"None of us is as smart as all of us." --Ken Blanchard
I think one of the biggest problems in businesses these days - large and small - is that the people which power the ship are completely undervalued! In most cases, if you speak to those around you that work as full time employees, you are likely to discover that they have quite a lot of complaining to do given half a chance!
Considering how much time we all spend in the workplace, it is truly a sad state of affairs that so many people are watching their lives flicker past them in a place that they dislike, doing things they get no validation for, surrounded by people who don't value or appreciate them.
My business may be a small concern, but I am VERY FIRMLY of the belief that if you want the people who work for you to hold even 20% of the passion that YOU do for your own business, then you need to TREAT THEM PROPERLY!
I am not simply talking about money. Yes paying people well is a great motivation - but money will not compensate for being undervalued repeatedly.
I have a very small team but they are like family to me. I give them everything I can financially speaking and over and above that, I welcome them into my life and my world. We don't do it all the time, but at least every few months we socialise on a personal basis... which normally involves me cooking for them lol.
What I love most about my team, is that the requests to socialise together will come from them and to me... that is a VERY healthy sign.
There is a great respect between all of us - within and outside of the workplace. The atmosphere in our work space is productive and loads of fun! NO PRUDES ALLOWED! lol - We work hard but we play hard too!
Yes, I might be their boss and if there is an issue to be dealt with I will deal with it - firmly - but then it is done and everybody is expected to put on their big people undies and move on... WITHOUT their lip on the floor! lol! (They know me WELL!)
Spending time together as a team in a business is SO important in my opinion. You NEED that time to appreciate one another as people - as individual "characters"
Our last little social gathering was quite a fun one... I decided to be a little lavish and take them to one of our many five star restaurants here in the gorgeous Mother City.
Bistro Sixteen82
It was an AMAZING day weather wise (which is code for it was blistering hot in Cape Town) and off we went!
Seated at our table - the fun began! Bring on the drinks please!!! hehe
I love how once everybody is settled, the conversation starts to flow... we get to chat and laugh about all the customers that we want to strangle through to the ones we love and have all the time in the world for... it is always GREAT fun to have a little bit of "skinner" (An Afrikaans word for gossip - for those of you that did not catch that. hehe)
The food at this particular establishment was absolutely out of this world! Despite the "casual" manner of the venue itself... the food was anything but!
This was possibly one the the BEST steaks I have ever had... and we ALL know how much I LOVE my steak... lol (cough... 
and dessert... well... no words!!! The presentation was just spectacular - it was a "coffee ice cream" which was just nom nom nom 
It was an amazing day out all round - but the day would not have been complete without an after party and a few spoils from the boss lady... hehe
say cheese for the camera boys... lol (very happy faces, as the spoils from boss lady were in liquid form)
To me, the people who pour their "everything" day after day into your business - should be treated like family! We might be a small business in Cape Town, but let me tell you... we have a very BIG reputation for our AMAZING service levels - and this, I owe SOLELY to my team!
"Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another." --John C. Maxwell
I can only hope that my words here will inspire a few more "bosses" to take a little more time out of their "oh so important lives" to realise that there is NO "i" in team and when the cogs aren't well oiled... they don't turn ;)
Until next time...
Much love from Cape Town, South Africa xxx
