Do you remember when you were taught the four “P”‘s of Product, Place, Price and Promotion? They were at the heart of successful business marketing plans. The heart of successful growth is the four “C”s of Confidence (through data); Clarity (of direction); Commitment (of the organization); and Culture (the people).
High Performing CEOS Cite People as their Best Asset
If you read this blog regularly, you are aware that we interview one high profile CEO each month to learn how their leadership has transformed their organization into a high performance enterprise. It has been a wonderful study of similarities and diversities, as there are consistent themes, yet individual styles. Without a doubt, one of the most common principles is that for these leaders, people — the company culture — are the key to their success.
Most companies will say that their most important asset is their employees. Yet, when asked how they demonstrate that, they may cite birthday celebrations or five year anniversary pins. The companies in which people really are the most important asset find ways to make their employees a part of the strategy for success and feel valued for what they do. They ensure that their company’s culture is one of confidence, clarity, and commitment by ensuring that their people are truly engaged in the company’s vision for the future.
It would be easy to say people should provide their best talent in exchange for a paycheck, and the company shouldn’t have to “babysit” them to get them to be productive and deliver good service. Unfortunately, as humans, how we feel impacts what we do. If we don’t feel important, we don’t do important things, just what we must to complete the task. No one wins in that scenario–not the company or the employee.
The number one thing for success
Engaging great people in a meaningful way is the number one thing any company can do to achieve success. The thing is, you can’t say you do without truly incorporating it into the fiber of the company culture and strategic plan. Companies who thrive based on their people and the quality of their contributions, like Southwest Airlines and Apple, are able to do so because their business model is based on having a solid strategy and then hiring the right people with the right skills who fit with a purposeful culture to make wonderful things happen.
Five signs that a company values its people
So what are the signs the company REALLY values people?
- From the outside looking in, you can easily describe the culture
- People are motivated and work with a sense of purpose
- Employees understand the company vision and their role in achieving it
- There are specific and unique processes for hiring people that determines if they are a good fit with the culture, in additional to being able to provide the necessary skills
- The desired culture is integrated into organizational processes like on-boarding of employees, training, reward, recognition and review programs, etc.
Companies who take the time to get the people part right are more likely to be high performance companies. Talented and motivated people can overcome a multitude of challenges faster, better, more easily than other companies, as a general rule. It is worth it to consider the importance of culture as you create your plan for 2019.