The secret to business success, applied Do what you do well, and enjoy it — and encourage harmony and respect By Mark Buckshon Your business and marketing success closely relates to this simple principle: You and everyone in your organization combine an enthusiasm for their work, respect for peers, and passion and satisfaction in being the best at who they are. As an individual: “Do what you do well, and enjoy it.” As a company: “Work together in harmony, using your abilities and interests, and respecting the needs of your clients and fellow employees.” Corporate lip service or real harmony? You can quantify and measure your success, but when the measuring process becomes an end in itself, you fall into a major trap. Similarly, if you only pay lip-ser- vice to these concepts, while forcing them into a corpo- rate policy manual and structured management processes, you will not achieve your desired effect. Everyone might wear false smiles when what they really want to do is trash their computers. So how do you achieve a natural harmony that be- comes part of the everyday culture of your organization? Structured meetings bring people together Structured meetings, set on a regular schedule with a time limit, are vital. These processes do bring everyone together. Some work groups effectively combine weekly, or brief twice weekly meetings with five-minute daily huddles, usually standing, either at the beginning or the end of the work day. In addition, they schedule all-day planning and review sessions once or twice a year, plus quarterly or bi-annual social gatherings help loosen any interpersonal tensions. Accountability and power: Your employees have au- thority The freedom and courage to be yourself is another important ingredient for success. If you are an owner or manager, you must allow your employees to be account- able for themselves. This includes having the authority and power to make decisions in their day-to-day work and with clients. In other words, employees need enough authority to solve client problems on the spot, or commit your company’s resources to deal with them. This also means you need to have trust in yourself, your peers and employees. When trust is reciprocated, you achieve a company with internal harmony; an envi- ronment where good clients are eager to do business with your organization, and pay the prices required for profitability. 32 – Fall 2013 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report Trimming the rules Look at your company rule books, policy manuals, and processes to see if you can eliminate at least 20 per cent of them. You’ll catch some low-hanging fruit: rules and systems set up to accommodate circumstances long-since passed; meetings held for reasons no longer valid, and so on. Then, once you’ve knocked off 20 per cent, go for the next. It may be extreme to suggest that you can remove 80 per cent of your rules and have a vi- able, well-run business. The idea is to trim down the bu- reaucracy and yet have enough control for freedom to take action. I would never suggest taking such drastic measures in one step or without legal guidance where necessary, but you may be surprised how far you can go to simplify things. Some simple guidelines Then follow some simple guidelines that will become your ongoing practices. For example, consider “Pooles Rules” from PCL Construction founder Ernest Poole, which form the basis of the employee-owned general contractor’s success as one of Canada’s largest general contractors: — Employ the highest grade people obtainable. — Encourage integrity, loyalty and efficiencies. — Avoid side lines. — Do not permit side lines by employees. — Be fair in all dealings with owners, architects, engi- neers and sub-contractors. — Keep your word as good as your bond. — Give encouragement and show appreciation. — Be firm, fair and friendly. — Avoid jobs where design is not good or financing doubtful. Let your competitors have these. — Good accounting and cash keeping are essential. — Do not let finishing up of jobs or collecting pay- ments lag. How to engage your employees in the business 1. Engage all employees in setting the budget and business plan Invite all employees to contribute to the setting of the company’s budget and business plan. Everyone can par- ticipate directly in the full-scale final planning meeting until you grow past 12 to 15 employees; then you may need to set separate divisional or functional planning meetings where employees contribute their input, and delegate a representative to attend the final, formal meeting.