Develop Your People and Make More Money

What is the no. 1 asset in your business beside yourself? It's your people.Then why is it they often fall to the bottom of the list when it comes to doing anything to help them improve their performance and look after them?

If you want your business to run more effectively and/or make more money then you must invest time and energy into your no. 1 asset otherwise you will eventually lose them.

The Physiotherapists' Practice

With four of us in the family who are all into health and fitness, we have been going to this particular practice for the past few years.

The actual environment is lovely, however there seems to be a high turnover of physiotherapists. It's only a small practice yet it seems that apart from the owner and one other physio. who looks after us, the rest seem to come and go fairly quickly.

I can easily see what the problem is. It's the owner. He lacks fundamental communication and business skills. Sure he knows his 'stuff' about how to help someone heal their body but he is sorely missing basic skills in leadership and managing his own staff.

The funny thing is he has a 'Mission Statement' in his office stating "Our people are our number one asset". How often have you seen this in businesses around the country? Quite often the opposite is true.

If this business owner's people were his no. 1 asset then he should have got the message by now, that with the high turnover of staff, there is one common problem?him!

I have spoken to him on a number of occasions suggesting he invest some time with us as not only can we help him be more effective with his people but also show him how easily he can make more money. Unfortunately (for him) he thinks he knows everything.

Not only is this business owner sadly lacking in leadership, business and communication skills, his people are the same.

Sure, they're nice enough to talk too, however they would be so much more of an asset to this practice if they had on-going development. And that development has to come from outside the practice.

Because no-one is aware of how they can run this practice more effectively, heaps of time is wasted, potential business is lost, not to mention how stressful all this is on everyone involved.

Show Them You Care

Many good people leave because they are unappreciated. They are taken for granted.

When I ask new clients how often they get together with their people on an individual or group basis to discuss their performance get their perspective on how they find their jobs and how to improve things, a common response is "it's something I've been meaning to do".

I often hear the comment "I must do Jane's performance appraisal. I should have done it weeks ago BUT (here comes the well-worn excuse) I'VE BEEN SO BUSY!!!"

Jerry's Story

Jerry is the Head of Department in an educational institution. He was headhunted to this position one year ago. He was made many promises including having his own personal assistant as he would be responsible for 5 team members.

The Principal promised a salary review in six months and flexibility in his working hours. Jerry was informed there would be some after hour's activities involved but these would be minimal.

Ten months later Jerry had no personal assistant. He had to do every single administrative task himself. He spent more time addressing the needs of his team at the detriment of his other responsibilities.

Extra curricular activities ate up an extra 12 hours a week on top of the 50 hours he spent at school just to stay on top of the workload! He couldn't take time off in lieu for the additional hours he worked as his department was already understaffed. Overtime wasn't part of his salary package.

Jerry had constantly spoken to the Principal who agreed to lighten his load but hadn't taken the necessary action to do so! Lack of action from one person often forces the other to react and take control.

Jerry had enough! He tendered his resignation a few weeks ago and is now a free agent. The Principal from his old school promised Jerry that he would make the changes he so desperately wanted. Unfortunately for the Principal, the staff and in turn the students, it was too late. Jerry had enough. He had decided to take control of his situation and not be reliant on the actions of others.

He is so much happier. His health and personal relationships have improved dramatically. Jerry has already been offered another position which will be less demanding.

The Final Word

Planning time with your team members on an individual level should occur on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Schedule this meeting into your diary and do not let anything else take precedence.

Listen to your people and where necessary take immediate action because the price you ultimately pay for your inaction may not be worth it.

Expose them to new ideas and different ways of thinking. Take them to seminars and business breakfasts and have them mix with other people.

Organise speakers to come into your workplace and share with you how to communicate effectively, how to be the best you can be, dress for success?anything that will stimulate, motivate and be useful. Yes, these are the 'soft skills' not the technical ones.

If you and your people are stimulated, motivated and provoked into action on a regular basis, then you'll find not only will morale lift, you will become more creative and perform more effectively?all of which has a direct impact on your profitability.

Lead from the front!

Take action today!

About The Author

Lorraine Pirihi, principal of The Office Organiser (http://www.office-organiser.com.au) is Australia's Personal Productivity Coach

Lorraine specialises in working with businesspeople showing them how to dramatically boost their productivity, reduce the stress and the mess in their lives and have more time for enjoying their life.

We Offer a Broad Range of Services and Products including: Coaching for small business owners and professionals, keynote presentations and workshops, books, CD's, DVD's and on-line learning programs.

Take action today! Contact Lorraine to discuss your specific needs at lorraine@office-organiser.com.au

Latest News


Single Source Introduces New Advanced Quote Management (AQM)(TM ...
MarketWatch - 2 hours ago
All functions seamlessly integrate to the inherent back-office financials, inventory, purchasing and management reporting functionality of SM-Plus-meeting ...
KANA Recognized by Leading Industry Publications for Innovation ... Business Wire (press release)
all 19 news articles

CEP News

Manufacturing index at 26-year low
CNNMoney.com - 1 hour ago
based Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index declined to a reading of 36.2 from 38.9 in October. It was the lowest reading for the ...
Manufacturing index drops to 26-year low Washington Post
CORRECT: Manufacturing falling at fastest pace in 27 years MarketWatch
Manufacturing index falls to 36.2 in November: ISM Reuters
Bloomberg - International Herald Tribune
all 365 news articles

Dividend.com

AIG sells wealth management unit to Abu Dhabi group
International Herald Tribune, France - 4 hours ago
NEW YORK: American International Group, the troubled insurance giant, said Monday that it had agreed to sell its wealth management provider AIG Private Bank ...
UPDATE 1-AIG to sell AIG Private Bank to UAE's Aabar Reuters
AIG to Sell Private Bank to Aabar Wall Street Journal
AIG Unloads Wealth Management Business (AIG) Dividend.com
WELT ONLINE - Capital FM
all 133 news articles

The Apogee Companies, a Leading Property Management Company ...
MarketWatch - 6 hours ago
"These upcoming new deals will broaden our abilities to grow throughout the US" The Apogee Companies is a leader in property and real estate management with ...

Telegraph.co.uk

New Star Plunges, Regulator Denies Suspension Request (Update1)
Bloomberg - 2 hours ago
1 (Bloomberg) -- New Star Asset Management Group Ltd. dropped 71 percent in London trading after the UK fund company, founded by John Duffield, ...
New Star shares fall as it begins fresh debt talks The Associated Press
New Star in urgent negotiations with bankers guardian.co.uk
New Star: Reaction from financial advisers Telegraph.co.uk
AHN - Bloomberg
all 131 news articles

Research and Markets: Software as a Service Human Resource ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
Human resources management - or human capital management, to use the trendier term - was one of the first markets addressed by software-as-a-service (SaaS) ...

Mexico's Number One Security Provider Selects NavStar's Fleet ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
The NavStar Fleet Management System will allow Grupo Diamante to track assets, and provide security and risk mitigation service solutions for wireless ...

Aberdeen Asset Management Full-Year Profit Rises 30 Percent
Bloomberg - 8 hours ago
1 (Bloomberg) -- Aberdeen Asset Management Plc, Scotland’s largest independent money manager, said full-year profit rose 31 percent, buoyed by new revenue ...
UPDATE 1-Aberdeen Asset Management's year profit up 0.8 pct Reuters
Aberdeen Asset Mgmt targets costs as FY profit up guardian.co.uk
all 5 news articles

WCBD

'12 Days of Christmas' items would cost $86609
The Associated Press - 4 hours ago
That's this year's cost, according to the annual "Christmas Price Index" compiled by PNC Wealth Management, which tallies the single partridge in a pear ...
Video: 12 Days of Christmas' Items Would Cost $86,609 AssociatedPress
Swans push up the cost of the 12 Days of Christmas guardian.co.uk
Video: True Loves to Face Most Expensive Christmas Ever as PNC ... PR Newswire (press release)
PR Web (press release) - LocalNews8.com
all 317 news articles

Genstar Capital Launches New Senior Care Services Platform UniVita ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
UniVita was developed in partnership with healthcare industry veterans Ben and Hugh Lytle who will lead the management team and growth of the new platform. ...
Advent International and CCP Equity Partners to Sell Long Term ... MarketWatch
all 21 news articles

Resources