Tim Ferriss, in his book The Four Hour Workweek, talks at length about focusing more on the customers and people who bring you in the greatest good for the least amount of work. Likewise, this concept can be applied in our dealings with our human resources, and with our customers.
Those who are in high skilled positions can be counted on to provide companies with the greatest good and greatest productivity. It is important to have more “pay-tience” with these people because they are highly valuable to the organization. On the other hand, that doesn’t mean entry level staff are less important. In fact, there may be people on the part-time pay grade who make a great impact on your company. But one thing must be made clear through your organization – the patience we have with you is generally directly correlated with what you do to add to the bottom line of the company.
Similarly, with customers, if a customer brings you $6000 a year in business, you probably are going to have more patience with them than with someone who brings you in $100 on a one-time basis. Having the ability to give the extra service and support to the higher-end or more frequent clientele makes a world of difference.
Too often, we focus too much on satisfying the needs of everyone, while sacrificing the greatest good in helping those who are providing the most return on our investment in our time. In the coming days and year, look at your staff (and your customers), and determine if the pay-tience you have with them is worth your time, or if it is time to focus more on others.
