Comments on: How to Fail as a Business Part 1 http://www.younggogetter.com/articles/how-to-fail-as-a-business-part-1 A blog and forum community for helping entrepreneurs young at heart better their small businesses. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:29 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Joe Hoyt http://www.younggogetter.com/articles/how-to-fail-as-a-business-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-18476 Joe Hoyt Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:51:03 +0000 http://www.younggogetter.com/2008/01/14/how-to-fail-as-a-business-part-1/#comment-18476 Listening to employees is second in the pecking order behind listening to customers in my book. Actually, I think learning from employees and customers is more important than listening. Learning implies that there will be change in the organization so that the company's and customer's needs are better met. Jack Welch initiated change at GM by creating crisises within the organization. These crisises empowered employees to look for different ways in which they could help the company grow. If they couldn't figure it out, they were let go. With GM under Welch (I don't know much about current management), the focus and responsibility really belonged to the employees. Now let me flip the article around a little bit. When you're running a company and employees believe that they're not being listened to, what do you do? I really don't think taking suggestions in a meeting will do anything to change moral or the sentiment within the company about the management team or improve employee performance. You change people and organizations by empowering them to stretch and do something bigger than themselves. A company that really cares about their employees will make it easier for their employees to shine. Of course communication fits into this conversation, but communication in and of itself is not enough to make employees feel like they are truely valued, which is what I think people mean when they say company X isn't listening to them. Listening to employees is second in the pecking order behind listening to customers in my book. Actually, I think learning from employees and customers is more important than listening. Learning implies that there will be change in the organization so that the company’s and customer’s needs are better met.

Jack Welch initiated change at GM by creating crisises within the organization. These crisises empowered employees to look for different ways in which they could help the company grow. If they couldn’t figure it out, they were let go. With GM under Welch (I don’t know much about current management), the focus and responsibility really belonged to the employees.

Now let me flip the article around a little bit. When you’re running a company and employees believe that they’re not being listened to, what do you do? I really don’t think taking suggestions in a meeting will do anything to change moral or the sentiment within the company about the management team or improve employee performance. You change people and organizations by empowering them to stretch and do something bigger than themselves. A company that really cares about their employees will make it easier for their employees to shine.

Of course communication fits into this conversation, but communication in and of itself is not enough to make employees feel like they are truely valued, which is what I think people mean when they say company X isn’t listening to them.

]]> By: John Peden http://www.younggogetter.com/articles/how-to-fail-as-a-business-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-18472 John Peden Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:37:45 +0000 http://www.younggogetter.com/2008/01/14/how-to-fail-as-a-business-part-1/#comment-18472 I think employees can be coaxed into suggestions and participation, particularly younger members of the team. In my experience, the teams I have been a member of are usually not interested in anything more than punching the clock. This more-often-than-not has stemmed from a feeling of contempt towards a manager, I wonder if an employee who became a member of a startup after a months/years spent becoming an introvert could be brought back? I think employees can be coaxed into suggestions and participation, particularly younger members of the team. In my experience, the teams I have been a member of are usually not interested in anything more than punching the clock. This more-often-than-not has stemmed from a feeling of contempt towards a manager, I wonder if an employee who became a member of a startup after a months/years spent becoming an introvert could be brought back?

]]> By: Justin http://www.younggogetter.com/articles/how-to-fail-as-a-business-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-18420 Justin Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:23:43 +0000 http://www.younggogetter.com/2008/01/14/how-to-fail-as-a-business-part-1/#comment-18420 You are right but hardly any businesses give their employees the choice. But some people just want to stick to their job and punch the clock. You are right but hardly any businesses give their employees the choice.

But some people just want to stick to their job and punch the clock.

]]> By: Scott M http://www.younggogetter.com/articles/how-to-fail-as-a-business-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-18419 Scott M Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:20:09 +0000 http://www.younggogetter.com/2008/01/14/how-to-fail-as-a-business-part-1/#comment-18419 Just be sure that your employees don't get in over their head. Not everyone has the knowledge or even the desire to be involved in all aspects of the business. Just be sure that your employees don’t get in over their head. Not everyone has the knowledge or even the desire to be involved in all aspects of the business.

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