Treating Employees Like Family
Welcome to the Why to Wow newsletter which is all about inspiring the hearts and minds of people worldwide with the Power of Differentiation. In this Why to Wow newsletter, I share my experiences over the last 40+ years helping leaders differentiate their brands and products. Our goal is to inspire over one million people worldwide with our message. Reach out if you have any comments or questions.
In previous articles, I’ve shared that perhaps it is healthier to view a company’s culture as a team rather than a family. Taking that idea further, I believe that while a team culture is ideal, leaders should still approach their employees with the care and perspective they would extend to family.
Best-selling author Bob Chapman titled his book Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your Employees Like Family. In our podcast, he shared that every employee is someone’s precious child. When we are frustrated with a subordinate who missed yet another deadline, do we storm down the hall and wag our finger in their face, threatening and demeaning them? If so, how would you feel if you were their parent—even if they’re 60 years old? Would you condone your precious child being treated like this?
Jason Lippert, CEO of Lippert, shares Bob’s beliefs by inspiring his employees to set personal goals. Jason is confident that an individual who achieves personal success is more likely to perform better and to stay longer at the company.
John Roussell, a respected leader in the food service industry, believes in working hard and playing hard. When new employees join his team, many initially feel guilty about enjoying golf with clients or celebrating wins with colleagues. John compassionately shares with them that they need the chance to recharge, have fun, and enjoy the moment.
Dena Jacquay, Chief Administrative Officer of Parkview Health, met with a team of hospital colleagues involved in a new network acquisition. One concern raised by a long-term co-worker was that before being acquired, the hospital had offered a program where healthy snacks were provided every Wednesday morning to staff. Now, with new ownership, the program had been discontinued. Dena interjected, “I had no idea of the program. It sounds wonderful. We love to support our co-workers, so please reinstitute it. Now, going forward, please let us know how else we can help you.” Dena displayed inspiring leadership by treating that team member like family.
I asked Bob Chapman about “tough love” in the workplace. I expected him to say that it was too negative. He shared the opposite: “Tough love means talking about the real issues with someone you care about.” Bob’s perspective reminds us that while it’s essential to deal with the tough stuff when it arises, we should do so with compassion.
Difference-maker #1: Treating your people like family is not just a feel-good exercise.
Functional, loving families openly address issues in an attempt to grow closer. And, as Jason Lippert said, a culture of respect, attention, and honesty will more likely result in better retention and performance.
Difference-maker #2: Nothing is gained through inhuman treatment.
Reflect on your career and consider a time when you spoke down to someone, and it led to lasting improvement. I can’t recall a time when that approach truly helped. The more we can avoid negative emotions and condemning language, the stronger our results.
We want our people to function as a team, trusting that they can count on each other when they face a challenge. At the same time, we as leaders must inject sincere care and understanding of the individual into the equation. After all, each one of us is someone’s precious child.
Podcasts I Recommend
Here are two great podcasts I recommend if you’re looking for inspiring business insights.
The Independent Minds podcast invites thought leaders to share their ideas for helping employers and employees address challenges in achieving business objectives and sustainable growth.
The Experience-Focused Leaders podcast, hosted by RELAYTO AI founder Alex Shevelenko, features honest, engaging conversations with CEOs, CMOs, and innovators from unicorn startups and global enterprises. As one of the first podcasts to pair episodes with interactive PodBooks™, it’s redefining how business leaders share ideas and inspire action.