Lessons from Dean

Here is a blog post from broadcaster Bill Grady. It was so good I thought I would share it.

Eric

Lessons from Dean

I’ve just reached my “5 years in business” this week, and I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed going to work every single day since being on my own. It may sound cliché, but I’ve enjoyed it so much that it really hasn’t seemed like work.

As I’m reflecting on these past five years, the things that I’m the most grateful for are the lessons I learned before going out on my own, specifically my days with Dean Sorenson when he owned the Fort Dodge radio stations. Dean led by example, and if you wanted to grow within the company he required you to do the same. While there were many lessons learned, here are 10 that I’d like to share with you:

1. People come first. Your staff needs to “feel” this attitude from you otherwise they’ll see these as empty words that you don’t believe in yourself. Recognize them during their triumphs both big and small, and be supportive as they experience life’s tragedies. They may not remember what you told them, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
2. Hire people who see the opportunity to join your company as a step up in their working life and are willing to give something up to be in your organization. Hire people who have a success story to tell and others say good things about. Hire people who you would be proud to be in business with, and stay away from people you would have to make excuses for.
3. As your business changes stay flexible and surround yourself with people who can adapt to those changes readily too. Beware of the “boat anchors” who are more concerned about their routine than everyone else’s success.
4. People assess your character by the commitments you keep and those you don’t, no matter how big or small they are. Make sure you follow through with the easy and the tough promises and commitments because your word means everything. If you can’t do it, don’t promise it.
5. The community is smarter than all the people at your business. Listen to what your town is telling you. Wherever people gather to drink coffee is a great place to learn what the town is really saying about your business.
6. Aim the gun and pull the trigger. Having a plan is important, but a plan without action is the same as as a hunter who stares at their target in the crosshairs of the gun and then watches the target walk away without a single shot fired. If you can’t execute the plan, be prepared to be laughed at by the bank tellers as you try to deposit your good intentions into your bank account.
7. Develop an enviroment where creativity and getting the job done is rewarded more often and with greater recognition than filling out the right form or sending out the next memo. If there are more memos than productive and meaningful conversations, you’re doing it wrong.
8. Require others within the organization to run the place like a business and inspire them to take ownership of what you’re trying to accomplish. The numbers don’t lie and they point the way to both the problems and the opportunities. Brainstorm with others to solve problems and exploit opportunities. A team of entrepreneurs will always outperform a group of employees.
9. Build your staff’s ability to solve problems on the lowest level possible to increase the customer’s satisfaction, increase the staff’s level of cooperation, and to keep your sanity as a manager.

10. Last and certainly not least, teach someone in your organization something useful everyday that will help him or her perform their job better. Not only will they appreciate it at the time you’re helping them, but also they will remember you as someone who cared about them long after you’re absent from their daily professional life.

Thanks Dean, I was paying attention.