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Building an entrepreneurial staff Your employees will work harder if they’re enthusiastic about their role in your firm; here are some tips to make that happen.
A s firms finalize their strategic plans for 2016, we hear a consistent desire from firms of all sizes to create an environment in which employees at all levels feel responsible for the company’s financial success. Sure, this is a challenge that all businesses face, but I think it is felt more acutely within this industry than many others.
Jamie Claire Kiser
career development for staff at all levels – not just principals. Financial fluency should not be an afterthought. It’s not fair to promote someone to the decision-maker level without arming them with the tools they need to gauge the company’s success. This means identifying key performance indicators or revenue goals, and teaching people what drives the KPIs. ❚ ❚ Make every job the most important job in the company. One of my favorite anecdotes to this end is the NASA janitor who reportedly told President John F. Kennedy that his job was to help put a man on the moon. If your receptionist believes that his job is as noble as your structural engineer’s, you will see enthusiasm and ownership of individual results reflected on your bottom line. Elevating morale requires celebrating the wins of the back office staff
Most architects and engineers have had minimal exposure to financial management and are more comfortable building bridges than interpreting balance sheets. Successful firms have vibrant, entrepreneurial cultures. Staff feel responsible for the financial well-being of the company and “that’s not my job” is removed from the firm’s vocabulary. “Elevating morale requires celebrating the wins of the back office staff as much as your star business developers.” Some of the top ways to get your staff to care as much as your CEO include: ❚ ❚ Incorporate financial management training into
See JAMIE CLAIRE KISER, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER January 25, 2016, ISSUE 1136
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