A very good friend of mine finds himself in a most ideal situation. He has worked on the floor of a specialty manufacturing company for nearly thirty years, and he wakes up early every morning eager to get to work a little early and often times stays a little late when the shop is running on all cylinders. He loves what he does and feels a deep sense of purpose in his position. The only problem is, he doesn’t want to retire despite his families’ very strong wishes. Since I’ve known him, he’s had nothing but the greatest things to say about his employer.
Think about what you are about to read:
1. “My co-workers are family. I know all of them personally, we cover for each other when someone is going through a crisis or is very ill. One time, each one of us sacrificed two vacation days so that one of our co-workers could spend two weeks with his very sick grandson. We each worked two days for no pay so that he could get paid.”
2. “The president of the company comes to the shop floor every week and eats lunch with us. He talks to us like we are equals and we always laugh and have a great time. He’s tough on us, but always very fair. He never reminds us who he is. We all respect each other.”
3. “Three years ago I made a mistake that cost the company about $30,000. I was scared to death telling my boss, but after I explained myself and apologized, he simply smiled at me and said, ‘You’re human, and I can tell you’ll never make that mistake again. Let’s chalk this one up in the tuition column and call it a day.’ I couldn’t believe it!”
4. “My boss always takes care of me, so I make sure to always take care of him. If he needs something, he knows he can count on me.”
5. “I’ve never seen the president of my company in a bad mood. He always addresses me by name; he remembers Sarah’s name and the names of the kids. He remembers the important things and always asks how they are doing. He’s very genuine.”
6. “My manager trusts me, and he tells me that all the time. I don’t work in a place where someone is always breathing down my back.”
7. “Our company doesn’t tolerate people who don’t pull their own weight. We know that when a new guy comes on the floor that he’ll work hard and get the work done.”
8. “Our president listens to us. If there is a problem, he takes care of it. If we have a problem, he always asks us our opinion on how to handle it and he trusts our judgment.”
Ideal bosses have ideal employees. And it’s not a coincidence. When leaders wonder how to motivate and inspire their employees to deliver their best every day in every way, the answer can be found in one’s leadership style – a style that is based largely on E.Q. And from there, it’s a mixture of respect, empathy and excellent Active Listening skills learned from leadership training programs. Give employees what they want, and they will happily give you want you want – their very best.