Listen To Your Best Asset – Your Employees!

Employees are your most valuable resource. Yet many companies ignore and treat their employees poorly. Why Should You listen to Your Best Asset - Your Employees?

You are sitting on a treasure chest. Why won't you open it and use it?

1) Your front-line employees know your customers best; they interact with them daily. They have first hand experience of what's going on. They have the answers on how to improve customer service and your products.

2) Your employees work with your internal tools and systems every day.They have the solutions on how to improve systems which can save money by driving efficiencies.

To launch a business means successfully solving problems. Solving problems means listening. ~Richard Branson

Years ago, I picked up a fault in our production process. I informed my then CEO of same. He tells me according to his calculations, it is not an error and if he wants my input he will ask for it. Sadly though, this error cost the company a fortune so much today that they are no longer in business. If businesses would only listen.

Successful organizations welcome, listen to and act upon employees’ feedback.

Encourage people to speak up...and listen to them. When you ask for employees feedback. Act on it. Implement their suggestions. If you don't they will just see it as paying lip service. Show that you value them by valuing their feedback. It will show you are intent on providing the tools and improving conditions for them to deliver their best. It will make them feel they have a vested interest in the business and they will do everything to see it succeed. Employees want to be heard and they want to be respected. Listening transmits that kind of respect and builds trust. This leads to more motivated and engaged team members.

Most importantly reward and recognize employees for their contributions. Be generous with Rewards and "Thank Yous." Recognize publicly. Furthermore, Celebrate victories. This will promote a culture that welcomes feedback.

Organizations can succeed or fail according to the quality of their interactions. Poor communication comes with a high price tag. It can lead to disengagement and accounts for businesses losing millions of dollars each year That’s why it’s important for leaders to master the skill of “Lead with Listening.”

“Leaders who don't listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say.” ~Andy Stanley

It is always valuable to listen to your employees since they are on the ground - they have much more insights than the people on the top. The ground reality is very different from what you may think. It's more realistic, practical and gives a clearer view.

Check out my new book :

Purpose Driven Leadership: Building and Fostering Effective Teams

This book is a practical guide to becoming a great leader and putting together a high performing team. Everything we do in life involves teamwork in some form – family, marriage, community and work. Your leadership vision is only sustainable via team effort.

To Your continued Success!

Cheers! ??????????

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