“What gives me the most satisfaction is seeing the progress of individuals and teams. It’s all too easy to focus on the P&L neither giving the time nor the investment to the needs of the team.” Here’s Ade McKeon’s 12 steps to business success.
We all hope to find a job that brings fulfilment and enjoyment and if you’re lucky enough to get into the drinks industry you’ll regularly meet interesting, passionate and committed people. In all the years I have spent in the sector, I have encountered many different personalities at different stages of their career path and the common factor is often that they dance to their own tune and hold strong views
That’s because the industry attracts strong personalities because you have to be brave, forthright and downright determined to work with the land, battle the multi challenges presented by an agriculturally based back of house as well as a relentless commercial front of house.
The old school bully-style manager so excellently played by Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross is the opposite of what a good business leader should be about, according to Ade McKeon’s business principles
What gives me the most satisfaction is seeing the progress of individuals and teams. It’s all too easy to focus on the P&L neither giving the time nor the investment to the needs of the team. I am a big believer that training mentoring and coaching are fundamental, but there are also some brutal truths that businesses must embrace and act on to provide a healthy, sustainable, productive and fair framework for people to grow and shine.
Here are 12 rules any good business should follow:
When your best people leave, it’s not them it’s you. You need to reflect on the reasons why. Have you managed their potential and provided the opportunities for them to excel and thrive?
You don’t have a remote work issue. You have trust issues. Every business is different. Figure out what works best for your people, manage the outputs not the inputs and the business will thrive.
Management that can’t handle feedback won’t survive change. Don’t be in denial. You will learn by hearing and understanding. The best leaders are the best listeners.
If you’re actions don’t align with your values, your employees won’t trust you. Any organisation that purports to work to a set of values (and most do) and don’t will soon lose credibility. Instil your values through words, deeds and actions to everyone who comes into contact with the business.
Your diversity programme is hollow if your leadership team all look the same. You need different perspectives, voices and experiences to enhance the quality of your decision making. The broader the thinking the better the outcomes.
Underpaying your people doesn’t make you cost-effective, it makes you short sighted. This is a myopic view. You may save money in the short term but you won’t retain people in the long term. Pay people what they’re worth.
A toxic culture will tarnish your brand, no matter how good your products are. Just look at the Spanish Football Federation! No matter how big your wins, pernicious behaviours will damage your reputation.
The customer experience will never exceed the employee experience. You won’t have any customers if you don’t value your team.
Micromanagement isn’t a sign of dedication, it’s a warning sign. Allow people to do their job and make mistakes along the way. That’s how they learn and evolve.
Top talent won’t stay if their growth isn’t your priority. Empower them to make and action decisions. Support their pathway and recognise their successes. See failure as an opportunity for greater critical thinking and analysis.
Leading by fear creates teams that underperform. There is no place for fear in the workplace. Effective leaders listen, respect and demonstrate empathy to build trust and loyalty.
If you don’t pay people what they’re worth, someone else will. Saving money on salaries will cost you in the long term. You won’t attract or retain the people that will help grow the business or develop effective teams for a sustainable future.
All these points are relevant to any business and the drinks industry is no different. Value your people as much as you do your customers, ensure a positive, healthy environment with a demonstrable ethos, broaden your mindset to create a diverse work community, welcome challenge, listen and learn and above all, support and develop everyone around you. Cheers!
- Ade McKeon, is an executive coach and mentor who has set up the Triade Consultancy to help “people and teams become more successful by using tried and trusted methods and tools which provide clarity and simplicity, chosen after many years in the commercial sector”. To get in touch email him on: ade.mckeon@triade.co.uk.
