One of the biggest challenges many of my clients face is having the right people. Prior to coaching I'd often hear: "if only I could find the right people my business would much more profitable" "I'd have less stress" "I spend more time managing my people than getting the work done" and more. Gary's Story Gary who runs a plumbing business has 5 staff. He was always complaining that they were lazy, didn't use their initiative and would take advantage of him. We had Gary fill in our Productivity and Leadership Profile which is part of our Masterful Manager's Program. This 360 degree process allows each team member to anonymously answer questions about how they see Gary in many areas including his leadership abilities, communication, organisation etc. The process also allows Gary to answer the same questions on how he sees himself. It turned out that Gary thought he was a good boss because he was easy to get along with. However the feedback from his team showed that he wasn't a good leader. The guys needed clear direction...someone to follow. They required a system, guidelines to work within and regular follow-up. They never had a team meeting to discuss what was working well and how to improve things. The only time a meeting was called was when there was a customer complaint. The Solutions Before I share these tips with you, be aware that it is extremely important to hire the right type of people for your business in the first place. Many employers have the 'hire and hope' mentality. After the person has been hired the employer hopes they work out. 1. Regular Performance and Incentive Reviews Measure your team's achievements on a regular basis. Formally appraise the performance of each individual twice a year. Salary increases, bonuses and incentives should be based on these performance reviews.

2. Weekly Team Meetings Learn how to run an effective meeting and have these weekly with your team. Have a set time each week. Ensure the agenda allows for their input. See How to Have Successful Meetings.

3. Personal and Professional Development Invest regularly in their development, both technical and non-technical skills. The new-found knowledge can be extremely valuable to your business. By learning and developing your people, they will also be more motivated.

4. Develop Your Own Leadership Skills Turn yourself into a Masterful Manager. There are many skills required to be an effective manager ...delegation, organisation and communication etc.

5. Participating in specific programs such as our Masterful Manager's Intensive Coaching Program will turn you into a powerful leader that gets results and maintains a happy, productive and high performing team.

They never had a team meeting to discuss what was working well and how to improve things. The only time a meeting was called was when there was a customer complaint. All of these challenges soon disappeared when Gary continually implemented the following solutions. The Final Word Looking after the people in your business is vital to ensure its ongoing success...whatever 'success' means to you. A happy, skilled and motivated team if managed effectively will have a huge impact on your productivity and profits.

To continue doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. So if you want to achieve different results, take action today!

Have a great week! Lorraine Pirihi



About the author:

Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's No. 1 Productivity Coach. She's also a dynamic presenter and a leading business and life coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!" To subscribe to her free ezine visit www.office-organiser.com.au

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