Why is it so hard for you to find and keep great people?

?Its not easy to keep employees for your #businessgrowth

They don't always leave due to more money.

You can you learn about building loyalty and retaining your employees from the demanding training that goes into the cadets of the West Point Military Academy?

?We had the opportunity to visit the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. The beautiful campus overlooks the Hudson River and the only things more impressive than the campus are the cadets. We were lost on campus looking for a particular building and walking around in the cold rain. A cadet stopped and asked if we needed directions. He stated he was also going our way and walked us over 4 football field lengths to the building we needed to be at. I looked out of the rain streaked window and watched him walk back to where we had met him.

Every cadet we met was smart, polite, professional, thoughtful, and very helpful.

?What values and training go into these cadets to make them the special people they become- loyal to their fellow cadets and to their country.

?Lt. John Goodwill, who was a senior cadet, was willing to share some of what goes into molding a Cadet of West Point. This is what John e-mailed me on how this would relate to business leaders.

?West Point trains, educates, and inspires cadets to become leaders of character, committed to the values of “Duty, Honor, and Country”. They are prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to our Nation as an officer in the U.S. Army. The mission of the Army according to General Macarthur “is to fight and win the nation’s wars”. In order to be effective at winning new armed conflicts, cadets realize that creativity and innovation are requirements in working in such a new setting, both cultural and technological. Good combat leaders seem to be the people who are willing to change their techniques, behaviors, and habits, while keeping their values and ethics. Cadets must believe and practice that honor and trust are held above all other priorities. Trust is the most important value between teammates, peers, and subordinates.

??Only with trust can an Army or a business reach its full potential, whether it is fighting on a battlefield or working in a business situation. If there is any doubt in a person’s credibility that is on your team, your team will lose. If your team or your customers perceive any mistrust in your business, you will lose. ?

???????????????????????????????????Trust is the key to winning.

Research studies indicate that more employees leave a job because a lack of trust in the management than because a lack of money.

?To keep your employees and customers loyal, ask yourself:?

• ?Are you a leader of character?
• ?Do you allow time for and demand creativity and innovation from your employees and yourself?
• ?Are you changing techniques, behaviors, and habits to adapt to the changing business environment?
• ?How would your employees and customers rate your values and ethics?
• ?Are honor and trust your highest priority?
• ?To build loyalty you must first give loyalty.

?Thank you to now veteran John Goodwill and to all active and retired members of our Armed Forces.

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