Listen to this interview with Justin Bontkes, CEO of Caliber Properties as he talks about how he’s built a truly outstanding, self-managed, culture. His company is a Great Game Of Business rookie of the year winner, and he’s a top 40 under 40 winner too. Maybe you can take some ideas from his playbook.
Now on to today’s tip:
Building a great work culture isn’t complicated:
- Only hire people who ALREADY share your values
- Work to make all of your existing people A-players (good attitudes and productive in their roles), or encourage them to work elsewhere
- Promote people developers
Only hire people who already share your values
I can teach a skill a lot more easily than I can teach an attitude. How can I get you to respect people if you really don’t? So don’t let people in the front door unless they share the values that are truly deal breakers for you.
Hiring is the most important business activity you perform and the hardest (and most expensive) to fix when you get it wrong.
Work to make all of your existing people A-players (good attitudes and productive in their roles), or encourage them to work elsewhere
Coach, train, challenge, adjust roles, and do whatever else is necessary to help everyone bring their best to work. If they can’t or won’t be a positive contributor, help them find somewhere else to work.
Promote people developers
Ask this question of the people you’re considering promoting:
“Which three people have you developed in the last three years?”
Get detailed. How have they done so? Where were those people before and where are they now? As a direct result of THEIR mentorship and coaching?
Now, how about you?
QUICK: List the 3-5 people you’ve directly developed in the last three years?
Are you happy with the list?
Are you happy with yourself as a people developer?
What are you going to do about it TODAY?
Getting ahead is about getting started! Get going today! Not next week! Not next year. Today!
Trevor Throness is a speaker, consultant, and author of “The Power of People Skills.” He is also co-founder and senior instructor at professionalleadershipinstitute.com https://professionalleadershipinstitute.com/
Find more about “The Power of People Skills” here: https://www.amazon.com/Power-People-Skills-Dramatically-Performance/dp/1632651068
