In
March 2012, our sales were booming, flowers and trees were blooming, grass was
growing and the temperatures were warm.
In March 2013, none of the above occurred. April arrived, and finally
trees begin budding out, crocuses and daffodils broke through the soil crust,
our days and nights warmed up and our grass needed cutting. But the sad fact, at least for our business,
is that those lost sales in March are gone forever and we won’t make them back
in the coming months.
If
we want a good laugh, we look at the budget numbers for March and April of
2013. Controlling overhead and labor
becomes even more crucial with lower year-to-date sales. It means once again choosing the battles to
wage that you can win; controlling those things that you can control; and not
worrying about those things you have no control over. My mantra is that every year is different
than the year before and always different than what you plan for. Use the wisdom you’ve gained over the years
to manage your business for success and profit.
And know that in 2014 spring will be later or earlier than you’ve
planned for. It’s just the “nature” of
the business (pun intended.)
One
of the most important things a leader, owner or manager can do is listen to
people inside their business. Here’s a
short version of a true story that illustrates the importance of listening to,
caring about and complimenting the success of your employees:
Demoralized,
workers at a manufacturing plant came to work every day putting in eight hours
in “robot mode.” The company was near
bankruptcy and workers shut down their minds and bodies once the “start button”
was pushed until someone hit the stop button at the end of the day. A larger company acquired the plant in 2005
and began implementing a 7S lean program.
Chris,
a machinist with the company for 15 years, explained what happened to him and
other workers. “I participated in my
first 7S event, our process to improve workplace organization,” he
explained. “On day one I just sat there,
still acting like a robot. But by the
third day of the event, I could see that they actually cared what I
thought. I was able to get some extra
tools and racks for my machine that I had needed for the last five years. For the first time, I was allowed to make my
work easier, cleaner, and safer. Once I
got started I didn’t want to stop improving my work environment. People began coming over to my area and
complimenting me on how great it looked.
That might have been the first compliment I received at work in five
years.”
“A
few months later, our continuous improvement leaders asked for volunteers
willing to learn how to lead 7S events.
I jumped at the chance and found myself in a company-wide leadership
development program alongside directors and department leaders. I learned so much and realized how many
people in this company wanted to make it better. I became part of creating the most organized
machine shop in the company. Our
customers come through and tell us how impressed they are.”
A
VP of the acquiring company had this to say about the transformation of Chris
and his fellow workers: “Chris had so much more to offer the business than he
was allowed to give. The old company had
been paying for Chris’s (and his fellow workers’) hands for years when they
would have given their heads and heart for free if the old company had known
how to ask.
The
tools of ‘lean’ coupled with people-centric leadership allow us to ask those at
the front lines to engage their heads and hearts in meaningful work. We ask them to partner with us in pursuit of
our shared vision. We recognize and
celebrate their contributions. They see
that what they do matters and who they are matters. We are stewards of each life that comes under
our care through our leadership. We owe
them much more than work that turns them into robots.”
Make
sure that your employees’ heads and hearts are engaged in creating success for
your business. And that they are
recognized for it. Your customers and
your profits will both benefit greatly.
No comments:
Post a Comment