How To Get Beyond Trading Your Life For Money

If you want to grow your business, you need other people. Whether they are partners, associates or affiliates, whether you find them on Elance or you employ them, if you want to get beyond trading your life for money and to grow your business without killing yourself – other people are essential.

Many business owners shy away from employing as an option for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s because they already tried it once and it didn’t work out for them, some might find it too much hassle, other thinks they can get the job done better and quicker themselves. Some grumblings you might recognise in yourself are: ‘Ive told them a million times how to do this, why don’t they just get it?’ or ‘I just can’t get them to stop playing on their mobiles,’ or even ‘Why do they keep making the same mistakes?’

The truth is though that if you have the right systems in place, as well as the right mindset, employing people is not only straightforward but also hugely rewarding.

By the right systems, I’m talking about your systems for hiring, for personal development and for performance management.The 3 essential systems that keep everything consistent and controlled, that keep everyone informed and engaged, and that make your employer brand as reliable as your business brand.

When you think of people systems, my guess is that the words HR, legal and discipline spring to mind (the soul-shrinking, limiting side of employment!) So I challenge you to instead adjust your thinking and change your mindset.

– Think helping individuals to fulfil their potential.

– Think working with engaged employees who want to do a good job and get recognised for it.

– Think running a consistently efficient business where you have control without having to be there 24/7.

Here’s the thing, you’ll only bring and keep the right people into your business if:

– You show an interest in them and develop them as individuals.

– You give them all the information they need, and logical systems so that they can do the job to your high standards.

– You manage their performance, give them structured feedback regularly and consistently, and make sure they know the consequences, good and bad.

– You recognise them and reward them for a job well done.

If you follow these rules of thumb, your business will grow to whatever size you want it to, without the hassle you currently experience, or have experienced in the past.

Look to the likes of McDonalds, Virgin, and Apple for prime examples of successful businesses based on the strength of their employer brand as much as the brand they market to their customers.

Build your people systems, build your business.

And if this is still a dark art for you, if you get the What and want to know more about the How, you can either pick up a copy of my book ‘Process to Profit’ which shares a lot of info about setting up your people systems, or/and drop me a line, and I’d be happy to talk through some options with you.