Often business owners, when asked about what they look for in terms of a stellar employee, will say something vague along the lines of "personality." And yes, having a good personality is certainly important—but what does this mean really, at least as this translates to how good a worker someone may be.
What many studies have found is that when leaders refer to personality, they are talking about emotional intelligence. Versus one's personality, emotional intelligence represents skills that can be improved upon. Leaders should be on the lookout for those with potential regarding these emotional intelligence skills and then should consequently be helping employees polish such skills.
A few things that do set great employees apart…
- They delay gratification. They are not necessarily about reward or compensation for a job well done; rather, they see what needs to be accomplished and go after it head-on. Whatever accolades come their way, so be it. But this is not their primary focus.
- They can deal well with conflict. They may not actively seek to involve themselves in any conflict, but neither do they shy from it. Instead, they present logical and concise arguments while remaining calm in the face of disagreements. They can deal with the attacks because, in the end, they keep the goal and the good of the company in mind.
- They focus. They do not get distracted. They don't let problems with consumers or arguments with co-workers derail their main focus. In essence, a great employee can stifle the background noise and keep doing their job unfazed.
- They're courageous. Even if faced with a potentially tough or even awkward situation, an exceptional employee will be the one who speaks up while others may remain silent. And what's more, they can do this in conjunction with an overriding common sense; meaning, they think carefully before speaking and make sure their words count.
To keep your great employees, you will need an employee retention plan. First Union Lending can give you the business funding to do that. Give us a call and find out how we can help!