Every leader is trying hard to build the good reputation of his company, increase their results and keep their people happy. Sometimes what we want is not happening and we are looking for different reasons why.

I wanted to share with you, just 3 things that having in mind could help you change some of your beliefs and start changing your results, with your people first.

My boss said

When people are not engaged with the purpose, not empowered correctly in taking actions or decisions or not allowed at all to do anything by themselves, you understand that there is no way they can provide extra value. This will always give you the lowest possible results. These people are not willing to add value.

No one cares

One phrase I use very often, especially when I am doing the culture audit in an organisation, is that no one cares for them. When employees feel that their leaders do not care about them, then how can leaders expect them to care about their teams or the organisation as one.

These people will only do what their boss said without caring about anything more than that. The worst case scenario is that they will do their job, but never in the timeframe expected. So the business is losing time and money of course.

Need more? they will disengage other people as well. They will become the poison to the team and the domino effect keeps going.

That's not my job

I don't know which of these three points is the most important, I think they are all equally important. But this for me is just something I could never understand, until I started coaching companies on improving their culture and performance. Then it became very clear for me.

When this is the culture in your company, you are in trouble. Strong cultures of continuous improvements, results oriented and with positive atmosphere are the exact opposite. I am not talking about not having a clear job description, but for the mindset of a willingness to help and move things forward.

You might wondering what can you do to start changing those beliefs in your company.

What leaders can do to change these three things

Inspire them with actions

People need to have a leader who will show them the way. Who will inspire them by doing things correctly. To show them how to think by being the role model.

Hire smarter

To be honest, I have got enough of the way people hire new staff. Change your recruitment process, make it interesting, let people know what to expect and what you expect.

Change your interviewing style, make it more conversational, discover the real person you have in front of you.

Improve your orientation process to let people engage with your overall culture, way of doing things and let them have a clear picture of what they will be doing, why they will be doing it and how.

Reward your superstars

Rewarding those who are having the right mindset, then it's obvious that you show the rest of your people what you really expect.

Empower them

As a leader you need to find the best way to empower people to do more, take decisions on their tasks and feel the responsibility without fear.

Firing is also an option (the last option)

The worst thing for me is firing people, but sometimes it is just necessary. This is the last thing you can do, because you are the one who hired them and you are the one who had the responsibility to guide them correctly. You also are responsible for developing those people on their skills and even more on their soft skills.

At the same time, I agree that we sometimes come across people who are not willing to change. Not willing to improve themselves. People who cannot see the reason to change, or even the need they have to change. We meet people who are just negative and they poison everyone around them with their actions and behaviour.