People, People, People!

It is often said, if you only listen to those you already agree with, what have you learned?

In Session Four we are going to focus on the ‘People’.

If you haven’t discovered this as of yet, let us be perfectly clear; “People are your key to Success!”

Your staff, your partners, your clients / customers, they are all…? ‘PEOPLE!’

Your services, products, even your genius in your field, are all commodities, and those commodities age, devalue, and change, and even expire over time, but human nature remains the same through out the centuries.

I was fortunate enough to have learned this lesson, in all places, from an old Star Trek episode from the original TV series in the late sixties (1968 to be exact, yep 56 years ago). Captain Kirk (William Shatner) is almost a centurion now.

In this episode the character Kahn is introduced to the audience and this villain has been entertaining us as one of our favorite characters over those 56 years since. The key point I wish to point out is when I, as a young teenager, yes, I am dated too, first learned a life lesson that has served me very well ever since. The Star Ship Enterprise comes across an old space ship drifting, over two hundred years since it was launched from earth. Its cargo is 72 humans in deep suspended hibernation. After reviving the crew and letting them study the records of history and strides mankind has accomplished over the centuries while Kahn’s crew was in deep sleep, Kirk is interested in what Kahn has to say about all the advancements that humankind has made. Kahn tells Kirk, "I am amazed at how science and technology has advanced far beyond anything I could have imagined, but at the same time how disappointed I am how little if any ‘Mankind’ itself had not changed at all."

It was right then and there that although my love and passion was in science and technology, I was going to focus on what I have since called the ‘Human side of the Equation.’

When I heard this simple, but for me, a very profound message, I had an epiphany. If I focused on the ‘Human Factor’ as I call it, I would only have to learn it once. Since people don’t change, at least not in the span of a single lifetime. What we learn about their nature doesn’t change either.

This long story is to give you some background on a lesson few people in business have learned or comprehend and / or realize the value and importance of it.

We hear all the time at conferences, classes, seminars, etc. “Put People First.” But rarely is this message ever followed in earnest. This is the biggest opportunity any business large or small has to grow and succeed. When was the last time you sent a customer to a competitor because your competitor had a better service / solution?

In Session Three we discussed ‘Trying to be Everything to Everyone’ and how that behavior is frequently the scenario we encounter in doing business. Putting people first is how you and your business counters this. Are you willing to lay it on the line for your client? If not, why not?

Once you begin to engrain this behavior into your business, you can expand it beyond your clients, to your staff / employees, associates, partners, vendors… and yes even your competitors.

Once this concept is acknowledged and understood then we can look to the real value of 'Diversity' In Session Five this coming Monday Nov. 4th!