My company had the reputation of being structured and disciplined. I set guidelines and stood by them. I set goals and strove to reach them.

I’ve had employees tell me that they were intimidated at first when they considered coming to work for me because they were unsure about the “rules” thing.

Auto dismantlers don’t like working from a list of how they should go about taking apart a car. Salesmen don’t like to be told how to make a sale.

I’ve learned over time that although my employees may not like structure at first, they soon learn to appreciate it. Most of these employees who were initially apprehensive about working for me were coming from a previous job which was unstructured. For example, they might be in the middle of dismantling a car only to have the boss or manager take them off that job to put them on another job. When their jobs are not clearly demarked and responsibilities are not clearly defined, your employees cannot know exactly what they are expected to do. The lack of clearly defined job tasks can create anxiety for some employees and, in turn, may cause them to function poorly.

Those who have come to me from that kind of past have taught me that a total lack of structure simply erodes the motivation behind work. Some say that they could never predict what their boss was going to give them next. They had a hard time feeling good about their work. When they came to me, as soon as they got over their apprehension about any structure we might impose, they found themselves completing more and feeling good about it at the end of the day.

I don’t tell them every detail. I just clearly define my expectations and make sure they understand their responsibilities. Then I let them go to work. I reward them with recognition and pay for performance when they show outstanding achievement in their results.

If you are not already doing this, you’ll find that employees like structure once it is imposed. They like knowing exactly what you expect from them on a given day. They like achieving it. They like knowing exactly how much they’re going to be paid, especially when they know that pay is based on their performance.

It all adds up to not only happier employees but also happier customers because the happiness rubs off on your customers. Given a little structure and allowed the freedom to perform individually within that structure, employees can achieve maximum output.

Create a business culture where roles are clearly defined and expectations are laid out in plain view along with attainable goals, and you establish a happy employee relationship. They’ll work hard for you, and they’ll reflect their contentment and belief in you to your customer base.

 

Don’t forget to go the website for my new book, www.greenweenies.com, to learn all the backroom business terms. There are 1,200+ terms in over 300 pages, with hilarious illustrations by world famous Gahan Wilson. You can register there for your free weekly “green weenie.” If you want to know what a three fingered booger is, or what’s in a train wreck envelope, it’s the only place to go!

 

Remember, only you can make BUSINESS GREAT! Next month, more from Chapter Six of How to Salvage Millions from Your Small Business.

 

Please email if you would like me to send previous articles.

AutoSalvageconsultant.com was formed in 2001 to help recyclers improve their businesses. With over fifty years of experience in three staff members, the group is THE definitive source for recyclers’ management and training needs. The founder, Ron Sturgeon, is past owner of AAA Small Car World.  You can review his resume, with skills and experience, at our website. In 2002, his book How to Salvage Millions From Your Small Business was published to help small business owners achieve significant success. It was recently reprinted in the U.S. and published in China, Korea and the Czech Republic.  You can learn more about how to help your business at www.autosalvageconsultant.com. You can reach us at 5940 Eden, Haltom City, TX 76117, or by calling or emailing Mike Gibson or Tammy Sturgeon. Mike can be reached at 817-925-0061 or mikeg@autosalvageconsultant.com, and Tammy can be reached at 817-999-1224 or tammysturgeon@all-import.com