Have you ever thought of how the perfect company would look? Most of us have worked for someone at some point in our lives. What did you like about the way they did business? What didn't you like? If you were running the company, what would you do? There are some key elements that can make or break a company. The same is true whether you have team that is part of a multi-level marketing company or the company is an independent entity.
Copyright (c) 2009 Soaring Eagle Companies LLC
Have you ever thought of how the perfect company would look? Most of us have worked for someone at some point in our lives. What did you like about the way they did business? What didn't you like? If you were running the company, what would you do? There are some key elements that can make or break a company. The same is true whether you have team that is part of a multi-level marketing company or the company is an independent entity.
First, of course, is money. Obviously it takes money to run a company, but many companies underestimate their employees' ability to understand how money flows through a company. Many companies run into financial difficulties and are reluctant to let their employees know there are any problems until the very last minute. Unfortunately, by waiting so long they have cut off one major source of brain power that may have some solutions. Are your sales down? Are people leaving your team? Ask them why!
Communication is always essential and probably the most difficult to accomplish effectively. The "chain of command" often gets in the way. Managers don't think that the people under them need to know certain things, so they don't communicate those things to them. In the meantime, the people under them see things that are going on, but they don't know why. This makes them worried (often unduly). People work best when they have the big picture. Doing your job when you have no idea how your performance might affect others can cause issues that have an effect on the performance of the entire company.
Companies want loyalty from their employees, but they often don't know how to earn it. Most of us don't like change and that includes a new job. We have our routines and we like things that are familiar. When given the proper recognition, most people will stay with a company. The biggest mistake a company can make is to take their employees for granted. An "all work, no play" atmosphere can cause people to become dissatisfied, even though it may have nothing to do with their job directly. People like to be busy (it makes the day go faster), but they also like to be recognized for their hard work. This does not always mean with more money. A few words of praise can go a long way.
Whether the people you work with are your employees or just part of your team, remember that a company can be an asset or a liability. Make sure you consider yours an asset. Remember that communicating with your team or your employees is the best way to make sure they stick around.
Recipe for Trouble:Documentation (or Lack Thereof)
We all like to trust people and we would like really be much better of if people always did what they said they would do. But we all know that this is not always the case. If you are a business owner, you can find yourself in deep trouble if you do not document.
Recipe for Trouble: IT
Depending on how dependent your company is on computers, IT (or information technology) can be your biggest ally or the biggest thorn in your side. While people tend to refer to IT for anything that involves computers, information technology can encompass a very large variety of business needs from servers to websites. There is no one-size-fits-all IT professional any more than there is a one size fits all employee of any type.
Water is Water Right? Wrong!
We all know that we should probably be drinking more water. We have all heard the health benefits staying hydrated. But we get busy and we forget to drink. So we stop by the drinking fountain and take a quick sip or hit the office water cooler and we think we are getting the hydration we need. But hydration is not even enough. We also need the proper trace minerals.
