Taking Down Barriers

I try to always initiate as many everyday encounters as possible when it comes to interacting with employees.

Grabbing them coffee, going to lunch with them, etc.

I do it in the field as well.

It's nothing for me to fly across the country just to take my guys to lunch.

Why?

It removes walls.

Businesses with walls, also known as businesses with politics, are SLOW and unhealthy.

Most new employees in your business will have their guard up.

Tearing down these walls can be helpful to your relationship with your people, the company's profit, and your ability to position yourself in any market.

Often, I find myself recalibrating my people to understand that I care about them.

One of the best ways to achieve this is by doing kind things for them, mixed with small talk.

I keep my office staff's favorite coffee orders for Starbucks and CC's on my phone.

I will bring it to them unannounced and talk to them about anything.

When a crucial conversation comes, they are far more comfortable with me than they would have been otherwise.

This allows us to remove barriers and get to the truth.

How so?

Because they trust me.

It's just a normal conversation.

They've had hundreds of conversations with me at this point.

None of those conversations made them feel pressure.

And that's something that I know they likely won't get anywhere else.

This way, when it comes to a difficult conversation at work, they can open up to me and tell me what they think.

And that's what I want, because if they tell me what they think...

I can get their honest opinion and real raw answer.

Then we can make real movement and real change in the business.

I want them personally to know my family and friends.

I want them to know everything about me.

Because I have nothing to hide.

Once the walls in the business are down, we have trust.

And when we have trust, we have SPEED.

Speed is money.

You've got this man...