I do a presentation called "The 4 R's to a Sweet Business/Organization" I love giving the presentation, because I'm speaking from the heart. I have personally experienced amazing organizations to work for and experienced some terrible ones too! Those experiences gave me the motivation to write this article.
“The Trick or Treat Theory”
The 4R’s to your Dream Business /
The 4R’s to a Sweet Organization
By: Frank Kitchen
www.frankkitchen.com
“Trick or Treat?” This is the question children ask countless homeowners nationwide for Halloween. Their question is answered when they receive a “fun sized” treat. Many are ecstatic to receive a sugar filled confection that causes nightmares for dentists. Others say, “What is fun about this?” They’ve put in an enormous amount of time planning for Halloween. Children have to pick the best costume or several; they have to map out all of the good houses to go to; they have to recruit friends and family to participate; and they have to obtain the perfect device to transport their expected treats. All of this work seems under appreciated when a 1 by 1 inch piece of candy is dropped into a king size pillowcase. The homeowner has failed to reward the children of time and effort they committed to impressing them. The child has been tricked! The AWESOME house on the corner has not delivered on the expectations it created!
A multitude of businesses are treating their employees just like the children mentioned. They forget that their success is based on time and effort of its employees. There is an old saying that goes, “ the business of business is people”. If a business truly wants to be successful, it needs to concentrate on the people it employees. They must exceed their expectations. A satisfied group of employees leads to a successful business. To have the business of your dreams you must ask yourself this question, “Am I a Trick or a Treat?”
“Putting too much emphasis on the bottom line is a mistake. Research indicates that good boss-employee relationships, opportunity and friends all rank higher than money on the list of what is important to employees in the workplace.” Tony Hsieh, CEO Zappos
Here are four simple steps to increase the odds of you having the business of your dreams! I would like to introduce you to the 4 R’s.
#1 RECRUIT
You must attract the right people to support your cause or business. Just like Halloween you must be creative in the way you attract people to you. Research what others are doing, and do something to make you stand out from the crowd.
#2 RECOGNIZE
Once you attract people to you, you must recognize what you have when you answer the door? You have pirates, clowns and super heroes? You may even notice the occasional teenager or parent! Everyone person you hire brings both known and unknown talents to the table. The key is to recognize the skills they posses and how to use those skills to grow your business.
#3 RETAIN
When you move the letters around in the word RETAIN you get the phrase “TRAIN E.” A big factor to retaining employees is proper training. When children arrive to your door for Halloween you do two things: You organize them to receive candy one at a time, you teach them how to ask the question “Trick or Treat?” Constant training, organization and clear communication will foster an environment where people feel valued and have an opportunity to advance.
#4 REWARD
For employees, a paycheck is expected. When you do the unexpected you create loyalty. People will spread the word about you. Be the house that gives out the unexpected for Halloween. This will create a buzz in the neighborhood. A full size candy bar, a toy, crazy decorations or an out of this world experience are the ultimate recruiting tool. There are many ways to reward your employees. The first three R’s will help you learn if your employees are internally or externally motivated. Once you learn what motivates them, do the unexpected. If you want the more out of your employees, you must give more too! Make your business a Treat to work for and not a Trick!
