On Memorial Day, we remember and honor the men and women who paid the ultimate price, fighting for the freedom we enjoy. That freedom provides many benefits, including the ability to own a business.
As a business owner, people may remember you, too, one day, in the future. Think of the interactions with your employees, clients, vendors and competitors. Their memories of you may be etched in their minds. Most of us want to be remembered in a light, as opposed to a negative one. How will you be remembered?
Your legacy depends on the foundation you create. Is your business built upon a foundation of honesty and ethics, or profit and greed? Do you sacrifice people for profits?
Management creates the culture of an organization. Memorable leaders do not sacrifice people for profits, they create a safe environment. When employees are not concerned with self-preservation, a team atmosphere develops. They can focus their collective efforts on achieving the organizationβs goals.
Memorable leaders delegate responsibility yet hold employees accountable. They teach, mentor and train. They develop other true leaders.
Place your priority on service, not on sales. Establish a culture where the primary goal is to help people. Employees should be taught to hunt for ways to help. This commitment to customer service will set you apart. Your clients will notice the difference, and their loyalty will follow. To be memorable, create a special experience from your clientβs perspective.
Want to be remembered by your competition and the vendors, too? First, make well thought out, strategic decisions. Then be tactical in your actions. Grow your business exponentially by establishing key strategic partnerships. View the world through a lens of abundance as opposed to one of scarcity. Embrace your competition and find ways to work with them. Help them, and do not disparage them.
This Memorial Day, honor those that have given their lives for us. Then put some thought into how you will be remembered, too.
