BY TOMMY MELLO, FOUNDER, A1 GARAGE DOOR@REALTOMMYMELLO
A young man lived paycheck to paycheck. Slept in his car. Then he started working for us. When this amazing young man, Justin, joined my business, we talked to him about what he wanted and what his dreams were. With our support, Justin was not only able to get a rental, but I also sat down with him and helped him figure out how to get his credit right.
He had no garage door experience, but he was determined to move up in the company, and he worked hard. Now, he's one of our high-ranked employees, he's bought his own dream home, and he's got two branded vehicles. He's continued to impress us with his competitive attitude.
This isn't about me or my business. It's what we did to help each other. It's about helping each other win. Unfortunately, in business, that's not always the case. Many leaders have a win-lose mindset, and it shows up in two ways:
Limiting mindset No. 1: "My employees make too much"
Many people feel like, "If my employees make too much money, I get screwed!" Some people even say, "They don't deserve to make that much a year. I don't even make that."
Well, that's your problem. If your business isn't functioning -- it isn't bringing in enough profit -- it's your job as an owner to fix it! If you don't know how to fix the problems in your business, get help. Hire an experienced C-level exec, or hire a consultant.
Blaming your employees won't grow your business. Taking responsibility will.
And here's the thing: When your employees are making good money, your business will too. It's simple. When they aren't worried about paying their bills, when they are so motivated to crush their sales goals, guess what that does for your business?
That's why we pay above market rate, we do performance pay, and we work with our employees to achieve their goals. That's how I make so much more money than I would otherwise.
Limiting mindset No. 2: "Customer first, employees second"
When I heard what they said, I was so mad.
I was talking to a group of entrepreneurs, and I asked if they charged enough to pay their employees well. They hadn't. I probed further, just to see if they at least offered some benefits and perks, and no one raised their hands.
I said: "How the hell do you sleep at night!?"
Look, the customers are important. But they aren't as important as your employees -- they are what makes the customer experience great. If you have negative reviews, it's probably because your employees aren't getting the support and reward they need.
As you scale your business, you will no longer be the man in the truck -- or the customer support inbox -- and will work with your customers daily. Your employees will! So, take care of your employees, and they will take care of your customers.
If there's one thing you should take away from this article, it's this:
Help your employees win, and you will win too
In other words? Care for your people.
First, go small:
If an employee doesn't have enough money to put Christmas presents out, write them a check. If an employee is raising funds because their family member has cancer, match the donation. If an employee loves running marathons, buy them a decent pair of shoes.
Then, go big:
Dream so big that everyone else's dreams can fit inside. Dream big not because of your ego, but because of your people.
source: https://www.inc.com/tommy-mello/2-toxic-mindsets-that-instantly-demotivate-your-employees.html
