Creating a Culture of Commitment in Your Business

Quotes

“When that alarm clock goes off, there’s thousands of people that have already served you. From the sheets, the pillows, the bed frame, the alarm clock, thousands of people have served you. So everything is predicated on serving.” – Jim Robinson, (3:37)

“Building bridges is really interesting. That’s a good metaphor for a lot of companies solving problems. When you’re building a bridge and people are driving across, you have to have a lot of trust in that bridge. I think the ultimate goal in leadership is cultivating new leaders in the team they have to trust.” – Shawn Black, (4:37)

“Sometimes because we get tunnel vision, we lose some of our creativity…If you continually tell somebody how to do something from a micromanagement level, you really shrink their creativity. It’s crucial that you trust them to figure out how to be able to get things done.” – Jim Robinson, (21:50)

“If you’re hiring certain levels of employees, education’s not an option. People are growing into certain roles, or if they have acquired the skills to fill a certain role, it’s through education, and that’s through experience.” – Jim Robinson, (28:23)

Creating a Culture of Commitment in Your Business

On this episode of FM Evolution, host Shawn Black sits down with Jim Robinson, the CEO of CGP Maintenance and Construction Services, as well as an author, speaker, certified business coach, and chairman of a nonprofit. Throughout Jim’s thirty-seven years as CEO of CGP Maintenance and Construction Services, he has successfully developed a caring culture that encourages open communication and growth. In this episode, Shawn and Jim discuss creating a culture of trust, the importance of celebrating wins, and how transparency is a necessity.

A Leader’s Influence on Company Culture

In any business, building a culture starts from ground zero. Typically, the business’s principles are based on the founder. Therefore, the culture of the business is determined by the actions the founder performs every day. As the leader, they have the influence to develop their culture based on the example they set. Core values are founded on how the company’s leader lives and occupies the space they’re in every day.

When a company’s core values are demonstrated from the top down, it motivates people to work hard and be loyal employees. It also creates an environment where people feel supported, and it allows them to foster relationships with their leaders. If leaders do not demonstrate trust in their team, they will be limited in what they can control due to the lack of respect and open communication among employees.

“Building bridges is really interesting. That’s a good metaphor for a lot of companies solving problems. When you’re building a bridge and people are driving across, you have to have a lot of trust in that bridge. I think the ultimate goal in leadership is cultivating new leaders in the team that they have to trust.” – Shawn Black, (4:37)

The Importance of Celebrating Small Wins

As a leader, it’s important to celebrate the small wins and not get too focused on results. It’s easy to be too driven and not recognize the accomplishments of those around you. Moreover, celebrating wins doesn’t always have to be business-related—it can be people-related. You can celebrate people’s accomplishments in life as well as in their careers. A paid day off for an employee’s birthday can build morale just as much as recognition in a meeting for a job well done.

Celebrating as a team—and making it a scheduled event on the calendar—emphasizes to the employees the importance of being able to let their guard down and receive praise. This is a great opportunity for team building, and it makes it easier for employees to receive constructive criticism because they know their value is not based strictly on the end results. When employees know that small wins will still be celebrated even if mistakes are made, it creates an environment where they can be more creative and believe that they can do a job well done.

“Sometimes because we get tunnel vision, we lose some of our creativity…If you continually tell somebody how to do something from a micromanagement level, you really shrink their creativity. It’s crucial that you trust them to figure out how to be able to get things done.” – Jim Robinson, (21:50)