Sick and tired of employees constantly calling you with questions and/or problems? If so, STOP and ask: “WHY is this happening? HOW can I get myself out of this trap?”
And yes, this ‘you-being-at-the-center’ of your business IS a huge trap! It will destroy your personal life, demotivate your Very Best People AND you’ll never build a Critical Mass Business that will run smoothly without you being there 24-7!
RESOURCE: You’ll get immediate written systems in our 3 hour, online SFS: Winning over your caller! LIVE seminar. I’ll share 100’s of ‘Lead Conversion’ ideas to easily book prospects who use text, email, Facebook, website chat or even… the phone! HERE are our upcoming class dates…
Of course, remember what I preach to my SFS Training groups: “The fish rots from the head down!” That’s right! YOU very likely are your company’s biggest problem! So therefore…
STOP being a ‘crutch’!
The problem? You have ‘trained’ your employees to depend on YOU to ‘think’ for THEM! Instead, motivate your employees to solve their own problems. This will require a four-step process:
1. Use ‘tough love’. Insist that your employees search and/or invent solutions for a problem BEFORE they call you! (If you’re an OCD ‘hands-on entrepreneur’ like me this will be agonizing!) To wean your workers off of you must develop step #2…
2. Make it easier to do it right than to do it wrong! (This is a Core Concept in SFS Training.) Do you have clearly written, step-by-step systems in place for all procedures? (We call this a ‘Business Infrastructure’ in SFS Training!) Here is how this works in practice:
Tech on phone: “Boss, the truck mount won’t start!” Do NOT blurt out: “Don’t touch anything! I’m on my way!” Instead…
You: (Taking a deep breath while resolving to stick with your new “Tough Love” approach!) “I understand, Charlie. But have you followed the nine steps detailed out in our laminated Truck Mount Troubleshooting Chart? It is in the 3-ring procedure binder on the van…”
If you don’t have a Business Infrastructure (CLICK HERE for a sample procedure) at the very least require your employees to have a possible solution in mind BEFORE they ask you for help. Hold your people’s feet to the fire while making it easier to help themselves. You will be doing your employees (and yourself) a HUGE favor!
Resource: Here is our QuickFIX archive with dozens of free, ready-to-implement SFS procedures! Even better…
3. Promote a company wide ‘Improvement Obsession’. You AND your employee’s should be constantly focused on what I call, “Tuning up the hot rod”! When workers see how to tweak (improve) a company procedure encourage them to share their ideas.
NOTE: Add a line on your Production Day Sheet for your tech’s new ideas. And include a short ‘Team Brainstorming Time’ in your regular company staff meeting agenda.
4. Recognize and reward your employee’s ideas! Click HERE for six tips on HOW to consistently say “Thank you” to your staff.
Seriously, your people really can be very bright and creative. (Doubt me? Then just listen to them planning where and how to party next weekend!) So STOP letting your employees just limp along while using you as a ‘crutch’!
NOTE: Hire smart, motivated employees and you’ll LOVE your new Personal Freedom! Join us for our 3-hour, online SFS: Hiring the Very Best! LIVE seminar. To learn more and/or easily register online click HERE.
More resources: You’ll learn so much in our different online SFS: LIVE seminars! Plus you’ll implement our concepts easily with our turnkey SFS: ‘Business Infrastructure’! Click HERE to see upcoming classes…
Steve
P.S. You need to be challenged too! So join our Strategies for Success: Growing Your Business Facebook Group by CLICKING HERE! (You don’t have to be a SFS graduate to jump in with our thousands of other ‘serious’ cleaning and restoration contractors!)