission is, what it does.
How it contributes, how it helps people, how it does stuff. Ask them for their help with that forming that message. They feel more involved.
Alright, and then, then take responsibility for the problems in front of them, openly. Speak to them. Explain how it’s their problem. Explain it, and this is the thing. The problems are yours. Explain to them why they’re yours. And then you’ll find they will start to willingly take some of that responsibility too. Okay?
Remember that take that responsibility. And then your entire, those problems will start to melt away because people will feel empathy with you. And they’ll say no. that’s my fault I’ll make better because they understand that you understand.
Drive Time Podcast
It is Thursday. It’s time for Drive Time podcast. And today we’ve got the business of story. Now recently, remember I talked to Michael Hauge. If you haven’t go to www.MarketingforOwners.com/podcast/523.
He’s a Hollywood screen writing consultant. Guy is brilliant, I love that episode. He talked about how to format stories.
The Business of Story is presented by Park Howell. It’s actually one of the Convince and Convert group and I don’t know how that kind of works but it’s one of those group that is syndicated through Convince and Convert thing which means it’s great. It comes out weekly.
But what they do is they interview people, and they discuss how story, how story is used in business. And this is the thing.
Remember it’s not adverts, not anything. People listen to stories. We read stories, we watch them on movies, get a story and your business. And that’s going to help so that’s a good podcast to listen. The Business of Story with Park Howell. Find it on iTunes. Google it, you’ll find it.
Anyway that’s enough of my rant for today. I’ll be back with you next week.
