Our vision is to change the life of a child for the better, forever.
The bureaucracy that plagues many large businesses is the antithesis of this vision. Adhering to strict rules and regulations, emphasizing a top-down company, and enforcing a rigid structure creates stagnate companies that can’t grow or change. We can’t meet the changing needs of the kids we serve without integrating flexibility into our core values.
Being a CEO is all about working with and motivating people. Learning how to do that successfully, no matter how big or small the organization, will help you succeed. Humility is part of this. I know I can’t do anything without my team, and because of this I need every member to be the best at their position and the best fit for our team. These quick steps are integral for assembling and maintaining a strong company.
Step 1: Hire people, not positions or qualifications. Does the candidate fit with your culture and vision for the organization? You want your team to be an ambassador of your brand, an extension of you as the CEO. It doesn’t matter what a candidate has accomplished elsewhere if they aren’t going to be the best possible fit for your organization. If you are going to invest time and resources into someone and what they will create within your organization, you need to ensure those are resources well spent. I don’t hire anyone for my team that I am not willing to go the distance for.
The hidden challenge with hiring the best people is that they require a great amount of stimulus. They don’t rest on their laurels, they want to be overwhelmed and challenged; you need to create a culture dynamic enough to keep pace with them. You also need to lead these moving targets, inspire them to want to do more and give them the space they need to try new things or change things around.
Step 2: Invest in what your people do. Challenge people, encourage and reward disruptive thinking. Provide development opportunities beyond your normal day-to-day activities. The more you invest in someone’s professional development and make her more attractive to others, the more loyal she will be to you. This is why we created the Lunch and Lead and Lunch and Learn programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. This is also why I spend much of my time with my team without an agenda of my own.
Step 3: Treat your employees like people. People are complex and dynamic; they have a lot going on in life beyond what they do for you. Support them as people and as professionals. Build softer items into incentive plans, like time for meditation, yoga, massage, or cardiovascular activity to stimulate the mind, body and soul. You become a bigger part of your employees’ lives when you acknowledge that they have one.
We are an organization that at its most fundamental core is about changing people’s lives for the better; shouldn’t we also want to make the lives of our employees better, forever?
If you’re interested in learning more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, please visit www.ocbigs.org. Make change happen.
