Leadership in business – Become their boss of choice

Jerry Bellune

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Become their boss of choice

The economic recovery has been rough on all of us.

We’ve worried about keeping our businesses afloat.

Now things are looking up. Can we relax? Hardly.

We must assess the risk of losing our best people.

Surveys show 42% of us fear losing our best people.

Nearly 50% fear they are already looking elsewhere.

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What might happen in the months ahead?

Your best people may be lured away by others.

We must rebuild loyalty with honest communication.

One business owner leveled with his people.

The previous owner had kept them in the dark.

The new owner risked leaks to the competition.

Believe it or not, no one did.

They liked being treated like adults — with honesty.

With that went appreciation and respect.

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What can we do to build greater loyalty?

Here are seven low-cost, easy steps.

1. Treat our people as partners, not cogs in a wheel.

Treat them as if they are volunteers. They are.

2. Set mutual goals with deadlines and accountability.

Meet weekly with them to discuss what needs to be done.

3. Reward them with recognition and appreciation.

Surveys show all of us want recognition and appreciation.

4. Talk honestly with them about conditions.

They can smell a con job a block away.

This can destroy their faith in you.

5. Invite everyone to share their ideas with you.

And give them full credit when their ideas pay off.

6. Do the same with their achievements.

Let everyone know what they’ve achieved.

7. Write them thank you notes.

Even consider writing their families.

Let them know what their loved ones achieved.

That extends loyalty where it counts — at home.

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Recommended reading

Would you like more leadership strategies like this?

Contact me for my latest leadership book.

It’s called “What It Costs to Be the Boss.”

You’ll discover the secrets of great leaders.

Your people’s productivity will reach new heights.

Just email me at [email protected]

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Next: Successful sales strategies.

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Want to share this with a friend? Be my guest.

We only ask that you tell them where it came from.

Invite them to send me their email address.

They can reach me at [email protected]

I’ll email this strategy letter to them each week.

©2015 The Bellune Company, Inc.

Neither MidlandsBiz.com nor The Bellune Company, Inc. makes any warranty as to the results that may be achieved from using this information. ©2015 The Bellune Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Requests for permission to reprint or circulate may be obtained by emailing [email protected]

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