Gem The - La Quinta Chamber of Commerce

16 The Gem La Quinta Chamber of Commerce September 2006 lqchamber.comKeep employees engaged and energizedBy Columnist Kathleen McEnteeKathleen McEntee and Associates, LTD.Member News…Club AchillesBy Ruth FinholtYour employees’ ideas and passion for their work can help your business grow andsucceed. Are your employees giving your company their all? Do they believe thatwhat they're doing is important? Do they feel appreciated? Do they arrive for workfilled with purpose?If you can’t honestly offer an enthusiastic “yes” to these questions, consider howyou can improve your work environment and relationships to encourage employeesto work with energy and enthusiasm. The results could be profitable, personally andfinancially.Provide tools. Make sure your employees have everything they need to do theirjobs. Ask each staff member, "Do you have everything you need to be as productiveand successful as you can be?" Be willing to act on worthwhile responses. Be willingto reconsider any policies they consider counterproductive.Set expectations. Clearly communicate what's expected of employees, what thecompany’s values are, and how the company defines success. Employees need tounderstand their roles, where they fit in the big picture, and how they can make thecompany more successful.Share information. Provide as much information as possible about the company.Explain where it's making money, where it's losing money, how its products aredoing in the marketplace, what new initiatives are being considered and why andhow employees can contribute. Even when the news is not encouraging, people willappreciate your openness.Get personal. Take the time to get to know your employees, especially their goals.Without prying, show a genuine interest in your team.Commit to training. Most people like to learn, to grow, and to improve theirmarketability, and the more education and training you provide, the happier andmore engaged they will feel. Cross-train employees in a variety of jobs whenpossible. This not only improves productivity, it builds cooperation and appreciationwhen team members understand the challenges of other positions. Also, be sureemployees are trained in problem solving and conflict resolution skills. These criticalskills will help them communicate better with you, their coworkers, customers andsuppliers.Be inclusive. Include your employees in planning and decision making. Facts “onthe ground” may differ from perceptions at 30,000 feet. They may see issuesdifferently and offer ideas for working smarter. If you need to create a more efficientdelivery system, ask your delivery staff how they would improve the current system.Use their ideas, and give credit to them.Reward and recognize. Personally thank an employee for a job well-done. Specifywhat was good about it and why you appreciate it. For example, say: "Thank you fororganizing that project so well. You made it very clear what should happen, when andwhy." Remember to celebrate effort as well as accomplishment, to give employeesworking on long-term goals a boost.Following these strategies will help employees feel valued and enthusiastic abouttheir jobs. Not only is this more fun, it’s good for business, improves retention, andreduces burn out.On Thursday, July 27th, Club Achilles invited the entire valleyChamber’s of Commerce to participate in the “Battle of theChambers Invitational”. The event was a nine hole scramble and thecourse was Pebble Beach. This exciting golf event allowed us toexperience the premier indoor facility and enjoy the competition,with the winners walking away with bragging rights and thissummer’s “Battle of the Chamber’s Title and Trophy”.Nancy and Angelo Bianchi, PMAC Lending Services, Inc.; RobertSylk, The Sylk Group; Ruth Finholt, La Quinta Chamber ofCommerce, CEO; Peggy Evans, La Quinta Chamber of Commerce,Executive Assistant were some of the players on the La QuintaChamber team. Although, our team gave their all, the PebbleBeach Course proved to be very challenging and we did not win.There is always next year!If you need to beat the heat and still want to play golf, we highlyrecommend you stop by and see the facilities at Club Achilles. Formore information call 760-564-9112.