Last week I attended a business meeting in St. John’s Seminary, a business retreat in Plymouth, MI.
As soon as I walked into the massive and beautiful foyer, I could see this facility was impressive.
All the details of elegance were present. 
Granite floors, stain glass windows and up tone decorating. The staff was highly trained and very personal.
You could just feel the professional difference. I wondered to myself, “Who wouldn’t want to hold their business meeting at St John’s Seminary?”
One of the best ways to distinguish your business from your competitors, is to create an environment where your customers can feel the difference when they communicate with one of your employees on the phone, through an email, or face to face when they walk in the door.
It has been said that the company’s attitude starts at the top and filters its’ way down to the frontline personnel. That means that the president and his management team’s behavior is ultimately the main factor on how the employees treat their customers. If the employees receive respect, then they will do the same for the people they serve.
What we are talking about are the values of an organization that are supported by daily actions.
Charles Kettering, a former president and leader of General Motors Corporation, once said, “Take away my buildings and we will be back tomorrow to rebuild them. If you take away my people there will be grass growing here tomorrow.” Kettering knew the value of his people and it was this kind of mindset that helped to grow General Motors into an industry giant.
How about in your company?
When it comes to truly leading your organization, are you and your management team walking the talk? Do your employees love coming to work? Do they brag about their company to friends and relatives? Do they feel like their efforts truly make a difference in the lives of the people they serve? If you answered affirmatively to those questions, you are doing a lot of things right. If there is room for improvement, then it must start with the people at the top.
A 360 assessment is one of the tools that can assist you in getting a clearer picture of how well you and your management team are leading your organization. When done properly, it can help identify the areas that need to be developed.
So, set the pace for your company and create an environment where your customers can feel the difference of respect.
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