Logic indicates that a company can’t exist (for long) without customers.  So clearly customers should be top priority for any organization.

But what about you and your employees?  

Where do they come into the equation?

I agree that customers are a top priority but the ability of your employees to take care of customers is dependent upon your ability to take care of your employees, who are your customers. After all, they buy-into your leadership.

So we shouldn’t put the cart before the horse. And remember, since you’re the one leading the horse…you have to take care of ‘you’ too.

I’m not talking about “taking care of” as in taking care of a guest in your home. I’m talking about knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA).  If you want your team to provide the best possible customer service, the only way you can do that is by making sure they have the KSA to do it.  But that also means that you must have the KSA to lead them as well.

The better they are, the better you have to be.

This doesn’t mean that you have to know more than your team does. Great leaders surround themselves with great people.

What this does mean is that you have to know more about leadership, about team building, and about people than they do.

What skills do you need to possess in order to bring out the best in your team?

If your team isn’t getting the results, you must first look at yourself and ask, “How can I better assist them in being successful?”

When you develop your skills, your team improves, and so does the customer experience. Think about it today.

What do you need to develop to take your results to the next level?