The Company or Me
Is she working first for herself, or the company?
The topic I am raising is am I working for my company foremost or me? And what about my workers? Are they putting the company before their own interest?
Me First
First is: Have I personally got it straight that I am first working for the company and then working for me? I am at work for me and for my family. However, I need to earn money through my good work putting the company first and not the other way around. We must check ourselves closely to insure we get this right.
My Workforce – How Do They Answer Company or Me?
Second point is about your Chinese or other workers. They do not all naturally put the company first. Some struggle and some just plain put themselves first. People doing the same work but for a different heart based reason will have an impact on others and the whole work. The business needs to reward people for their excellent work for the company. We as leaders need to see that this gets done and done well.
We need to hire people who see long term and not short term. Short term people grab now and long term people can wait for the reward down the road and we better make sure to plan it. And for those people who put themselves first and the company second, we need to show them the door and fast. Because if you allow this attitude to live, then it will spread like wild fire. You cannot allow it. The right people start at work planning to put the business first, and you can usually tell from the first day if they have it. See also Mistakes Are Not the End, Self Deception Might Be.
However, our actions and what we allow in other junior leaders ultimately makes good people cynical. Finally, they just work for their family and little more. We need to admit it when we cause this problem. To work hard to hire for attitude and character but dump it down the drain is too harmful. Preserve and grow the energy that people bring the first day. Then you will have solved the second point here. May you and your company people work to give your company and their customers a better tomorrow.