The Marriage of Process and People for Profit

You can’t elevate your business till you optimize your people –

This was the core tenant of the recent executive coaching course I just completed. I’ve been hinting about it for a bit, but I’ve yet to really share.

I just completed certifications in several layers of DISC – the assessment about your personality, driving forces and EQ. For those that don’t know, DISC is used to help leaders become self-aware, the first step toward Emotional Intelligence, and move beyond that to levels of increasing self-mastery. It’s also essential in helping a leader to understand the forces motivating their staff and the team dynamics, and to aid them in creating functional, cohesive work environments that achieve both profitability and retention goals.

As a process person, one might think that I’m light on the people side. (I once had a boss yell that at me!) But it’s a misnomer to believe that I could miss the value of people and their enjoyment of their work as a direct reflection of the bottom line.

It just doesn’t work that way.

People who know they are in the right place tend to be motivated to stay, engage, invest, do more than what is asked of them, and contribute to the positive experience of others in their environment. Because they feel good. People who don’t feel good shrink instead of grow, they shirk their duty, and grow a don’t give a damn attitude.

You’d think it was rocket science for some!

But being that same process person, I’m also a believer that having excellent process is a way of reducing stress at work. When things are consistently challenging, chaotic, or defunct and not being fixed it can make things so miserable that even those who like what they are being paid, may say it’s not worth the headaches.

It’s the fine marriage of the people who are getting great leadership from a high EQ leader or exec team, and being guided based on a team dynamics map that takes into account each persons DISC on a comparative wheel, with a well thought out, and clear strategy and processes that allow the team to reach an optimum output.

Idealistic. Sure. Pie in the sky. NO!

The catch, and you’ll see me say it often, is realizing that the buck stops at the leaders desk. Your ability to face your demons, get out of your head and gauge yourself objectively for objectivity, and show up without your ego in tow when you make your business moves is the deciding factor in whether or not your people will lock and step behind you, or not.

It’s a strange phenomenon, but you will find if you try an experiment and check, that even your speech will be mimicked by staff, and your tone along with it. Some will consciously try to adopt things that are similar to your behaviors, but many will do it subconsciously. Meaning if you are predominantly negative, critical, judgmental, and unfair, your culture will reflect as much, and so on.

I can hear the squawking from some in your minds already, but I assure you that people you criticize will care less and less about your bottom line, to the point they may subconsciously work against it. It’s very important to adopt a mindset that you are the person who can impart dignity to your entire staff.

And that dignity is formed from that pre-mentioned marriage, where the healthy combination of process and leadership collides. This is the new optimal business strategy!

Interested in taking advantage of the profit of optimization?

Check out ?www.thestrategicplanningworkbook.com or reach out to me here!