Now we know. The attitudes of everyone in your organization—not just your salespeople—have an impact on your sales success. That's the conclusion of a recent study of 37,000 customers in 100 markets by the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement at Northwestern University. The importance of the research is this: To get real results in business, you have to get everyone on board, including those who have no direct contact with customers. Evidently, the level of satisfaction of all your employees correlates with customers' satisfaction, which in turn correlates with improved financial performance. Here are three ways to create a more satisfied workforce across the board.
1. Make Strategies RealEvery business needs direction. But watch out for those lofty strategy statements. They sound great but have little impact outside the executive suite. Business strategies should be simple, easy to understand, and down to earth. More importantly, they should be communicated through the organization often and with particular sensitivity to the challenges and opportunities that exist at each level. VPs have one set of agenda and language, managers another, and both are different from supervisors and line employees. Make sure your internal communication is robust and your internal marketing targeted. This keeps all your employees in the know, and in a way that relates to them.
2. Promote Upward CommunicationStudy after study shows that for employees to be satisfied, they have to feel that they're a part of the organization, making decisions about how to do what they're tasked with doing. However, most employees do not feel comfortable giving honest feedback to their bosses, especially in open meetings. Even when solicited, they have to be convinced that higher-ups really do care about their ideas and will actually listen to them. To break through their reservations, conduct regular, facilitated feedback sessions and make sure there are action items that get done. This will give you momentum and give them confidence in the process. These "all hands" gatherings go right to the heart of the matter—everybody's attitude leads to business success, no matter where they are in the organization. So get them involved.
3. Reward Good PerformanceHistorically, just a few top performers ever get publicly recognized or rewarded with money, travel, or merchandise—usually it's just five to 10 percent of the salesforce. But if everyone's attitude is important, it stands to reason that everybody should be rewarded according to his or her contribution. Research shows that a simple "thank you" by an immediate boss for a job well done is often enough of a reward. But why stop there? We should be thinking of a more integrated approach to reward and recognition, a continuum from compensation to an improved work environment, and on to incentives of one type or another—for everyone. If the goal is stronger sales, then we should pay attention to anyone who influences that sales success.
We only have so much time to devote to business. To get real results, we should be doing things that count and not doing things that don't. This latest bit of research definitely points us to a wider view of what really does make a difference. Spend time creating greater satisfaction for all your employees and your customers will reward you handsomely.
SIDEBARPlug the "Drainers"Don't avoid destructive co-workers or bosses who sap your energy—confront them, suggests Morrie Shechtman, author of
Fifth Wave Leadership (Facts on Demand Press, 2003). Here, his hints on plugging "drainers":
Give honest feedback. If you've noticed a problem—an overly chatty colleague, a bullying boss—others have, too. Bringing it to the person's attention actually does her a favor.
Set clear limits. Tell the chatty co-worker you don't have time for another long story; tell your boss you won't put up with his screaming.
Don't apologize. People are less fragile than you think. Besides, you diminish your feedback if you do.
Dr. Tom McDonald, a Ph.D. in psychology, speaks on "People Skills" needed for "Business Results." Reach him in San Diego at (858) 523-0883 or [email protected],
or visit www.drtommcdonald.com