Respect before Results
Glassdoor, Zip Recruiter, LinkedIn, Indeed, and other similar platforms showcase both great and lousy leadership efforts as users easily share experiences that may have been only shared via word of mouth in years past.
Years ago, a friend received some brilliant leadership advice from a mentor. The mentor said, “How you treat people today becomes conversation around their dinner table tonight.”
As a culture geek, I’m constantly asking people what their company’s work culture is like. People are surprised that I’m interested – and they tell me their perceptions.
The reality is that when team members feel respected and validated at work, engagement goes up by 40%, customer service goes up by 40%, and results and profits go up by 35%. https://drtc.me/proof
Every leader that hears these gains perks up at the results benefits!
When asked about their work culture a member of a company I was working with responded:
“Our company rocks!
I have worked here since the fall of 2019.
We are an awesome team of friends.
Everyone truly cares about everyone else.
We all put our heart and soul into our work each day.
We do what it takes each day because:
We believe in the products.
Our customers’ experiences all matter, and
We enjoy helping others help themselves.
When challenges arrive… we roll up our sleeves and work together to solve problems together.”
That’s a powerful testimonial to a purposeful, positive, productive work culture. Unfortunately, stories about culture like this are far too rare.
The trick is to remember that results don’t come first. Respect drives engagement which drives service which drives results.
Employees—of all generations—desire and deserve workplaces where they are respected and validated daily for their:
- Ideas
- Efforts
- Contributions
Most business leaders do not see their job as creating a respectful workplace. They see their job as creating a productive workplace.
Leaders today don’t pay attention to the degree to which their work cultures: demean, discount, and dismiss employees’:
– Ideas
– Efforts
– Accomplishments
Most leaders do not value their employees’ need for respect, validation, and recognition of their contributions and instead only value results.
The trick is to remember that results don’t come first. Respect drives engagement which drives service which drives results.
Respect must come first. Learn more at https://goodcomesfirst.com.
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