| |
|
What Matters Most for Your Business
 When Dave started putting together his newest book, EntreLeadership, he asked himself a simple question: What are the fundamental principles that caused my company to win? He came up with six values that turned his business from a "card table operation" in his living room to a national brand that has helped millions.
These half-dozen core concepts will work for you too, no matter the size of your company or organization.
People Matter
Whether it's your customers, team, community, vendors or even your competition, every individual around you is uniquely important. They all have hopes and dreams. They all have fears and struggles. They are humans, not units of production. Every single one deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and a caring heart.
Your Team Matters
As an EntreLeader, you should be consumed with the needs of your team. Are you constantly doing what's best for them? Treat your team like family, and they will act like family. You'll be paid back in full with faithfulness, dependability and profits.
Excellence Matters
When it comes to your team, having the right people in the right positions allows you to do your best work. Take plenty of time when filling positions. Pray for God to bring the right people in—and keep the crazy people out!
At Dave's company, each prospective team member goes through at least four interviews, including one with his or her spouse. They are also required to send a personal budget and take a personality test to make sure their style fits with the job. Dave takes hiring very, very seriously. He and his leaders look at the whole person, family and all. They know they're only one or two bad hires away from a crash, so they don't get in a rush when adding people.
Slow and Steady Matters
We live in a fast-and-furious, microwave-cooking, gotta-have-it-now world. Stop. Slow down. Take a breath. Overnight success is anything but overnight. You're running a marathon, not a sprint. Make long-term plans and short-term course corrections as you go.
Financial Principles Matter
Start managing God's money God's way. That means operating on a budget and avoiding debt. The Bible says, "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender." Stop being a slave and prosper.
A Higher Calling Matters
If you play for something bigger than yourself, you'll play much harder and smarter. The same holds true for your team. You will be surprised by how hard everyone works when there's a sense of calling. What's your higher calling? Why do you do what you do? Find out and share it with your people. Successful EntreLeaders never focus strictly on the "what." The "why" is equally as important.
By sticking to these simple but powerful core values, you can take your company and your team further than you ever dreamed possible. Everyone will be a winner when you concentrate on what matters most.
|
| Share this: |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
Happening on Twitter
@entreleadership: Show people your humanity as a leader - 'He's all business' doesn't win over many followers. |
|
 |
|
If you're ready to take your leadership to the next level or start your own company then join Dave for the 1-day event based on his New York Times #1 bestseller, EntreLeadership.
Register now. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Rick Perry,
Director, Human Relations
I like to look at and explain things from a 30,000-foot view. It drives high D and C personalities crazy. So when I am asked about our company's core values and their impact, I naturally do a fly-over and try to answer the question using some visual model.
I think of our company as a big, sturdy oak tree. Below the surface are our core values and beliefs. We can't see them, but we know they are there and provide the foundation on which our business rests.
The trunk of the tree is the organizational structure—systems and processes we use to communicate and make decisions. These have to be designed to reflect our core values, or they don't fit. For example, having time clocks as a system would be totally counter to our core value of trust in our team.
The branches of the tree represent the behaviors of our team members. Each team member might act a little differently based on personality profile but should exhibit a common set of behaviors—passion, a servant's heart, strong work ethic, integrity, genuineness, etc.
This common set of behaviors is our culture. And it is this culture that produces the results we get—the acorns from the tree.
About Rick
Rick has been the Human Resources Director for the Dave Ramsey team for five years.
He and the HR team work day in and day out to make sure we hire the right people, get them in the right seat on the bus, and provide them with great benefits and a culture that provides hope and changes lives. |
|
|
|
