Thursday, February 5, 2009


STOP SPENDING MONEY!

Yes, the economy in the tank!

Yes, the banks are holding on to “their” money!

Yes, businesses are going belly up!

Yes, stocks are plunging into the tank!

So – it’s time to stop spending money!
or is it?

Does the copier jam every once in a while?

Are your computers still running old software that should be updated? Does your equipment need some adjustments? How about your fleet of trucks, do they need an oil change?

It would be shortsighted not to fix these problems.

Continually unjamming the copier - time waster and frustration.
Computer software that isn't up to date - invalid data or erroneous reports sent to the IRS!
Not fixing your equipment - major customer problems and financial disaster.
Not servicing your trucks - breakdowns and delays.

Maintenance is simply the cost of doing business following the idea of "you can pay me now or you can pay me later". It is inconceivable that you would run a business without maintaining the assets that make the operation run efficiently.

Yet, when it comes to our people – “our greatest asset” – we treat them like liabilities.

On the one hand, we stop “maintaining” our employees, let alone try to “enhance” our employees. On the other hand, we expect them to …

"Do more with less!" "Be a team player!"

"Adapt to change!" “Just work harder!”

"Get out there and sell more!"

Instinctively, we know that our employees have potential that isn’t being utilized. Somehow, we believe if we say the right words, create enough motivation (“you still have a job, don’t you?”) and assume that everyone will step it up, our problem is solved.

This thinking is kind of like expecting the copy machine to fix itself by run more copies or software to correct the data on its own by blindly using the system. I call this the “hope-a, hope-a, hope-aleadership style.

Sorry but lectures, motivational speeches, and platitudes are not enough. People need to hone their current skills and develop new skills.

The good news is, some organizations are on top of this incredible need. We've already seen a change in 2009. The right type of training builds trust, loyalty, and confidence—not to mention competence. It assuages fear and worry.

The right training will do two things for a company.

1) Help facilitate change so they can survive and grow in this economy.

2) Position the organization to explode when the economy turns.

Make no mistake; all recessions go away. All sour economies rebound. So the only question is, will you be prepared? You will if you believe …

It's Time To Train!

Michael D. Diercks, Regional President, LMI - Serving Columbus for 40 years!

Partnering with Leaders to Increase Results and Enhance Value!

(614)823-8150 - www.lmi-columbus.com - mdiercks@lmi-columbus.com - http://lmi-columbus.blogspot.com

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