Set Yourself Up For Success

Hey everybody! Drew McLellan here from Agency Management Institute, this week coming to you from Kansas City, Missouri. As you can see behind me, the sun is coming up and a brand new day is starting. And that's what January feels like, lots of new starts for all of us. And one of the things I'd like to suggest, strongly suggest, is that you don't start at a disadvantage. And what I mean by that is for many of you, one of the hardest things for you to do, and this is true for all business owners but I know for a fact that it's difficult for many agency owners. For many of you, what is most difficult is for you to make staff changes when you know you need to. So you've got somebody on the team, maybe they're a B player, maybe they're a C player, maybe it's aptitude, maybe it's attitude but they really aren't giving you a grade A quality performance. but they really aren't giving you a grade A quality performance. They're not really contributing to the team in a significant way. They aren't really contributing to the clients in a significant way. And we tell ourselves that we're not letting them go because we're nice people, because we know that their kid's in college or their mom is sick or whatever. But the reality is, we're not letting them go because it's uncomfortable. And maybe we feel like we haven't done them a service in terms of training or mentorship or support. But for whatever reason, if as I've been talking, a person popped into your head, you know that that is someone who probably doesn't belong on your team. And what I want to suggest is that you don't start 2021 with a weight on your back. That you don't allow yourself to start the year That you don't allow yourself to start the year carrying someone who isn't contributing at an A level. I'm a huge proponent of doing a letter grade on every employee and not accepting an employee who's not a B or a B+ or better, unless you think you can level them up and you make a commitment to leveling them up in a specific period of time to that B or B+ level. So, think about your roster, think about your team. Is there someone that you're carrying into the new year that really isn't going to contribute to your agency or client success? And if so, it's time for you to say goodbye to them and get someone on the team who is going to contribute. Most of us, our agencies are too small to have a mediocre or less player on the team. It has too much impact on the rest of the players. So don't start this year with a disadvantage. Clean the slate, only have great players on your team and release those mediocre or not quite right fit players to go find a right fit job somewhere else. All right? I know it's hard. I know that it is an uncomfortable conversation I know that it is an uncomfortable conversation but you've got to set your business up for success and who you have on your team is one of the most critical elements of that. Okay? I'll talk to you next week.