Photo by Portuguese Gravity on Unsplash
Spare a thought for Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair.
Arriving in a hotel in Dublin, he went to the bar and asked for a pint of Guinness.
The barman nodded and said, “That’ll be one Euro, please, Mr O’Leary.”
Somewhat taken aback, O’Leary replied, “That’s a very competitive price”, and handed over his money.
“Will you be wanting a glass with your Guinness, sir?” enquired the barman.
It’s an old joke that illustrates how the reputation of a business or its leadership might be perceived by the market it serves.
And if it ever happened to Michael O’Leary, he would probably be delighted that the no-frills message Ryanair has made its mantra since the beginning is so clearly understood.
It’s brand awareness of the highest order.
Whether you feel it’s excellent or lousy awareness is a matter of personal opinion.
However, there’s no arguing that consumers know what to expect when they book their flights with this airline.
On a related subject, how often have you been in a store, cafe, hospital or coffee shop where the assistant (or nurse) makes it plain that they would rather be doing anything else than dealing with you?
I come away thinking, “you are in the wrong job”, or “why did you choose to work in this profession when you hate what you do and what it entails.”
However, sometimes, it’s not surprising why they feel grumpy. Maybe, they aren’t in the wrong job, just a poor company or organisation.
The system around them, in which they are expected to deliver outstanding service, clearly isn’t working.
The business could be short-staffed, or the training provided has not been adequate.
Generally, people want to succeed, and they want to do excellent work.
We all like praise for a job well done and the feeling that comes from performing the tasks within our roles proficiently.
And that’s whether it’s making sandwiches, taking blood, or closing out high-value deals.
The people in a team or business are all brand ambassadors for the enterprise.
The question is, do they know that?
In your business, you might also consider if they want to be ambassadors?
Do they feel connected to the organisation? Are they proud to be part of that business?
Millions of workers have answered “No” to those two latter questions by resigning from their jobs in the US.
The exodus has been termed “The Great Resignation.”
It marks a time when worker values trump bland statements about corporate good from management.
Those resigning workers don’t believe the values their employers are promoting to the outside world.
They see a different reality.
The Team Management Issue of the Quietly Good Newsletter is all about ironing out the kinks that can hinder the building of a closely bonded and focused group of people.
Honesty and directness are essential requirements.
You can read more about the content via this link.
Very best,
David
