Written by Some companies use all of their power to destroy themselves instead of beating their competitors and bringing excellent product to the market and customers. Here are the five steps how to destroy your company on your own:
1. Change everything what was agreed rapidly
Changes are fine, welcome and required. But if you agree on something with your employees take care how frequently you change it. Treat your employees like your business partners. Generally, you are signing a contract with your business partners. At best, you try to fulfill what you agreed on. The same should be valid for your employees. For example, when you are committed to give a try to Scrum you can’t hijack the Scrum Master for your own purposes and leave the employees on their own. Every change you do, without informing your employees is violation of agreement you “signed”. The result: you become unpredictable and uncreditable.
2. Ignore the objections and ideas
Nobody have interested to create bad products. If you mean “bad” is relative, it isn’t. Bad is still bad. If your employees are enthusiastic about your ideas, it is the one of the best kick-off factors. If they aren’t and you are convinced of something, it is your job to assure your employees that your idea is valuable and it is right to spend some time to make this idea come real. If you will win or fail later on, doesn’t really matter, because you are doing it together. This makes a company stronger, because everybody knows that they are working on the same idea and they carry the same responsibility for success or failure. If you will use brute force you will not get the commitment. What you will get are employees who work from nine to five without any interest. Without commitment you are the only one who is taking the responsibility for success or failure, so don’t try blame others later. Instead of that listen to your employees and take their objections and ideas seriously.
3. Blame and mistrust
It is okay to make mistakes, but what is definitely not okay is to blame anybody. It is not weakness to admit “What I did, was wrong”, on the contrary, it is strength. Your role in the company is meaningful in various forms and you should lead by setting a good example. If you will be able to admit your mistakes, the employees will not have fear to do it themselves. This creates space for the trust on both sides. Trust is the base the creativity in development. Only empowered people are doing their job with passion. When you can’t trust your employees you don’t need any of them and you have to lay off all of them.
4. Don’t show interest
The management is about the people. The employees which are working for you are the most valuable resources you have. They should be the first and the last thing you have in your mind. If you don’t show your care, they would try for a couple of time to get your interest, but sooner or later, they will ignore you. The result: You will lose contact. You will not get any information of what they have in mind. It is on the hand that you aren’t available 24/7. If you are busy and you don’t have a time, communicate it. Say it clearly that you can’t answer the emails in time now. They would be very grateful for this small but very important information. So, when did you ask your employees last time how they are doing? Prefer verbal communication, have small talks daily, carry out questionings, do everything proactive to know more about your employees!
5. Misuse your company
Only because you are the owner of the company, and you are paying the salary you are not eligible to misuse the company for your private needs. You should know that each company has a goal. If you misuse the company for your private needs, you misuse the goal and the people who are working for you. Your employees are hopefully here not only for the money you are paying but also for the fulfillment you are offering. They want something to do for the company and not personally for you. Do you remember the day you decided to start your own business? What was the goal?
Anton Kalcik 