At Corodo, we make no secret of the fact that human capital is the most important investment in your SME: the holy grail, the foundation without which your business is almost doomed to fail. Quite a statement, but what exactly do our coaches mean by this? That’s what we are going to explain today.

“Good staff are hard to find and even harder to keep.” Such statements are not uncommon, and are often uttered by business leaders everywhere with an undertone of mild frustration. Not surprisingly because it is absolutely true: the success of your SME depends on the people who put in the effort every day.

But don’t be fooled: while a reliable and capable team is a good start, it takes more to achieve consistent growth. After all, even the most skilled employees need renewed spirit from time to time; a spark of inspiration and a push to give them the necessary drive. But how does a business manager provide that push?

Even though the answer is simple, in practice it is often overlooked: a team will only grow to its maximum potential if it also receives maximum attention. Rob, managing director of digital agency Creatic and Corodo coachee, testifies: “About 3-4 years ago, Dominic made me realise that I am involved in the type of work that relies on people. At Creatic, we design one-to-one creative campaigns… a machine simply can’t do that.”

And indeed: numerous companies use heavy-duty, professional machines to carry out their operations on a daily basis. For them to perform optimally, they are thoroughly cleaned, lubricated, repaired at least once a week… Moreover, after three years of faithful service, there is a good chance that an investment is made in new models, just to be on the safe side.

However, those same leaders, who invest passionately in their machinery, sometimes forget to invest proportionately in their employees. If you don’t lubricate a tap on time, it will seize up, and it’s no different with humans. Moreover, as an entrepreneur, you are basically trained to see an opportunity in everything. Do you also see this in the team members around you?

You don’t build the business.

You build the people, and they build the business.

Our opinion? Don’t forget to reflect on what your individual team members need personally to perform at their best. Sit down with them over coffee and have a genuine conversation to find out how they are feeling. How they perceive their workload, whether they see opportunities for growth, whether they are using their talents, whether they get into the flow, etc. Just 10 minutes of your time, which sets in motion a big change in the workplace.

As a busy business manager, do you sometimes tend to give your mailbox a little more attention than your team and would you like to get the most out of your employees, so they feel great and perform optimally together? Keep reading our blog or contact us for more info. We’d be happy to sit down with you without any obligation.