Inspiring the Best of Your Best
Most business leaders will say that they wish they had more “A” players in their company. Sometimes you hear this from a new manager who inherited a team that is underperforming. Other times, from a leader who traditionally overperformed, but over time his team has changed with normal transition, and now he’s in the middle of the pack. We know what they mean when they say this – they wish they had more employees who don’t just exceed goals but crush them.
A DECLINE IN EMPLOYEE LOYALTY
The ”Great Resignation” has had a profound impact in many ways, but one in particular that I want to focus on in today’s blog is the impact on company culture. I suppose the days of employee loyalty have gone the way of the dodo bird, just as in many ways the days of company loyalty to employees vanished. Employees want what employees want, and companies want what companies want. I think this shift was marked when employees stopped being people and became resources.
None of us as business leaders want to see this kind of decline. The lack of respect and loyalty between employees and their company manifests in lower productivity and mediocrity for the masses. People going through the motions. It’s painful to watch this at times, and the destruction brought on our businesses is disturbing.
Directed Pressure
I’ve asked many business leaders what they plan to do to combat the malaise and frankly, I get a lot of shoulder shrugs. They’ll blame it on the lack of cohesion due to work-from-home employees, or the attitude of millennials and then Gen Z’ers. They blame it on a global economy putting intense pressure on them.
The funny thing though, it’s pressure that makes coal into a diamond. Directed pressure, to be specific. And it’s that same directed pressure that leaders must deploy to let their best employees see, not hear, their respect. In employee stay surveys, the least ethical companies with the highest number of incidents of reported concerns also tend to be the ones with the lowest opinion of management communication, fairness, and opportunity.
So where do you apply pressure as a leader? I would challenge you to apply pressure to equity, honor, and integrity and not greed and dominance. Demonstrating ethical behavior is the simple place to start – and not lip service to ethical behavior, but rather being genuine and intentional in your words and actions. Demand fairness from your managers, don’t tolerate or accept anything less.
Your reward is in a loyal workforce and more and more employees crave a work culture that inspires them by surrounding them with compassion and inclusiveness Be the leader that inspires the best from your people. If you want A players, treat people like A players. The ones that are will step up even more, the ones that use to be and lost faith will regain their passion, and the ones that never were will be inspired to do better.
The ETHIX360 blog brings you weekly updates on all things human resources and compliance.
MEET THE AUTHOR
J Rollins is the co-founder and CEO of ETHIX360. J is a well known leader and innovator who has served on senior leadership teams ranging in responsibility from Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, SVP of Product Strategy and Chief Operating Officer.
ABOUT ETHIX360
At ETHIX360, our goal is simple: to provide an affordable, flexible, and comprehensive answer to employee communication, policy management, corporate training and case management on issues related to corporate ethics, code of conduct, fraud, bribery, and workplace violence.
