In business we discuss in long debates on margins, growth, opportunities and crisis. We make long presentations showcasing new plans and solutions for solving problems. Our to do lists are filled with work related tasks everyday. It’s a train that has stations but no destinations. It also has limited satisfaction – once you achieve a milestone no matter how exceptional you are always seeking another milestone. This is the marketplace obsession that leads to burnout, frustration, mid life crisis, lost of health and relationships and very often at the end of the task one wonders “what exactly did I do”.
There is a better way. To first understand that in any business no matter how simple or complex the only real variable that makes all the difference is the performance and the talent of the people who work in it. The people when they are motivated, well lead, healthy and happy can turnaround a dead business into a super successful one. On the other hand with poor leadership good businesses can fast hurtle down the path of bankruptcy and failure.
The workplace is the obsession about people. About their health, their mental well being, their feelings, their sense of purpose and belonging and their performance.
I propose to you as a leader to put the workplace before the marketplace. Think first foremost always in every situation about the people before you think of the business.
Think about how they are doing and ask them
Do 1-1 catch ups with them – these can be short calls or longer lunches if can
Seek feedback from them about how they are feeling at work
Organize development forums where their career wishes and plans get discussed
Write down thank you notes to them for the work well done
Find out about their personal life, kids, parents, concerns and see how you can help them
Start every meeting, call, day thinking about the people. Once you do this many good things will happen
You will win the hearts, minds and loyalty of the team
Your team’s output will go up significantly
You will feel a deep sense of satisfaction
Work will become easier as everyone will pitch in more
Problems will become smaller for you as everyone will attack them
When we focus on the workplace of people, a good marketplace of business is inevitable and successful. However the other way around does not work.
Never treat your people as overhead or assets or cost. They are our treasure and our spirit.
Without our people’s hearts, we have nothing.
Start and end your day with the workplace of people. It’s the only thing at work that matters.