Business Is About People

Several years of consulting with contractors and working with all of their employees has reminded me that businesses really are about the people. It’s about understanding that there is a whole range of backgrounds in the the people we work with, it’s about understanding that not everyone is wired the same way or thinks alike. This uniqueness and individuality means that we have to be patient. As managers and owners, we often meet frustration with someone or their performance, but we can’t just complain about it. We can vent for a few minutes, but then we need to look at what we can do to improve the situation. Letting what can’t be changed aggravate us will help no one, and it will certainly not help the people who are counting on us.
​This frustration just makes communication that much more important. There is no way for every employee to know exactly what every manager is thinking, but there has to be a common understanding between co-workers. This means that frequent and fluent communication within a business is crucial, especially in times of change. As leaders, we need to reach that understanding and describe our vision, give our employees an idea of what lies ahead. We need to communicate with the people we work with, we need to take care of them, be aware of them, and appreciate them. Business is about people, and people cooperate through communication.