As a business asset, they don't sit well on the P&L statement. They aren't valuable like a piece of machinery, or an office block. There is no assignment of currency with which you can measure them. But living and breathing within the walls of your premises are the biggest asset you could think of - your people.

Here's why...

Your people are:-

1. Your Face
   They are like a big advert on a bus or a hoarding. Whatever you want them to be - they are you, in whatever way they feel at the time. One slip and there goes a lifetimes worth of business (have you ever worked that out over 20 years - try it!)
   
2. Interactors
   They are one side of the two-sided interaction between your business and your customers, clients and suppliers and anyone else you can think of. This interaction is not just a choice, but a reflection of how your are within your business. So their 'interaction' is down to you and you alone.
   
3. Proactive
   Great at the day job, your people can give more. They can think ahead and develop a knack of being pro-active for you. Using them as one big team you suddenly have 10 pairs, a hundred pairs or even a thousand pairs of eyes and ears, noticing and responding to things, on your behalf.
   
4. Choosers
   They choose how to interact with your clients, customers and suppliers. And in that choice; in that very moment, they are able to make successful and long-term relationships - or not. They have the choice.
   
5. Synergistic
   They can contribute to you much more than the bare bones of their 'being there'. If you build the right relationship with your people they will spin and bounce ideas off you like no tomorrow. This is a very rich asset for you to utilise.
   
6. Weight Lifters
   They can take some of your burden away. If you treat them fairly, honestly and trust them, your people are able to take on new roles - and give you time and energy, which will leverage your skills in your business to there most effective.
   
7. Prospectors
   Great employees, onside with you, can be brilliant for developing new clients or customers. They will work on your behalf, if your behaviours encourage them to fight for you. Too often employees expend energy fighting against their organisation.
   
8. Sensors
   When in the flow, as your people will be when they work in the great culture you have in your business, they will 'smell out' business. They will create freqently returning customers and sell each one of them more. In that enabled relationship they are a money-making machine.
   
9. Recruiters
   They will wear your business or organisation on their sleeve - so if you need great employees to show up for you, working on your existing people is a first, vital step. They will recruit for you!
   
10. Your Life
    Great employees make a great team. A great team make you enjoy that 40% of your life you spend at work. If you treat them well (see below), you will reap rewards far beyond the financial value of what the cashflow is - or the profit outturn. You will lead a happy and fun life at work, full of laughter and joy - what more could you want? By the way - your business will do very well too!
    

So what do you need to do. In my experience, not much. Do these things and you will have a brilliant teams about you.

• Say 'Thank You' often
  
  
• Be very clear in your expectations
  
  
• Be interested in your people fully
  
  
• Be honest and trustworthy
  
  
• Deliver your promises (or don't make them)
  
  
• Be consistent and very fair
  
  
• Keep your people informed
  
  
• Model the way you want your people to be
  
  
• Be a part of the team - join in
  
  
• Fight for their cause
  
  

Working with people can be such fun and so rewarding. It ain't hard either - but you can do it if you focus, one changed behaviour at a time. Step by pleasurable step!

Copyright 2005 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)

...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...