Jamba Juice is an example of how effective branding can even help your employees in their own quest for a great life. I know that sounds like the ultimate platitude, but it's actually true!
FUN
INTEGRITY
BALANCE
EMPOWERMENT
RESPECT
Besides nutritional goodness for your body, Jamba serves up nutrition for the soul as well. Their company's CREDO, a way of interacting in the work environment, is a credo for life too. I took this gem and planted it right in the heart of my own company, let me tell you why.
First, it's about FUN. Yes, Fun! I say, if you're not having fun, you're in the wrong place. Making life, work, relationships, and experiences fun is what it's all about! Fun also drives sales and business to heights that without, it just can't go. Fun is contagious, fun drives sales, fun makes people want to engage, and fun makes people trust you. That, my friend, is why every salesperson in the world wants to make it fun, 'cause if your customers are having fun, they'll buy from you and they'll come back to do it again.
Integrity is a funny concept, misunderstood by so many. Warren Buffet's philosophy for hiring is simple. "in looking for people to hire, look for three qualities, Integrity, Intelligence, and Energy, but if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you."
Integrity is not what you show others, it's how you behave behind their back, and Brian Tracy reminds us that " . . . integrity is the most valuable and respected quality of leadership."
I recommend defining it simply for those who work for you, Do what you say you're going to do, and Be who you say you're going to be. If you say you're going to do the lead follow up, do the lead follow up. If you say you're an honest person, then be honest, always.
Listen, if you say you'll get back to someone who is applying for a job, then get back to them, regardless if you're ever going to see them again. Otherwise, your team will watch and see, and that will be the example they follow. If you want to be a Leader, then be a Leader, and if you want to have integrity, the only choice is to have integrity, regardless of convenience or circumstance.
Balance is another misunderstood theme, especially for those who work for you. I started my entrepreneurial career in the resorts of Colorado. Everyone works three jobs, and there are very few employees with balance in their lives. You can't always get balance, but it should be something you strive for, or you will overwork, over party, over indulge . . . you get the idea. No one is at their best without a little work, a little play, a little fun, and a little love. Balance is the key to productivity, perspective, health, and well being. How can you lead a team without wanting that for all of them?
Empowerment is more about those around you, and how to get the most out of your team and endeavor. Look closely, if you don't have someone on your team that has more to give, I recommend a new team. I have always gotten my best ideas from my customers, my employees, and my peers.
When I was in the cycling industry, I fell into the trap of hiring those just like me. How could I go wrong? I was smart, energetic, and I loved to get people involved with cycling. But I didn't like to clean the bathrooms. Guess what, no one ever cleaned the bathrooms, and we suffered from a terrible environment for our customers in need.
Most good leaders hire a diverse team. Why? because 'more than the sum of their parts' doesn't happen if they're all the same part. Perspective is everything, it's more valuable than gold when you're trying to do something new. Empower your team to bring to the table their own special gifts. They will constantly surprise you.
Respect. Yikes, I could go on all day on this one. Of course you want your team to respect you, your customers, and their peers, but let me put this in front of you. Respect for oneself is as important to gain the respect of others. In fact it's required.
Respect your body, exercise, eat right, don't drink to excess, and get outside once in a while. Respect your mind, watch your self-talk, don't watch too much TV or internet. More importantly, feed your mind like it's pregnant. Read, research, talk with others, attend a seminar. A mentor of mine once told me, "Grow till ya go." It's so true.
I still live by these important ideas, it's helped me traverse many tough moments. Not always in the short term, but certainly for the long term. I hope you will too.
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