Heard a great message the other day that reminded me that the outcome of our results are directly connected to our actions.
Having had the opportunity to coach owners and companies over the last several years, you begin to realize why there is so much frustration with our people and the results of our hard work. Seeds. Yes, Seeds. I don’t think we realize that whatever you plant, that is what you reap.
If we plant great systems and processes, we get a better, consistent result. If we have clear and concise job descriptions, we get better employee results. If we a have clear mission, core values, and short term and long term goals, we get better results. If we do not have these things in place, we do not get these kinds of results. You reap what you sow.
Example: I recently taught a class for the National Association of Home Builders. A company owner setting on the front row raised his hand with a question. He asked me, “How do you get these millennials to do any work?” I ask him if I could ask a few questions before I answered. He agreed. I ask, “Does your company have Core Values that manage the culture and your team?”. He said we do not. I ask, “Does your company have a mission or purpose that drives what you and your team do everyday?”. He said they did not. I asked, “Does your company have short term and long term goals of what you are trying to achieve as a company?”. He said we do not. I said can I ask one more question? He agreed. “Do your team members all have clear job descriptions of what they are required to do and do they know how what they do impact the needs and goals of the company?”. He said they did not.
Why do you think this owner was so frustrated? Why do you think the millennials, or any company members, are not working and producing at a high level? Clarity is key. If you do not know what results you want, how do you know what seeds to plant.
A really close friend of mine recently released his new book, “The 4 Dimensions of Culture” by Greg Cagle. A great book that outlines some great steps to amazing results. To produce the results you desire, you first need to identify what those results look like. Once, you have a clear vision of Who we are, Where we want to go, Why we want to go there and What the great results look like, then we can start working on systems, processes, culture, people, and our metrics.
Let’s get the right seeds planted so we can get the right results we are looking to achieve.