Treating your customers as celebrities is not a new concept, they are your life blood. But when it comes to your people, your VIPs, they deserve the same red-carpet treatment, surely?
People are your most valuable asset, your customers, your stakeholders, your team and your trusted partners. It all begins with your people though, the people within your business that make it what it is so they should be considered just as important, if not more so, on the celebrity scale as your customers.
Here are some pointers on how we can begin to bridge that gap by Joanna Swash, the Group CEO of Moneypenny. A business which employs 1,000 people globally and supports over 21,000 clients through telephone answering, live chat, switchboard and multi-channel services.
Be authentic
In the world of business, authenticity is fundamental to being a good leader. It is about finding your own individual way of leading based on your own values and moral code, and it is about being true to yourself. In walking your own walk and talking your own talk trust is built and that trust nurtures a culture where employees are motivated, engaged, empowered and safe. It is a transparent culture of openness and honesty in which people understand their value and do not fear the implications of being judged.
Provide a safe environment
Providing an environment in which people feel safe and valued, you are accepting who they are, warts and all, providing them with no excuses not to be who they are. That doesn’t mean that you have given them carte blanche to be rude, inappropriate or disruptive using the excuse that they are being themselves. Clear boundaries are required. But if you have your recruitment strategy down to a tee, you will be attracting people with the right attitude from the start.
Align your values
Think about it. Being authentic is much easier if your values align with that of the business. And just think how exhausting it is to come across as something you are not.
Build trust
Trust is about belief. In a leader being trustworthy is about doing what you say you will do when you said you would, ensuring your words and your actions are in sync. It is about being approachable and supporting your team, especially when mistakes are made. It is about showing empathy and embracing diverse perspectives and ideas, continuously learning. If people trust you, they believe in you, and you should deserve that confidence.
Connect
As humans we are unique, we all have something to offer, and we all want to connect. We are all important people. And business needs to recognize this. Just as we shout about treating customers, not as numbers or paychecks, but as trusted partners the exact same importance should be paid to our people.
In supporting your people to be the best that they can be, it is important to remember everyone is unique. We all respond differently; we all have different motivators. For some it is to bring home the bacon, for others it is making a difference. Neither is wrong or better than the other, just different.
Just as Beyonce isn’t any better than George Clooney. Both are celebrities, both present different perspectives and skills and should be respected and treated as individuals. In developing a culture of authenticity, you create a safe environment in which people trust and are trusted, to be who they are and to become the best that they can be. It may begin with your people, but it applies to everyone who walks through your door and the payoff is real.
