In the fast-paced world operating a tradie business, it can be tempting to jump straight into criticizing when things don’t go as planned.
But true leadership is about more than just pointing out mistakes. It’s about building a foundation where your team feels valued and supported, so when criticism is needed, it’s both constructive and welcomed.
If you want to build a sustainable and successful tradie business, you must be able to attract and retain great people. To do so, it’s crucial to earn the right to criticize by first offering encouragement, support, and guidance.
Redefine Your Journey
1. Think Different, Do Different:
Earn the Right to Criticize
"Earn the Right to Criticize” emphasizes that before you can effectively manage performance, you must first establish a strong foundation of trust and support within your team.
This means consistently offering praise, guidance, and encouragement before delivering critical feedback.
When your team knows you’re genuinely invested in their growth, they’re far more likely to respond positively to constructive criticism, seeing it as a tool for improvement rather than a reprimand.
- Action Think Different: Shift your mindset to view constructive criticism as the final step in a process of support and guidance, rather than the first response to a problem. Building your team up first ensures that any feedback you give is met with an open mind and a willingness to improve.
- Action Do Different: Make it a daily practice to intentionally seek out and acknowledge the good in your team’s efforts. Provide the support and resources they need to succeed, and ensure that your feedback is always framed within the context of their overall development.
2. Legendary Thoughts:
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
This quote from Maya Angelou underscores the impact of your leadership approach. How you make your team feel on a day-to-day basis directly influences how they receive and act on your feedback.
3. Business Breakthroughs:
Key to Building an Engaged Team - Encouragement and Support
- Thinking: Many tradie business leaders feel the pressure to immediately address performance issues through criticism. However, without a foundation of encouragement and support, this approach can lead to disengagement and resentment.
- Do: Focus on creating a supportive environment where your team knows their efforts are recognized and appreciated. Offer guidance and encouragement regularly, so when the time comes for constructive criticism, it’s seen as part of a holistic approach to their development.
- Breakthroughs: Real-Life Success: Leaders who have embraced the "Earn the Right to Criticize" approach have seen their teams become more engaged, motivated, and receptive to feedback. By prioritizing encouragement and support, they’ve fostered a culture where criticism is valued as a tool for growth, leading to increased team retention and overwhelming job satisfaction.
Understanding and applying the “Earn the Right to Criticize” approach can help you build a strong, cohesive team, reduce turnover, and improve your business profitability.
Remember, building trust and offering support are the first steps in creating an environment where constructive feedback is not only accepted but acted upon.
Seek out the 'small 1% gains', be patient, and the big wins will come.Please share your business breakthrough experiences by emailing
matt@cubeperformance.com.au.
