How to Get Rich in the New Year

Having spent a good percentage of my career in retail marketing, I came to the conclusion there are two distinct management styles in regards to customers.   I've worked with management teams that focused on the thought that the customers were there to make life miserable:    customers steal, customers mess up the shelves, customers try to take advantage of offers, customers leave the restrooms in disrepair.  In other words, the end result was that customers were  looked upon as detractors (in retail?!)

The second belief structure focused on the ability of the customer to make the retail venture more successful.   We focused on what the customer wanted and tried to deliver that.   We honored that the customer had a budget to spend and structured our thought process so that the customer wanted to spend their money with us.   Guess which of the two retailers was more successful. . .

Likewise, I have seen managers who, much like the first example, seem to believe that their team members exist for the sole purpose of making their life miserable:    they focus on what their teams don't do, how much time they take away from work, how the team isn't as invested as they are.

And then there are managers who focus on what their teams deliver daily:  the talents each individual brings, the distinct point of view of each individual, the sacrifices the team makes for the good of the whole.

Guess which manager feels like the "richer" leader?  It certainly isn't the one who believes everyone exists just to take from him or her.

The richest team leader is the one who believes in the value of each and every member of the team; and they increase their wealth by continually integrating each team member's thought process in the daily operations.

So, if you want to be wealthy in the new year - recognize and revel in the wealth of talent and dedication that surrounds you daily. . .and if you do that, your dividends will multiply.

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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for e-readers, PCs and tablets on Amazon Kindle.