By Peter Janis
From the Floor
Staff ... Is There More Than Meets the Eye ?
Ask any business owner and they will tell you that staff is both their biggest asset and simultaneously their biggest headache ! It takes a tremendous amount of time and effort to find good staff and keeping them is just as challenging . I recall getting frustrated so many times with the résumés that came in and finally succumbing to hiring a warm body just to fill a hole . Invariably , it was always a mistake . It only takes one bad apple to mess up the positive culture within a company . If you have a strong staff , they will push the bad apple out .
There are two major qualifiers in hiring good staff : brains and heart . Hiring someone that is smart but does not care about the company or other staff members can be a disaster . I recall hiring a “ salesman ” that was great at selling , but he would push deals through without proper credit checks or sell the wrong product just to close the sale and collect his commissions . When we pushed him to go back and collect the payment for the deals he did , he quit . This left us with piles of messes to clean up . Hiring someone that has a huge heart but has no brains is equally dangerous . If someone jumps in without knowing the company culture and rules of engagement , they too can cause grief .
You want a combination of both smart and heart . Smart people ask a lot of questions while those with heart will assess a given situation to make sure that the company ’ s best interests are considered . Ultimately , you want to hire someone that is smart and gives a shit ! Smart does not mean knowledgeable in a particular field ; you can train someone in customer service and product knowledge . This , of course , is critical to your growth .
The next challenge is known as the Peter Principle , whereby you advance someone beyond their capabilities . We did this with a shipper who wanted to get into sales . Even though he was rough around the edges , we liked the guy . He was a great shipper . Unfortunately , he failed miserably in sales and moved on . One also has to be realistic ; you cannot pay a shipper $ 100,000 a year , so you have to expect a certain amount of turnover .
Retaining staff is never easy . Often , outside factors can come into play , such as the lure of a higher salary or a business that may be closer to home . We have an advantage in our industry ; we attract those with a love of music . This can certainly play a part in retaining staff . And although a healthy paycheque is valuable , good smart people with heart are usually motivated by a number of other factors .
The first is to be appreciated . Letting them know that they have done a good job is important as it not only shows them that you care , but you are on top of your game . Even more important is trust . Trust is best translated as delegation . Giving a staff member the responsibility to take on a project gives the employee self-confidence upon completion and , of course , builds pride . This pride translates into a sense of “ ownership ” within the company and it is often infectious . If you cannot trust your employees to take on a project , you will be doomed to having to do everything yourself ! You can never grow your company with this philosophy . If you are the non-trusting type , start by delegating small jobs and build up . You may be surprised at how well people perform . Just as important is keeping your word . If you promote great service , then as a company , it is essential that you deliver it . If you hold back on service due to cost or being busy , this sends a message to the employee that you do not really care and cannot be trusted to keep your word .
Finally , you will want to surround yourself with great people . In my case at Radial , though we were in a male-dominated industry , I had as many women managing departments as men . We hired the best person for the job , irrespective of gender , race , religion , or sexual orientation . This should be a given but too often is not . This too imparts a positive environment for staff as it says “ we will treat everyone fairly .”
This column is the property of Peter Janis and authorised to be published and republished by NWC .
Formerly the president and CEO of Radial Engineering Ltd ., Peter Janis has been in the Canadian music industry for over 40 years , working in retail , distribution , and manufacturing . Peter now offers consulting services with his firm Exit-Plan , where he assists business owners in increasing their sales and enhancing the attractiveness of their business in preparation for retirement . For more information , visit www . exit-plan . ca .
CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE 9