Most of the time I have no easy way of knowing how or even whether this column affects my readers. In real life, few if any people take the time to write or respond to columns in the trade press – I know I never have. It came as somewhat of a surprise then, when about two dozen people took the time to write, call, or talk to me regarding my last column about employers failing to treat their employees as the valuable assets they are. All the respondents said essentially the same thing - I really struck a cord and must be talking about their company.

What surprised me even more was the number of representatives of upper management in the group. There were zero, zip, nada comments from management. I guess I would prefer to assume I write a blue collar column for the worker bees and that management simply didn't get a chance to read the piece than have to conclude that all the employers out there really don't care about their employees. Come on you management people – are you out there? Don't you understand the stakes here? Your employees have spoken and their opinion of our industries best personnel practices are not good. What do you have to say for yourselves and your companies?

Lets look again at what it really takes for a company to be successful today and where empowered, motivated employees fit in the picture. As I said in the last column, it is my strong personal belief that loyal customers and motivated, loyal employees are the only real assets a company can count on. The development cycle is far too short and your competitors are far too hungry for most other advantages (including good current products) to be more than short term advantages.

How do you build loyal customers? Good products at reasonable prices are certainly an important part of the equation, but in general I think a strong history of trust is at least as important as the best technical product. Customers need to know they are personally and individually important to your company, that you are listening to them and you will do the right thing for them. They need to trust your company and your people. The company that takes care of its customers does not low-ball bids, is careful to explain the risks of being first with new technology, only commits to projects or products it truly believes it can deliver and then follows through on those commitments. And yes, sometimes honesty is painful and they might have to say Mr. Customer, right now we have nothing that fits your needs. Ask your own customers and you'll find most of them would buy from that kind of a company at any and every opportunity.

It seems to me the only way you can reliably build good products at reasonable prices is to have a staff of loyal motivated employees. Ones that can be counted on to do the right thing for your customers and be honest with them. Ones that are empowered to make commitments to the customers in their own areas and then are dedicated enough fulfill those commitments.

There is a really interesting round table discussion in the Feb/March Fast Company magazine. The summary is quite timely and crosses back and forth over our terrain with interesting insights into motivating companies and employees. Several specific quotes stuck out.

For example "People often equate speed with certain ways of working: staying late, working harder, pushing stuff out the door. The real issue is bravery. Too many people in big organizations spend too much time HIDING." Many of us, whether in big or in little companies can relate to at least the emotional feeling of the word hiding. Perhaps you know it as ‘keeping your head down’ or the acronym ‘PYA’. We're told what the company line is and its understood there will be no discussion. I think speed is also often wrongly equated with loyalty – if you're loyal you will work longer, harder, etc. In the quote I’d equate loyalty instead with the word bravery – the truly loyal employee is the one brave enough to tell it like it is instead of hiding behind unachievable schedules, impossible commitments, etc.

There is also a strong thread regarding the fear/trust issues. Another lead quote in the story was "It's fine to talk about trust. But how many leaders of companies are prepared to trust their own people with the fate of the company?" I also think most of the industries workers can relate to this quote with management that intentionally fail to inform workers of changes of direction, customer problems, etc. But on further reflection the quote is really up side down -- who, pray tell, would you trust with the fate of your company other than your own people?

These thoughts lead us naturally to the management secret of the decade – empowered employees are loyal employees. The person who can trust what management tells him (or her), who doesn't fear that speaking up is a death sentence is the one who can see his way clear to develop bravery. He can be loyal to the company by explaining the flaws in the design, the addition errors in the schedule, the better way to do things, etc. And he can be loyal to the customer by making the commitment to do the right thing. To fix the oversight, repair the bug, make the smaller sale, etc.

Its not easy only because its not the way most of us work today. Yes. good products and prices are important, but I believe these are more readily achieved by good companies with loyal employees. It is top management's job to create this kind of environment, but those of us lower down the ladder have a say as well. Do what's right on your own – if your company is short sighted enough to not understand what is right, vote with your feet and move on to one that does. In the long run, you'll be much more fulfilled and your (then current) employer will be much more successful. Let me hear your thoughts.