by Jonathan Jones
“Jonathan, we need you to help us make our people love each other.”
Two women clients who had just started their own business together said those words to me. I still remember that day. They were frustrated and wanted to make their own company a place they and their employees would want to work in because coworkers had poorly treated them in many different places over the years. Their experiences gave us the insight we needed to make the caring, friendly workplace they had in mind.
The culture you develop as a company owner is significant to your success. As a leader, it is your job to set an example by treating people the way you’d want to be treated. The arguing and infighting I see in some workplaces are not only unproductive, but it also takes a lot of time and money, and it doesn’t help customers at all.
To have a happy workplace, you as a leader must decide that a positive culture is an essential part of your business plan. First, make it clear that you will not tolerate rude behavior or offensive comments. Next, think about what your ideal workplace would look and feel. Then, ask your employees to help you make that a company value, lives every day. People won’t care for each other unless they can put their emotions into a common objective that they know will improve their lives. Good people who care about maintaining a healthy daily work environment add value to your product, your customers, and your bottom line, making your business successful.
Jonathan Jones (Jonathan.jones@vistagechair.com or 314-608-0783) is a CEO peer group chair/coach for Vistage International.
Submitted 2 years 239 days ago