Company Blog

Important to me. Important to you (not so much)

by Adam Zack — April 3, 2018

Not a one-size-fits all hat.

On Sunday it was three weeks since I last washed my car, which for me is way too long. Most of the year we wash our cars every week. On Sunday mornings my wife and I drive the cars to the self-wash. We vacuum. I spray, she scrubs, we both dry. I Armor all the tires. Her late father Bob Jones used to say “A clean car just drives better.” I couldn’t agree more. It’s important to me that my car is clean. I just feel better driving it when it is. So on Sunday as I was happily drying it, I thought of how a clean car is just not important to some people. Actually, to a lot of people. A lot of people I know! Even some I’m related to. While I may cringe at trash and crap stuffed in side pockets and glove boxes and empty water bottles and candy wrappers strewn about a dirty car interior with 2 months of street dirt on the floor mats and the place where the dog licked the inside of the window last year, other people couldn’t care less. And when I step off my high horse, I have to be OK with that. In fact, I need to be great with it. It’s not my car. I passed judgment and I am not even a judge! I started thinking in broader terms, especially work terms, how the very best managers and business owners know what is important to their employees. And it’s not a one-size-fits all hat. It takes great patience, learning and most of all listening and observing to know what is important to each individual you manage and lead. Bob thrives on feedback. Steve needs daily appreciation. Mike needs his performance evaluations done on time. Money is most important to Laurie and Mary loves it when you ask about her kids. All different. All important. I get it.