Alert and aware, evaluate your workforce. Typically, seventy percent of workers are average performers simply doing their jobs, going through the motions. This type of worker is available in ready supply. Ten percent of workers may be underperforming and should be replaced. The top twenty percent of workers are highly motivated, take pride in their accomplishments and their performance generally exceeds expectations.
You are in business. Your business is your benign dictatorship and not a socialist cooperative or even a democracy. You do have to treat all employees fairly regarding working conditions. However, unless you are constrained by a union contract, you do not have to compensate all employees equally. You will have top producers who are not easily replaceable. These top producers can, should and must be pampered. Give the elite few everything they want to stay motivated, loyal and happy. If your replaceable employees grumble, well, replace them.
Alert and aware, constantly be on the lookout for top performers. If you meet them working at Starbucks or at an industry convention, hire them. Also, reward your best employees for finding and recommending other extraordinary workers. From the beginning, make it your policy to take your time and hire the right employees. If you hire poor performers, all your speeches and all the feel good management handbooks will be of little use. It is almost impossible, to teach and motivate a slacker, or to retrain or reinvigorate a burnout.
Businesses are built hiring one productive employee after another. Hire slowly and fire quickly. One good apple can motivate. One bad apple can ruin the bushel.
