1 Ques on Every Boss Should Ask Themself

By Tommy Mello, Founder, A1 Garage Door USA

Would You Work for a Boss Who's Exactly Like You?

IF YOU WOULD, great. If you wouldn't, it's not the end of the world.

The question made me think of the ways I would need to change myself and my business to get to where I wanted to be. Here's what I did, and if you also want to build a team of A-players, you should follow suit.

I wrote down a list of things I need to change or have -- so that I'm the best leader people would love to work for. It's one reason our job posts get fi lled up quicker than ever (at A1 Garage Door, we now have 400-plus employees).

Building a great team is much easier if you're a great leader

I've focused on the following things to become a better leader, and hopefully this will help you improve your leadership and attract A+ talents too:

1. See your employees as your most important customers.

I'd even go one step further: See your employees as family.

I know that sounds crazy or cheesy, but we've created a family in my business. And I love my A1 Garage Door family. For example, I'm making time for one-on-one calls with every single employee, even if it's been a challenge to schedule everyone into my calendar. We also assign Dream Managers who help employees with their professional and personal goals.

If you pour your love and aff ection into your people, they will work for you. They are going to want to win. They are going to want to challenge themselves. And they are going to love coming to work.

Look, a lot of these people aren't getting the love at home. Statistics show that many Americans are lonely -- and this is especially the case thanks to the pandemic. What if you can get them to "tap dance" to work every single day, as Warren Buff ett said?

2. Pay your employees what you would pay yourself.

Once, a billionaire told me how to make a million dollars. He had reached the top of his capacities, and he realized that the only way to grow from there was to bring amazing people in and give them equity and profi t sharing.

He was stuck. But when he hired people who were better than him, and gave them a share of the business, growth just exploded.

Now, some leaders or founders might feel bad because an employee is making so much money. That does not make any sense to me. Companies make much more money when employees overdeliver. So, if people are getting rich in your organization ... it is because they deserve to.

However you choose to pay your employees, here are two tips: • Track their results consistently: Make sure to pay them for exactly what they are bringing to the table. The metrics need to be specifi c to the individual value they create in your business. I also recommend a performance rating system so you can consistently track their results over time. • Reward them fairly: Don't give them a chunk of what you've already made -- give them a big share of what they add to that value instead.

Prove your company is worth working for

Recession or not, there will always be great people looking for a better opportunity. I started my business during the 2008 recession, and I know that's the case.

The key is showing them that you, the leader, are capable of delivering on the promise of a better opportunity.

So, how are you going to be the best leader in