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Many business owners think that their employees are the greatest asset they have. They might be right, but employees can also be a liability to your company if you don’t know how to use them effectively. In this blog post we’ll discuss whether employees really are your greatest asset, and if not, then what could be your greatest asset?

It does sound noble to say that your employees are your greatest asset, and it may even seem like a terrible sin to suggest they may not be. The point of this post is not to devalue in any way the value or importance of your employees. Coincidently, I dislike the term ‘employee‘ very much and prefer to use ‘teammate’ instead, but that is a topic for a future discussion.

https://youtu.be/kyLH1bz4vtw

What else could be your greatest asset?

If not employees, then what else could be considered your greatest asset? Arguments could be made that it could be cash, because “Cash is King”, right? How about your real estate or factory? Patents, if you have any, are also very valuable. Machinery… Oh, what about your database of current and past customers? That’s enormously valuable.

What your greatest could and should be

I am going to suggest that your greatest asset could and should be your company culture. Now, before you dismiss me and think that I am totally nuts, just hear me out. You may have read one of my previous blogs, How to Upgrade Your Company Culture for Better Results, where I tell you how to build your company culture, but I want to take it a step further.

When your company culture is positive and thriving

  • People believe in the company vision
  • They want to make a career at your company
  • They view anything that threatens the company well-being as a personal threat
  • They refer friends to work
  • They are brand ambassadors for your company
  • They wow your customers
  • They solve larger problems and give constructive feedback

You could well say, “Jason, this is the ‘greatest asset’ people I am talking about…”

Yes, you need good people, the right people, but this type of environment does not exist by happenstance. It happens by design. More commonly though you get culture by accident.

When your company culture is negative and depriving

  • People work with no sense of urgency.
  • They view the company leadership as “the man”..
  • They hate working with the people they are forced to work with.
  • They are working for a paycheck and not a future.
  • They don’t wow your customers.
  • They do as little as necessary to not get fired.
  • Worse yet, they outright steal, and not one corrects them.

I’ve only shared a few examples of positive and negative cultures. The list could go on and on. Which culture do you think will produce the best results, wow clients, attract and retain talent, and foster teamwork? And which one is more likely to solve problems at the lowest level rather than require your time and attention constantly?

Dream for a moment

Now, you are probably thinking of examples of positive and negative culture elements in your own company. Which ones do you see that are positive? What about your company culture needs improvement? Just fast-forward 12-24 months into the future for a moment and imagine what things look like when you have upgraded your culture. What is different about your company? What better results are you getting that you are not getting now? What about your own life, I mean, how would this impact you personally? Would you sleep better? Would you have more time to work on bigger plans, vacation with the family, or even serve on a mission trip or in your local church?

It’s worth stating again from my other blog, “Culture is the invisible force that is either building your company or tearing it down.”

In Summary

The existence of a winning culture is no accident, and it takes forethought, leadership, management, good systems, time, and follow-through to bring it about and nurture it. It’s worth it. Decide to champion culture improvement in your company now, and before you know it, you’ll be gaining steam like a snowball rolling downhill.

 

Many business owners think that their employees are the greatest asset they have. They might be right, but employees can also be a liability to your company if you don’t know how to use them effectively. In this blog post we’ll discuss whether employees really are your greatest asset, and if not, then what could be your greatest asset?

It does sound noble to say that your employees are your greatest asset, and it may even seem like a terrible sin to suggest they may not be. The point of this post is not to devalue in any way the value or importance of your employees. Coincidently, I dislike the term ‘employee‘ very much and prefer to use ‘teammate’ instead, but that is a topic for a future discussion.

What else could be your greatest asset?

If not employees, then what else could be considered your greatest asset? Arguments could be made that it could be cash, because “Cash is King”, right? How about your real estate or factory? Patents, if you have any, are also very valuable. Machinery… Oh, what about your database of current and past customers? That’s enormously valuable.

What your greatest could and should be

I am going to suggest that your greatest asset could and should be your company culture. Now, before you dismiss me and think that I am totally nuts, just hear me out. You may have read one of my previous blogs, How to Upgrade Your Company Culture for Better Results, where I tell you how to build your company culture, but I want to take it a step further.

When your company culture is positive and thriving

  • People believe in the company vision
  • They want to make a career at your company
  • They view anything that threatens the company well-being as a personal threat
  • They refer friends to work
  • They are brand ambassadors for your company
  • They wow your customers
  • They solve larger problems and give constructive feedback

You could well say, “Jason, this is the ‘greatest asset’ people I am talking about…”

Yes, you need good people, the right people, but this type of environment does not exist by happenstance. It happens by design. More commonly though you get culture by accident.

When your company culture is negative and depriving

  • People work with no sense of urgency.
  • They view the company leadership as “the man”..
  • They hate working with the people they are forced to work with.
  • They are working for a paycheck and not a future.
  • They don’t wow your customers.
  • They do as little as necessary to not get fired.
  • Worse yet, they outright steal, and not one corrects them.

I’ve only shared a few examples of positive and negative cultures. The list could go on and on. Which culture do you think will produce the best results, wow clients, attract and retain talent, and foster teamwork? And which one is more likely to solve problems at the lowest level rather than require your time and attention constantly?

Dream for a moment

Now, you are probably thinking of examples of positive and negative culture elements in your own company. Which ones do you see that are positive? What about your company culture needs improvement? Just fast-forward 12-24 months into the future for a moment and imagine what things look like when you have upgraded your culture. What is different about your company? What better results are you getting that you are not getting now? What about your own life, I mean, how would this impact you personally? Would you sleep better? Would you have more time to work on bigger plans, vacation with the family, or even serve on a mission trip or in your local church?

It’s worth stating again from my other blog, “Culture is the invisible force that is either building your company or tearing it down.”

In Summary

The existence of a winning culture is no accident, and it takes forethought, leadership, management, good systems, time, and follow-through to bring it about and nurture it. It’s worth it. Decide to champion culture improvement in your company now, and before you know it, you’ll be gaining steam like a snowball rolling downhill.

 

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