Thanks Mark O’Brien, Business Development Consultant & Good Guy. Find out why at www.embrion.com.au
Many of us would espouse that our people are our greatest asset, and yet we spend far more time, money and energy on managing and developing our financial resources than our people resources. One of the key roles of a business leader is to assess on a regular basis whether they not only have the right people on their “bus”, but that they also have the right people in the right “seats”. It’s absolutely critical that you not only have the right people on your team, but that you have them in the right roles.
Some steps to help you get ahead in this area…
- Schedule a quarterly review of your team, not just from a productivity perspective, but specifically to assess what changes might need to be made in terms of personnel or roles. Constant change in the business environment demands this sort regular review.
- Use a tool such as DISC or Myers-Briggs to get a good sense of how your people are wired, what motivates them, and how to “speak their language” as their leader, etc. This is pivotal in not only getting the most out of your staff, but also in shaping their roles in ways which motivate and engage them fully.
- Hire (and fire) smart. Property gurus tell you that you make your money when you buy, not when you sell. It’s all about getting the right property at the right price at the front end. Hiring staff follows the same wisdom. Hire carefully, and then be quick to make adjustments if things aren’t working well. You’ll know pretty quickly whether a new hire is the right person or not, and you don’t do them or yourself any favours by not embracing the truth if they’re not on the right bus. Far better to deal with poor matches quickly than to risk long term problems by avoiding the issue in the vain hope that things will change. They seldom do.
One other quick bonus hiring tip… It’s smarter to hire workaholics and unbalanced over-achievers. Frankly, it’s a lot easier to slow someone down than to prod some folks into gear. Trust me on this!
So, don’t just pay lip service to the idea that your people are your best asset. Make that your reality through smart management and development of your people. Walk the people talk.
