18 Sep A rising ride lifts all boats
Creating an inclusive workplace for your employees is more important today than at any time in history. The world is changing around us and providing a safe space where people can enjoy the dignity of a job well done, no matter who they are or what their background, is an essential part of your success as a business owner or a CEO.
One of the most important (if not the most important) parts a workplace is ensuring that your employees can do their jobs well. I’ve found that an essential element in helping employees in this regard is assisting them to have an understanding of your business, and their jobs – knowing what things mean and knowing how to use this information to do things. It all starts with the basic building blocks – words.
With this in mind, to be successful in your career as a CEO, or business owner, and for your employees to be successful as professionals, they need to know the actual definition of a professional, career, and outline.
Professional: a person competent in a particular activity.
Competent: having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully.
Career: an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress.
All employees (veterans and new hires alike) should be provided with a document, whether in booklet form, or a digital PDF, that covers a general description of what they can focus on to gain the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill of their job, whether in a position of leadership or just trying to build a culture of inclusiveness and a safe environment in which employees or colleagues can thrive. You should also know what you as a CEO can do to empower your employees to be successful in their careers.
Because your career is something done over a large part of your life and because it has opportunities for progress toward your goals, you must spend time – first understanding and second practicing the abilities, knowledge, and skills.
You don’t need all the details, but instead should at least provide the essential (most important) parts of what can be focussed on to improve abilities, knowledge, and skills – and as a result, advancing everyone’s career. Of course, there will be situations that you gain knowledge by doing things and through experience on your job.
There’s an old saying, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” This is particularly true of a company. With everyone knowing what they can focus on to improve their ability to do their job well, productivity will naturally rise with all being aligned in their efforts. And so the tide rises, and each boat is lifted with it.