BizConnect: Why your human resources influences your business’ credibility

My latest BizConnect contribution.

Employees are an important component when it comes to building and managing your business’ reputation. 

When taking the plunge to start your own business, it’s tempting to try and do everything for everyone by yourself. How often do you say to yourself: “I’ll save money if I just quickly do this myself” or, “No one will do it as well as I can”

It may seem that you’ve saved money by doing it yourself, however, in many instances, the reality is that you are doing yourself and your company a great disservice by trying to cut corners.

Here are a few reasons why it’s important to build a solid team around you, instead of fighting battles on your own:

The time that you spend doing that activity is not ‘free’ at all

As the owner of a company, your hourly rate value is on par with your elevated position. Would you pay someone, for example, R1000 an hour to staple together a few documents? It doesn’t make sense does it? Why then are you spending your precious time doing it? One of the key habits to get into, and learn early on, in your entrepreneurial journey is to delegate tasks accordingly.

You need to remember that you are now a business owner, and your main focus needs to be on steering the ship. You can’t do that if you are slowed down by day-to-day admin and operations. This doesn’t mean that you ignore it totally, but you have to have someone skilled on board who can focus on day-to-day activities. This enables you to focus on your core business.

There are some great virtual support options out there that you could invest in on an hourly, weekly or monthly basis to help manage the administrative side of your business. In this way, you don’t have to invest in a full-time employee right away, if budgets won’t permit.

The sooner you start documenting your processes the better

Write down every activity in a step-by-step format. Record it exactly how you perform the task and in as much detail as possible.

By doing this, should that task need to be repeated, you can hand the step-by-step document to someone who can then perform the task exactly the way that you would have.

“I was always rather reluctant to relinquish control when sending out media releases. Subsequently, I wrote down the process I took and included all the possible steps I could think of. The next time we had to send out a media release, I had to take a leap of faith and hand the media release and step-by-step guide over to a team member. All the steps were followed and I had a lot more time on my hands to focus on other key business areas. My only annoyance was that I had not handed over the reins (and step-by-step document) sooner!”

Documenting the process identifies gaps; when things are not done correctly, we go back to the operating manual, working through the steps to see whether it is a gap in the document (which we then update) or identify team member training to prevent similar future mistakes.

The following core team should be on your side when first starting out in your business:

Bear in mind that all of these services can be outsourced before you invest in full-time employees, in order for you to focus on your core business:

• Accountants should be up-to-date on the latest SARS and VAT requirements, and guide you accordingly. They will also be able to assist you with payroll when the need arises.

• Labour consultants will give you advice about the latest labour laws, and provide guidance when you need employment contracts and employment management best practices.

• Administrators who help with the day-to-day admin activities by confirming meetings, filing documents and creating general order is invaluable. They allow you to focus on building your business.

You may feel that you are able to juggle all of your organisational tasks and requirements, unfortunately, there are only so many which you can realistically manage before they all come crashing down. Just remember that your reputation, and the business’s credibility, is at stake if you try to do everything yourself.

Midweek Wisdom

Leadership Magazine: Fixing a reputation is simple, not easy November 2016

Here's the link to the article, it's on page 142.

Everyone has a reputation, albeit a good or bad one. The question in business is, what percentage of your own leadership style is contributing to the overall reputation of your organisation?

Before we answer that, let’s take a step back and look at the ‘so what?’ of reputation management. Why is reputation important? A research study conducted by the World Economic Forum found that 25% of an organisation’s bottom line is linked to its reputation. A quarter of the value of your organisation boils down to how you are perceived. With this in mind it’s worth getting a thorough understanding of what is building or breaking down your reputation.

People want to be associated with companies with a positive reputation, because by association they also look good. Companies with a good reputation are incredibly focussed on what it is they want to do, and how they are going to get there. They are clear on the values that drive their decision making. This central message is echoed through all the different channels of communication to their various stakeholder groups. When everyone has a very clear understanding of where they are going, it is a lot easier to be innovative and look for ways to achieve the desired end point, without being distracted by the unimportant.

Organisations perceived to have strong, stable brands, attract top employees; they can pick and choose from the talent pool and decide who they want on their team. They will opt for strong candidates that resonate with the company’s values, people who can perform at a certain level to ensure expected outcomes. Having the top recruits on board and giving them the freedom to be innovative, encourages growth within the organisation. Customers can then invest their hard earned cash into a particular product or service that they really want. Profits earned by the company can be used to re-invest into the teams and technology as well as making socially responsible commitments to uplift the communities within which they operate. All of this contributes to the overall reputation of the organisation.

The same goes for an organisation that does not have a positive reputation; it will be difficult to recruit a team as low morale impacts productivity. Service delivery will be affected and ultimately the investments that customers are willing to make will be compromised; leaving the crux of what keeps the business afloat in serious doubt.

Returning to the question posed earlier, what impact does your personal reputation have on the business? In my opinion, most people in senior positions think that they can separate their personal life from business. As much as you may want to keep your personal life just that, personal; your work and personal life will embody the same values. You can’t have a different set of values when you are at work and then chop and change it around when you head back home. When it comes to reputation management, three key words pertinent for any leader, are authenticity, integrity and consistency.

Your core values and the way that you conduct yourself on a daily basis filter down through the organisation. You are steering the ship and leading by example. I do sometimes wonder what example the leaders of our country are setting for our nation. With that said it’s not only a question for South Africa, take a look at the current USA election race. What example is this ‘first world’ country setting for the rest of the world? People in high places seem to get away with making ridiculous statements to get attention; they rant and rave on public forums, but at what cost to their reputation?

On a recent flight to Johannesburg I had a conversation about this specific topic with a gentleman who hit the nail on the head when he said, “It is the arrogance of power that lets people think that they can get away with the things that they say and do in the public domain.”

Is that perhaps why we have so many young people making ludicrous statements where, to the rest of us, they are clearly losing sight of reality by thinking that rules are no longer applicable to them? The recent #sciencemustfall farce is one example. In times like this I return to the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln who said, 

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.”

With that said, it is about knowing what to say and when. Once you’ve uttered a word, it cannot be unsaid. When we present media training workshops, we always warn participants against “going off record,” if you don’t want it in the public space, don’t mention it. I think people often say and do things without thinking about the consequences; the thrill of the attention is blinding and leads to over inflated egos that need continuous feeding. When the attention dwindles, they think of more absurd ways to feed the ego monster.

Can a reputation be rectified if you’ve done something dodgy or said something incredibly stupid? Fixing a reputation is simple, but not easy, and some situations can’t just be “PR’d” away. If you’ve messed up, take responsibility, own up to it, be empathetic to those that are affected and indicate what you plan on doing to prevent this from happening again. It boils down to the three pillars of reputation that I mentioned earlier; being authentic, having integrity and showing consistency. The key is to apply these words to every aspect of your personal and business life.

Keen to continue the reputation conversation? Join Regine on Twitter @ReputationIsKey or Facebook www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters.

Beeld: Belê in die beste mense vir jou maatskappy, en bou 'n goeie reputasie, 26 Oktober 2016

Here's the English version:

Selecting the cream of the crop for your organisation

“If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur”, wise words from Red Adair, an American oil well fire fighter.

When managing the reputation of any organisation, investing in the right people to do the job means that you are investing in the quality of your output.

Regine le Roux, Managing Director at Reputation Matters, mentions that human capital is a vital element when establishing and building on a positive reputation for your organisation: “Identifying the right calibre of people during the recruitment phase is directly aligned to the strategic intent of the organisation; knowing exactly where you are going with your business and who you need on your team to get you there. Getting this right at the onset will save you a lot of time, frustration and money in the future.”

How do you select the cream of the crop for different positions? Here are some tips:

1.     Set up strategic alliances: In order for you to build your reputation, you would need to employ individuals who can do the job and be an ambassador for your organisation. “At Reputation Matters we have really good strategic alliances that helps feed the recruitment funnel. We have a great relationship with the University of Pretoria’s Communication Management Department and offer their top BCom Communication Management honours students internship opportunities with us,” mentions le Roux.

2.     Implement a rigorous recruitment programme: Having a set recruitment programme for all applicants, in both small and larger organisations, is essential. “By having an in-depth online application form or process, you will be able to determine whether the person is serious about wanting the position; if they are, they will complete the form in full. It also demonstrates their basic use of spelling, grammar and industry knowledge,” says le Roux.

3.     Test their communication skills and contact references: The next round should always involve a phone call to determine how the candidates handle themselves telephonically. If they pass with flying colours, the first face-to-face interview is set up. “Should the interview go well, check references and then do personality profiling to get an idea of how they will fit in with the rest of the team. Culture fit is extremely important in any organisation and this needs to be determined from the get go,” adds le Roux.

4.     Presentation of a case study: “As the final step of our recruitment process, the candidate is given a case study to prepare and present to our team. By implementing this, we are able to pick the best candidates for different positions as it often highlights their strengths and shows their way of thinking,” mentions le Roux.

Le Roux explains that once you have selected the ideal candidate, a thorough induction is necessary to help them get to grips with ‘how things are done around here’. “During this session the vision, core values and culture are discussed. This instils a level of respect and understanding for the organisation and leaves very little room for misinterpretation; it helps the candidate grasp exactly what the expectations are. This important step links back to strategic intent and operational governance, with the message and vision being reiterated right from the top,” says le Roux.

Building a reputation is about getting the right team in place from the onset, ensuring that everyone is on the same page regarding the business goals and vision.

For more information on managing and investing in your reputation, visit www.reputationmatters.co.za or call +27 (0)11 317 3861. Reputation Matters is also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters) and Twitter (@ReputationIsKey).