Jerry Bellune November 12, 2013

A friend of ours runs a profitable dental practice.
He shares performance figures with his employees.
Each month he posts the numbers on who did what.
Everyone can see what everyone else produced.
The stars gain recognition as well as rewards.
The low performers know everyone else knows.
This either shames them into improving performance.
Or it encourages them to find another line of work.

My hat’s off to a practice owner with guts.
Many business owners fear to share information.
If they have a bad month they’d rather hide it.
If they have a good month they should celebrate.
Most don’t . . . for one reason.
They fear employees will take this as an opportunity.
They will come asking for more money.
Better, they think, to pocket the cash and keep quiet.

This shows a lack of respect for your employees.
It says you don’t trust them . . . or yourself.
You hired them. You trained them.
Why can’t you trust them?
Was your judgment that bad in hiring them?
99% of your employees want to do well.
They want to take care of customers and patients.
They want to make a positive difference.
If not, they would not be here but somewhere else.
If not, you should not want them on your payroll.

I am an advocate of the Jack Welch Rule.
They called General Electric’s chairman “Neutron Jack.”
It was a sarcastic nickname for a hard-nosed guy.
The neutron bomb was supposed to kill people.
But it left property undamaged and buildings intact.
That meant Welch got rid of people, not property.
When GE acquired a company, two things happened.
Poor performers were fired. Profits went up.
Each year Welch required two things of his execs.
Highly reward the top 10% performers.
Fire the bottom 10% incompetents and slackers.
Sound Draconian? It was. And it worked.

Now ask yourself: Who are my top 10%?
How can I reward them so no one can steal them?
Who are the bottom 10%? Why don’t I fire them?
Believe me, you will sleep better at night.

Business ownership is NOT for sissies.
It takes genuine tough-minded leadership.
“Lead People, Manage Things” teaches how.
This little book will change your life.
It will also increase your profits.
Autographed copies for only $20.
Just write me at [email protected]

©2013 The Bellune Company, Inc.
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