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This past weekend I was honored to attend a friend’s wedding and in listening to the couple’s story on how they met you could feel that the room was inspired by their happiness.
For myself, who is a little further down the path of marriage, it reminded me of the importance of keeping focused on why I married my wife. All of the wonderful things she brings to my life that can easily get taken for granted in the day-to-day of our lives.
I myself have a good reminder of keeping focused on the wonder because of my children. Both of my sons tell me daily how excited they are for me to help them tie their shoes, tie a tie, ride a bike, and then the oldest (who is 8) hit me with a request to teach him how to drive. I guess he has long-term plans.
I came away though from the wedding with a thought that many of us start in our businesses as blissfully happy newlyweds. We are very excited about the future and the endless possibilities but may not recognize at first that the daily work we all have to do to make our work successful is not always glamorous or “fun.” We then get caught up in the day-to-day and we lose a little of that wonder we had in the beginning of our journey.
For managers of teams, the question is how do you keep that sense of wonder for yourself and your team? How do you build your days with endless possibilities instead of moving through routine checklists? How do you keep that “spark” going?
Employee retention and keeping your team engaged takes a few simple steps:
Communication
This is one of the most important things employees desire no matter what the size of the business. They want to know what is happening within the company, if progress being achieved (or not) as well as reinforcement of the company’s core values. Every time you speak with your team, express not only the company value but also their value to the company.
Potential for Advancement
Everyone likes to work in a business that is moving forward. Employees like to see others moving up into new roles or taking on more responsibility. This allows them to see it is possible for them as well.
Clear Expectations and Feedback
In my opinion, this is the biggest factor for having a company that is still “happy as newlyweds.” When you have employees who fully understand what is expected, taught how to execute the given tasks and then receive feedback to reinforce behavior, this leads to a successful and engaged workforce. Too many companies fall short investing in their employees with training and feedback. Too many just “tell and reprimand.”
Take time each day to reflect on why you started your company or the excitement you felt when you joined your company and make it a point to bring that enthusiasm to your team.
Successful businesses, just like marriages, work each day to share in their successes and are focus on working towards a common goal.
Glenn Pasch is the current CEO of PCG Digital Marketing as well as a writer, National Speaker and Management Trainer Glenn will be speaking at the upcoming Automotive Boot Camp in Philadelphia May 14-16th.