Telling Signs

Originally uploaded by miabuelanoloentiende .com

If you are in the business of ...

• ... weeding out the best and highest paid employees in an effort to cut costs.
  
• ... only listening to new ideas.
• ... discounting new ideas before even listening to them.
  
• ... defending the status quo, even when it is clear the status quo isn't working anymore.
  
• ... discouraging your best employees from thinking outside the box.
• ... cutting costs by cutting your customer service department.
  
• ... withholding tools and information that could increase productivity and awareness.
  
• ... encouraging a culture that reacts instead of sets the standard.
• ... failing to recognize your business is in a race and not a get rich quick scheme.
  

I'm going to go out on a limb and say you probably don't recognize that your employees are your first customers. If you do recognize it, you probably are doing a poor job of putting it into practice.

How do you treat your customers?

With the current business climate like it is, I cannot imagine why you wouldn't want your best employees to be on board as you weather the storm. Treat them in such a way that there is no doubt that you want them on board. Treat them like you would your customers.