![]() As an organization, a People First company seeks to uncover those gaps and commit to doing what is necessary to eliminate them. In any company, there are times when gaps exist between the vision of what they are trying to build and what is actually happening in parts of the business. Feedback is a source of continuous improvement necessary to keep a company’s workforce competitive and is a good indicator of a performance-driven People First company. Even when dealing with the best performers, managers should recognize that performance discussions require trust, dignity and respect along with genuine care and concern. Answer employee questions to their satisfaction, and although positive energy is a must when dealing with people, it is essential that key performance messages be delivered without emotion - and deal with facts, never innuendo. Managers should intervene early with performance issues to leverage the relationship built with an employee and ensure as a manager you are not already frustrated. Providing feedback is by no means courageous but it is cowardly not to. It is not necessarily an expectation, but rather something that is attainable for all! When people trust their manager and recognize that they have that belief, that confidence in them, managers can safely and candidly provide employees performance feedback what they need to do in order to “exceed expectations” and contribute to building the company into something great. Have confidence that everyone on your team has the ability to be a top performer. Performance feedback includes not only providing people with candid feedback, but also the tools and support necessary for them to exceed expectations. A People First company does not tolerate jerks and addresses appropriately. Jack Welch calls those who generate great results but are counter culture “Jerks”. Performance is rewarded, although recognize that how results are achieved is also important. In fact, more is expected of people than any of the competitors but is done in a manner where people believe they are contributing to the greater good, that they will be appreciated for their work and that the heroic efforts that may be required at times will be addressed and not become the steady-state. People First does not mean “person first” or being soft on people. Going back to my CEO workshop example, a People First company should always take the high road exiting an employee. Hostile or demeaning employee separations should not exist. That care and concern is not turned off at any time in the employment process, even for people exiting the organization. That said, for those that do not work out, People First is not something that is fleeting. With a highly dedicated hiring manager, and an emphasizes on the importance of motivational fit, most who join will have a high likelihood of success. A hiring manager should be able to lock eyes with a candidate and commit to the care and concern necessary to make that person successful. Below are a couple of thoughts on what to look for (or instill) in an environment to ensure a People First culture is being built.Ī lot can be learned about a company in the interview process. To me, it starts with creating an environment where people can be at their best to help the company win. People First has been a business buzz word now for over a decade but it means different things to different people. Why? First, you have to be able to live with yourself and stripping someone of their dignity in an effort to make a point is not who any of us should want to be. I felt compelled to share with all in the room that such an event would not happen in my company. Not too long ago at a workshop with a dozen other CEO’s, the facilitator, a consultant and professor from a celebrated MBA school was sharing how effective one his clients was in sending a message to their company via a “public hanging” or termination of an unpopular CFO.
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