“Leadership flows out of what we do and who we are.” – Dan Flow, CEO & Chairman (Flow Companies, Inc.)
My question to you today is “Do you care?” Do you truly care about:
- Your People?
- Your Customers?
- Your Community?
As a Sales Manager and or Leader of your company, I want you to take a moment to ask yourself what kind of legacy are you leaving? Are you showing up each and every day to just get by? To just do a job? I hope not. As leaders, we impact every person we engage with (good or bad).
Do you want to be known as a person who truly cares about your people, your customers, and your community? What are you intentionally doing to build up others and keep your promises. One thing we have in life is OUR WORD. Are you keeping your word? Are you pulling the greatness out of your people? Are you asking what you can do to help customers daily in the field? Are you willing to give back?
Your People
Let’s start with discussing your people. You have been put in your position to help your people create results. This starts at the human element. Your people are just that – PEOPLE. They are not a number, they are human beings with all the complexities life brings at us. Have you taken the time to notice what your people are doing right? Have you given an ata boy or ata girl about that? We are constantly told to point out what people AREN’T doing, however we are not reminded to look for and reinforce what people ARE doing well. So take a moment today to intentionally look for what your people are doing RIGHT and thank them for doing a great job! Ultimately your people want to know if you care about them and their lives. When you show that you care, your people will care more about creating results for you! “The essence of effective coaching is treating people the way they can be, not the way they are.”
Your Customers
Now let’s take a look at your customers. Are you going to be known for caring enough about your customers that you instill excellent customer service? Do you reach out and talk to your current customers personally throughout the year? How about your word? Do you give your word to customers about resolving issues and hold to your word? This is part of your legacy. Be a Man or Woman of your word. Support your people in taking the time to understand your customer’s TRUE needs and not take short cuts. By serving your customers at the highest level, you will give your customers an experience that will “differentiate” your company. It’s rare today. Most companies don’t slow down enough to give the customers an experience that creates larger deals around value and not price. Most customers don’t feel valued and heard. These are just some of the reasons why customers don’t show loyalty the way they used to. So be different. Be BOLD!
Your Community
Last but not least, let’s talk about your community. I know we all have busy lives with family and work. However, there is a saying “To whom much is given, much is expected.” So my question to you in this area, is how are you giving back? Are you giving back? Can you initiate and lead your company to getting involved in making a difference in your community? The more you give back and show that you care about your community, the more your community will want to give back to you as well. It goes both ways. You also may not realize how small the world is until you see how doing one thing can make a ripple effect on an entire neighborhood, community, life, marriage, etc. What if you help others in need, and one day someone you helped becomes a superstar at your company? Or you create an opportunity for a group or individual who ends up impacting our world in a major way? You never know. What will be your legacy?
Here at MWI we deeply care about people, customers and community. We encourage you to take a serious look at all three of these areas in your life and in your business. We incorporate tools, resources, and skill development in our Total Transformation programs. If you would like more info on any of our programs, you can contact Melissa Whitaker at info@melissawhitakerintl.com or call us at 847.845.4922.