employees

Ok, if you want to scale your business you really don’t want your employees to need you that much. Bottom line, if they need you, aka, can’t make a move without you, you’re in deep pooh. Look around, survey the landscape, this it is, this little slice of business heaven. You will never grow, expand, move onward and upward. BUT that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt a little, especially if you’ve been part of the training process. Everyone wants to be needed, at least most people. I always thought I did until the needing got a bit much. That, however, is usually just growing pains. Every major shift requires a tug, then you break free, people fly and you do too, onto the next challenge. It’s part of the game. If you don’t have the stomach for the rollercoaster you may as well not ever get into this thing called business. 

                                                     I had two of my top people jump ship last winter for greener pastures. Hey, it happens. No hard feelings, I have a tremendous amount of respect for them both. But, of course, this meant my job just got a bit harder, because instead of hiring above my AE level gals we decided to promote from within. One of the VPs who left was an EXCELLENT manager (I get teary-eyed just thinking about her skill, she’s going to be a great mother one of these days). Now, I had to get in and fill her shoes AND run my business and boy that wasn’t fun. But good news, the ladies were up for the challenge, the heavy training is over and they don’t need me nearly as much anymore. Yes, it makes me sad, but glad too. And they are doing amazing things! Hey, in the end, it’s better to have someone want you than need you anyway. Lol.

I don’t know how it’s going in your neck of the woods, but in the NE corner of the country we are being pollinated. It’s ugly. Really. All I want to do is go to bed early and sleep in late. I’ve sworn off alcohol for a season, but you would think I was out partying hard the way I feel in the morning. What has this got to do with public relations? Focus on the relations part. If I’m feeling like this, chances are everyone else on the team is as well. It’s time to give the peeps a break.

One of the perks of owning your own shop means you can come in later than 9 a.m. if you want to. Granted, I work all weekend, and am up at 5:30AM on my Blackberry, but still, if I’m straggling along I can come in after 9:00 a.m. Not so for the peeps. So when the weather turns, its time for summer hours! Starting Memorial Day weekend it’s half day Fridays! And I came up with another idea – how about letting the VPs work from home one day a week… Why not? They wouldn’t be a VP if they haven’t proven they can make it happen (from a plane a train or a hotel room). So, have at it, if you made it this far you deserve it. Plus, it gives others within the organization something to look forward to, because once you’re on the train there is nowhere to go but up!

 So, take your allergy medicine, start your fake and bake and get ready for summer, the fall crush is just a few months away!