3/22/08

WE’RE GOING TO DO IT MY WAY!

WE’RE GOING TO DO IT MY WAY!

Because it’s all about people, allow me to share with you a short but true story;

Several years ago I received a call from the President of a Southern California manufacturing firm whose primary product was “wire harnesses.” He had about a 100 employees including 5 outside sales personnel. I was referred to him by another client from Ohio who just happened to be friends with each other.

“I want you to do for me what you did for Bill” was how he began the conversation. He said, “You got his team working together and the morale was high and employees seemed to have a bounce in their step. That’s what I want here. I need more sales.”

We discussed his business for about 2 hours and finally agreed that I would come to California for two weeks, one of which would be spent in the field with his sales people. Just as we were about to hang up, he said, “Oh wait, I have one more question…..What do you know about wire harnesses?” I replied, “Do you mean what holds up spark plug wires or wires that run through a fuselage of an airplane?” “Yes” he said, “wire harnesses.” What do you know about manufacturing them?” I said, “I think I’ve just told you all I know about wire harnesses.”

He replied, “I can’t hire you.” Why I asked? “Because I need an industry expert” he shot back. I said, “’Jim, I am an industry expert!” I explained that his problem was not the wire harnesses, it was a PEOPLE problem. I spent another 30 minutes trying to convince him of this to no avail and he said he was going to go another route. And he did. He hired what he perceived as an industry expert and about 200 days later he closed the doors and filed for bankruptcy.

He was a defeated man, beaten at his own game playing. He made a decision to single handedly “take on” 100 employees and his clients in a fatal game of, “We’re Going to Do It My Way!

The morale of the story: If you have a team that is not performing, if you are a micro-manager and don’t allow you’re people to be productive in mind and body, if you don’t have a work place that is conducive to growth and camaraderie, if you don’t have harmony on your production floor or field personnel, if staff or company meetings are like walking into a war zone, if sales are depressed and you can’t quite put your finger on the shortfall, if your client database is unexplainably shrinking..YOU HAVE A PEOPLE PROBLEM!

Additionally, if you are a key element of a management team and you are known as a “screamer” or somebody who hollers or reprimands employees in front of others; if you stymie your people by filling the work place with the motto, “my way or the highway;” if you refuse to accept suggestions or innovative ideas; if you believe that “we’ve always done it this so why change;” if your employees look at you each morning and think to themselves “I wonder what mood he/she is in today;” if you have become famous for writing stinging Emails and copying everybody in the organization; if you feel you need to walk through the workplace ranting and raving and to make certain everybody knows you’re upset……Then there is a good chance you are a serious part of the people problem within your organization.

Think about what I’ve just said. It doesn’t have to be that way in ANY organization. People are your greatest assets. YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE THE FRANCHISE not the products they build or the services they render. If you have a PEOPLE PROBLEM, we are here to help. Call or write and the team at Gman Business Resources will respond immediately!

George F. Mancuso
George F. Mancuso, CPC