Experience, Relationships, and Results. The Lost Art of Developing a Great Business.

Business success is highly dependent upon several factors. Most of which are founded in the hiring and development of great people. For it is the people who work in the trenches on a day-in and day-out basis that make the business what it is today and what it will become tomorrow.

However, it is the business leader who is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the business. This starts with hiring great people. Hiring great people, which is what every business must do just to have a shot at becoming great, also includes placing those people in the right seat. Failing to hire and place great people according to their skills and abilities can be as detrimental as hiring the wrong person from the start. This is because people who are placed into a position that is out of their comfort zone or skillset can result in them not reaching their full potential. It can also result in them failing to achieve the vision you had for them in the given position. People placed incorrectly can also become a flight risk. This is due to boredom, frustration, or anxiety about the responsibilities within the position they hold.

Why people are so important is obvious to almost everyone. However, finding, developing, and retaining great people is seemingly one of the most difficult responsibilities most business leaders face.

So, how do you attract and retain great people? I would argue that you must first create a great organizational culture that is driven by meeting the needs of the people who serve you, followed by a set of standards that focuses on the customer. When the people who work for you believe that you care about them as people and are willing to do what you can to help them be the best that they can be, they commit to you and the vision for the organization.

Second, the overall client experience must be a cultural focus. This includes driving results for the client and creating a relationship with the client. When the client experience is great, results are achieved as expected by the client, and a relationship with the client is developed, the environment cannot be anything but positive.

Positive work environments that are driven by doing everything we can to help our people succeed and a great customer experience are fun for everyone and lead to a culture and energy level that draws people in. This environment not only draws in clients but draws in people who want to work for you and be a part of this type of culture.

As many of us have seen recently, because many businesses fail to hire great people, take care to help their people grow, and create client driven cultures, a great experience has become somewhat extinct. As a result, there are not many businesses we interact with that we would identify as being great.

However, this is also where the opportunity lies. Now, more than ever, when we do receive a great experience we remember it and return to experience it again. This is how loyalty is developed and businesses grow. In my opinion, the only differentiating factor that remains is experience.

Leading a business is not easy. It is not for the faint of heart. It is for those that are driven to develop a culture that is disciplined, execution minded, and focused on experience, relationships, and results for both the client and the employee. Doing well in one aspect while failing to do well in the other will not result in becoming a great business. It will result in becoming common amongst the average or below. And, we all know how unattractive that experience has become.

Randy Stepp is a Principal with Renaissance Leadership Group. RLG is a full-service business and franchise development company whose purpose is to help business owners realize their dreams of independence and freedom.

Visit Renaissance Leadership Group at www.renaissanceleadershipgroup.com to learn more about business development