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Employees are like a cup of coffee. For starters, most of us can’t get through the day without a team. We may think we could run a one man or one woman show but that wouldn’t be realistic. And like a cup of coffee, our employees help get us through the day. Let’s discuss five other comparisons to a rich cup of coffee.
Strength – Regardless of what you add to it, the base of a coffee starts out strong–pure coffee beans. You need strong employees at the base of your team, those with deep values and convictions who aren’t afraid to speak up and lead as needed.
Temperature – There’s two ways to have your coffee, piping hot or ice cold. Each has its purpose and is equally delicious. The one way that you don’t want a cup of coffee is lukewarm and the same goes for your employees. You want passionate associates to work with you. Even if they disagree with you from time to time, that’s okay. Great ideas & change come from not following the status quo.
Sweetness – A great team works together and celebrates together. There are smiles & high fives when things are going well. All in all, you become a family and you begin to genuinely care about their well-being. Just like a cup of coffee, the bitterness that comes with some of the tasks of work is broken up by the pure sweetness of enjoying working together.
Flavor – Many of us have not only moved past a sweet cup of coffee, we have become accustomed to flavors such as vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, et cetera. It kicks the coffee up a notch. We need flavor on a great team. In today’s terms you might call it swag. If you want your team to be the best, they need to already feel it, know it, and act like it. That kind of flavor takes time, it takes a great leader, and it means everyone needs to understand the vision and pull their weight.
Identity – A latte can’t be an expresso and a macchiato can’t pose as a frappucino. Your team can’t be anything else except your team. As time goes on, you will learn what that looks like and feels like. The identity of your team is important. Everyone plays a vital role to the success of the team.
Your employees should mean much more to you than a cup of coffee but I hope you can appreciate the comparison. Both your coffee and your employees make you better and more effective. You need both to be successful. Think of your team tomorrow when you’re having your coffee. Who provides the strength? How can you promote the sweetness in your team? What is the identity of your team? Have you cultivated your flavor? Is your team’s temperature where it should be? All are great questions to ponder as you sip your coffee, move about your day, and analyze your team.
Final thought: Like a cup of coffee, the cream will rise to the top. You can celebrate only the cream and leave it there or you can mix that cream in with the rest of your coffee and make the whole cup delicious. Let your A-players do some of your heavy lifting by partnering them up with your weaker players to bring them up to speed and get on board.
Sip on,