After the release of Profit First and the subsequent business that I established with my cofounder , we began hiring staff members . As the business grew , so did our team . Our leadership skills ? Not so much .
I lost several talented employees . Even though I thought I was a considerate boss , paid fairly , made work-life balance a priority , and still told semi-inappropriate jokes , my team members were still keeping their resumes fresh and ready for the next best thing .
What Was I Doing Wrong ?
Everything . Mostly , it was recruiting , retention , and raising the bar for my company . I learned some major lessons . Not only did I lose people to other companies but I really liked those people . Equally if not more crucially , I wasn ’ t prepared for the massive expense of rehiring and productivity disruption .
The Correction
All of this is to say I ’ ve transformed my team , my leadership , and my entire business by taking actionable steps that are not vague , like the aforementioned promises . I began to brainstorm with my cowriter , AJ Harper , about how my business had changed , how the shutdown had created massive amounts of employees quitting ( 3.7 million in 2023 alone ), and what companies would need to do in order to thrive , not just survive .
After years of research and interviews with employees and their bosses , AJ and I wrote All In , providing business owners ( big and small ) and human resources teams with proven strategies to create and maintain a business that weathers any unpredictable market or global crisis . Here ’ s a quick overview of one of the strategies I now use in my business .
The FASO Model
The huh ? Another acronym ? Yup — and it ’ s the best dang one to start using today . FASO stands for :
• 1 . Fit - Adapt roles . Don ’ t look for a person who can do it all . Look for the person who can do best at what you need most .
• 2 . Ability - Unleash potential . People who want to do a job always outperform people who need to do a job . Seek the want . The desire . The thirst .
• 3 . Safety - Cultivate security . People do their best when they ’ re not worried about the rest . Protect your team and set up conditions in which they feel safe , enabling them to lean into contribution .
• 4 . Ownership - Empower ownership . When team members are designated ownership over aspects of their job , the natural tendency is for them to put everything they have into it .
Now How The Heck Do You Implement This ?
It starts with you , but it ’ s nothing to be overwhelmed by . Consider this : Your willingness to examine your own actions , decisions , and communication style is what sets the stage for accountability and growth within your business and team . ( Cue the theme song : “ It ’ s me , hi . . . I ’ m the problem , it ’ s me .”) Yup . Leadership , my friends , is a continuous journey of self-discovery and improvement .
Remember
Traditional leadership includes leading with fear , intimidation , and / or stoicism . The result ? Lots of insecure — and therefore ineffective — employees . Employees who are , most likely , running your business . Your team is the face of the business , they produce your offering , and they communicate with your clients and customers . They are the foundation of your business . I know , shocker , your business doesn ’ t revolve around you . It revolves around the people working to drive your revenue and are working toward your mission and goals .
You want a thriving workforce that shines and sticks around . One that takes full responsibility for their work and outcomes . I ’ m building a community of employees who love our organization and are invested in its growth through the FASO model . If you want to build a world-class team that you and your customers trust and love to work with ( and let ’ s face it , one that your accounts love too ), actively using the FASO model is vital .
Here ’ s my challenge to you : Preorder the book All In , or better yet , attend the IT Sales and Marketing Boot Camp ( RobinsBigSeminar . com ) in April where I ’ ll be speaking about it . Once you ’ ve read the book , choose just one strategy to begin to apply to your business right away . Email me your story , and I will highlight your company on social media : support @ mikemichalowicz . com .
You ’ ve got this . I should know . I ’ ve been there .
Mike Michalowicz is the entrepreneur behind three multimillion-dollar companies and is the author of several business books , including Profit First , Clockwork , Get Different , Fix This Next , The Pumpkin Plan , Surge , The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur , and his newest book , All In . Mike is a former small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal and business makeover expert for MSNBC . He regularly travels the globe as an entrepreneurial advocate and keynote speaker .
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