Looking for a great executive leadership role model? Check out Petsmart.  Spend some time listening to Phil Francis, PetSmart Chairman and CEO and you will get a great understanding of how he values his most important assets–people, customers, and their pets.  Last week at the Phoenix’s Enterprise Network monthly breakfast, Mr. Francis discussed his views on attracting and retaining the best employees in today’s competitive market.  The next two blogs are going to focus on a couple of his valued key points.

When it comes to employees and customers, there are three things that an employer, owner or manager must recognize as critical to everything:

1. Provide your people a better quality of life.   Your team knows their work environment affects their health and well-being.  People do not leave an employer because they want more money they stay with their current employer when they have agreat work environment, enjoy what they are doing and, like where they are doing it.  If you want to keep your best employees, give them an environment that gives them that quality of life experience.

2. Develop your people. All your employees are motivated to be successful.  They are looking for that opportunity to succeed.  As a company, you need to continually strive to develop your people to the point where they can take leadership roles in the company.  People are looking for opportunities to individual success and they will go the companies that are committed to that.

3. It is your people that bring in the customers. Using the example of the local haircut person, Phil reminded everyone that he follows his barber to wherever he goes.  Why? He gets the service he is most comfortable with.  In the competition for services, businesses need to recognize that your people are what attracts and keeps your clients coming back.  If you are constantly churning service personnel, you are at a competitive disadvantage.  Recognize the value that your employees bring as service providers to your clients and leverage that relationship.

To save time, reduce costs, eliminate expense, or through simple ignorance the emphasis on motivating, training, and developing employees have been become an undervalued component in business today.  It is no coincidence that PetSmart continues to gain market share in a highly competitive market.  They value their employees and it shows in the results.  This is something to think about as you develop your budget for next year.