Constructing your company isn’t all that different from constructing a building to house your company: You need to begin with a strong foundation.
At The Cimarron Group, that is exactly what Bob Farina strives to do.
The co-founder, owner and CEO of the marketing and advertising firm — which generated more than $30 million in revenue in 2008 — says a strong foundation starts with the principles set by the head of the company. A leader must give employees the resources to perform their jobs, a sense of purpose within the organization and mediums through which they can communicate their thoughts and concerns.
“You have to believe in the team, trust them to do what is necessary for success, and you have to give them the support and the resources to get the job done,” Farina says. “I like to give people an idea of what the goals are and let them figure out the best ways to accomplish it.”
Smart Business spoke with Farina about how you can lay a foundation that supports your employees.
Get your people involved. The more people are invested in a plan, the more they put their heart and soul into it, the better the results will be. It is really important to be decisive. I tell my staff that you may not always get the answer that you like, but you’ll get an answer immediately. Leading a person to not have an answer or to just sit around and wait for something is never helpful.
Simply stated, it’s communication. You have to sit down and talk to them. You have to listen to them. It’s not a matter of telling. It’s a matter of describing your ideas, what the goals are and working with them to get there. If you just dictate things, people don’t care. You have to get them involved.
Face-to-face communication is the most important form. I walk the floors twice a day. I see people and talk to them. I ask them how projects are going, are there any issues, are they getting enough support, are they getting enough help. It is always good to get their opinions on things. You don’t always have to agree with them, but you do have to listen. As I said, if you listen to them, they become more invested.
