Page 185 -

Managing the Employee Factor through Cycles 175

clearly directed and unquestionably empowered with
responsibility and authority to fulfill customers as people.
The nourishment of this environment centers on the
employee’s need for acknowledgment, respect, and trust.
When these three essential human needs are fulfilled,
employees will perform in extraordinary ways with custom-
ers responding in kind.

Like so many things in life and particularly in business,
the idea sounds clear and simple. The challenge is in the
doing. Let’s take a look at some of the key elements to
effective People Leadership regardless of the economic
cycle.

By nature, most employees want to do a good job and
many want to do a great job. One of the keys to improving
the probability that they will do a good and even great job
is to believe in them. Belief in employees will put them on
the road to accomplish extraordinary things for themselves,
the business, and ultimately the customer. As well as per-
forming well at their jobs, they want to lead meaningful lives.
Leaders can help them be excited, happy, and productive
by showing them how their lives will be better and how the
company will be better.

There are certain requirements for creating true employee
fulfillment. Contrary to popular belief, what creates fulfilled
employees is not predominantly the size of their paycheck
but rather it is the feeling of acknowledgment, respect,
and trust – the same human emotions needed by cus-
tomers. In practical terms, it comes down to knowing
what’s expected of them, being supported to actually
accomplish what is expected of them, having the abilities
to accomplish them, and doing it all in a socially reward-
ing environment:

1. Understanding the objectives
2. Having support in accomplishing the objectives