The more I know people, the more I love my dog - Frederick the Great
Writing in The Book of Business Anecdotes, Peter Hay shares a story that in the 1950s, marketing genius Stanley Arnold was working at Young & Rubicam where he was asked to create a marketing campaign for Remington Rand. The company was among the most conservative in the United States. Its president at the time was retired General Douglas MacArthur.
Intimidated at first by a company that was part of the United States, Arnold also found in that sentence the first inspiration for a campaign. After thinking it over, he went to the New York offices of Merrill Lynch, Fenner and Beane, where he told the broker, “I want to buy one share of each stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange.”
After a vice president tried to talk him out of it, the order was finally placed. He reached over $42,000 for a share of the 1,098 companies listed at the time. Arnold now brought his diversified portfolio to a meeting of the Remington Rand board of directors, where he passionately defended a jackpot sweepstakes campaign called A Share in America.
The old gentlemen shifted in their seats and discussed the idea for a while. “But Mr. Arnold,” said one, “we’re not in the securities business.” Another said: “We’re in the razor business.”
“I agree that you’re not in the stock business,” Arnold said, “but I think you also have to realize that you’re not in the razor business either. You’re in the people business.” The company bought the idea.
As a leader, when you grasp and understand this simple but sometimes elusive reality of business, it will make all the difference for you. It’s easy to get so caught up in the daily procedures and maintenance of business (the what) that we forget the why (vision and values) and fail to nurture the who of business: people. Here are three essential reminders to help you stay focused.
People are the purpose of your business; serve them
Sometimes this is a concept lost on many leaders. Crystallizing a key point on this issue is the former president of Starbucks International, Howard Behar. In his book, It’s Not About the Coffee, he writes, “At Starbucks we’re in the human services business, not the customer service business.” That is the distinction. Adds Behar: “I’ve always said we’re not in the coffee business serving people, we’re in the people business serving coffee.”
When your focus is on serving people and treating them in every way the way you would like to be treated, you are abiding by the principles of customer service. But it is such a simple point that it is often overlooked. When your focus is on people and not your product, people will take care of your product.
People are the fuel of your business; invest in them.
In his book Up, Down, or Sideways, my friend Mark Sanborn explains, “The sale creates a transaction. The service, how we treat and care for that person, creates a customer. Without the customer, all is lost. Remember: no customers.” , no profit. Know the customers, know the profit. So, making a connection with the customer becomes vital to the initial transaction and, more importantly, to continued loyalty to your organization or brand.”
Smart leaders are all about building relationships. A person’s association with your product will take a back seat to their relationship with you as a person. When you foster relationships above all else, you’re putting value where it belongs. Invest in people and they will invest in you.
People are the future of your business; be true to them.
If care is not taken, leaders can take a limited view of loyalty and only see it flow in one direction: to them. But can I remind you that loyalty is a two-way street and the best way to receive it is to give it. Be loyal to your people and they will be loyal to you. It’s that easy.
Og Mandino said, “Always give more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task is.” Leaders who serve with a servant’s heart will never go wrong. Give your best faithfully and the people you serve will reward you.
Are you a people person?
© 2014 Doug Dickerson