I have never placed my covenant with customers on any wall. I've witnessed too many companies that do that, only to find many of their employees don’t practice the creed that was set forth by the founders of the company long ago.
As companies grow and become more successful, new leaders fail to rekindle the original spirit that made the organizations so successful in the first place. They forget the blood, sweat and tears that early employees put into their jobs. They forget the salespeople who called on clients in all sections of the country, the product development people who worked around the clock, the customer service people who answered calls from home on weekends. Leaders forget, and it is a prelude to failure.
Leaders are there to set a course and bring their employees along with them on an adventure and a mission. That last word is key. Mission! It connotes purpose and planning. It is about a course of action for now and in the future. It is a guiding light that shines through every day, not a musty document hanging on a lobby wall.
Most workers are not fully aware of a company’s mission. Leaders forget to communicate, to let their employees know how much their work is treasured and how that work fits into the larger goals of the organization.
Time after time we hear employees say they want jobs where they feel fulfilled and part of the team, where they can give their all every day and feel that they’re doing something that is meaningful. As a matter of fact, when that doesn’t happen, morale plummets and people wind up depressed and dispirited. It’s like a cancer on the organization.
On the other side of the coin, too many employees take their jobs for granted, which is not a good thing in this economy. They feel like the world owes them a living, and nothing could be further from the truth. They owe their employers hard work and dedication. Each day you have a job, you should be grateful and excited to have an opportunity to add value to your organization.
To me, it all comes down to attitude. Some people get up in the morning and start the day with a frown instead of a smile. They worry about things that are incidental and have no significance. Others get up and greet the day as a challenge. They can't wait to get started and make every day a positive experience. They don't mope and gripe; they get on with their lives and always make things happen.
The great salesman, Karl Bays, who ran American Hospital Supply back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, had a sign on his wall that read, “Spectators will Kindly Remove Themselves from the Playing Field.” I’ve never forgotten those words, nor have I ever forgotten Karl Bays. He was a salesman’s salesman. He loved to call on customers and he loved selling American Hospital Supply’s products and services. He was enthusiastic about life, and that is always the key to success. Make life your oyster and never have a bad day. Always give every day 100% and never take anything for granted, including family, customers and friends.
Just as companies need a mission, so too do employees. Make a mission statement for yourself, and then talk about it with people you trust. Not having a mission in life is like being in a rudderless boat in stormy seas. You may survive, but you don’t go in any particular direction. Find out what it is that lights a fire within you and pursue that goal like your life depends on it.
Winners know what it is they want in life and they go out each day in search of it. They never forget their mission, and it isn’t something just hanging on a wall.