Are You Prioritizing the Wrong People?

Contrary to popular belief, sometimes the customer is wrong.

As a tenured, successful business owner, you know this from personal experience. But, when forced to deal with an entitled or unreasonable client, you probably still bend until you break more often than you’d like to admit.

It’s not just you - your team feels the hurt too.?

More often than not, especially in retail spaces and the hospitality industry, your employees are the ones on the front line, bearing the brunt of that bad behavior because “the customer is always right.”

Except that sometimes the customer is actually wrong or behaving inappropriately. So, it’s time to put that age-old adage away and try something different.

Put your employees first.

Why You Need to Prioritize Your People

An organization’s long-term sustainability depends on the internal connections within your company that keep the engine of your business running.?

You wouldn’t fill the tank of the latest model Mercedes with regular unleaded gas and expect it to run like the high-performance machine it is.?

So why would you give your team members subpar fuel and still expect world-class performance?

Like that luxury automobile, your team has basic standards of care that need to be met if you expect them to do their best work.?

When you take care of your employee’s needs, when you’re invested in their security and success, you empower them to focus on doing their best work. They know that instead of profits or appearances, your people come first.?

Yes, that does mean drawing clear boundaries with clients who are behaving inappropriately or otherwise being disrespectful to your team.

Cultivating a foundation of respect, trust, and support is essential to ensuring your team feels valued.?

And the difference in the workplace atmosphere is almost tangible.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Business always comes back to relationships. Putting people first isn’t a new business concept, but it is a game-changing one.?

Employee engagement increases. Turnover drops.

Productivity rises. Client outcomes improve.

Capacity expands. Top-line revenue and bottom-line profitability grow.?

But putting your people first is about far more than telling your team you have their back or fielding those less-than-pleasant clients yourself.?

It’s about how you show up as a leader.

? Are you nurturing an atmosphere of trust and collaboration?

? Do you acknowledge their ideas and contributions?

? Do you turn mistakes into an opportunity to close the gaps and learn together?

? Do you take the time to celebrate wins??

? Are you actively creating internal opportunities to expand their professional experience and grow their expertise?

We’re more creative, resourceful, and effective when we feel supported, connected, and aligned.?

So start asking your employees what they need. Then deliver it.

An Unexpected Advantage of Putting Your People First

When you make your employees a priority, you create a more effective and visionary team overall. Your capacity for success grows exponentially.

Because when you show up for your team, they know that you’re actually in it together, and they become a part of something more than just a job or a paycheck.

And you become more than just a “boss.”

This person-led approach requires you to own your values, and your vision, and level up your leadership to step fully into your role as the CEO of your company.

It puts everyone in the right place.