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Share and Share Alike

The People Who Guard Your Equipment

 

By Beverly Floyd

 

Fortune Magazine recently published their list of “100 Best Companies to Work For in 2006”.  Genentech, a biotechnology firm based in California, was ranked number one.  In the column that describes what makes them so great, a parenthesis statement remarks that 95% of the workers are shareholders.  I wonder if CEO Art Levinson is familiar with the origins of the "Share and Share Alike" philosophy that he practices.

A General and his army returned to their homes after three days of travel.  Upon their arrival, they discover that a band of raiders underhandedly invaded their territory, kidnapped their wives and children, and plundered their possessions.  After seeking counsel, they planned a retaliation attack and set out to trace the whereabouts of the adversary. 

 

The journey to avenge was particularly long and eventually one-third of the regiment became too exhausted to continue the pursuit.  The General allowed the fatigued men to stay behind and guard the equipment while he and the remaining two-thirds of the brigade proceeded with their surprise attack and chalked up a victory!

 

When the entire army reassembled, some of the soldiers who fought in battle did not want to share the seized good with the soldiers who stayed behind.  However, the General warned them not to be selfish, "...we share and share alike -- those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment!"  The proceeds were then divided accordingly, and "share and share alike" became a national policy that stands to this day.

 

Does YOUR organization share and share alike? 

How do YOU recompense the people in your organization who guard the equipment?

In a typical establishment, the sales team is considered the corporate bread and butter.  Their job is to get out in the trenches, work the prospect and close the deal.  They are often one of the few departments within the company that receive specialized training, and are given quotas, milestones and tangible incentives to motivate them to accomplish their goals.  And once the big whale of a deal is caught, they are rewarded with enormous commissions that substantiate their efforts and fuel their continued performance.  No doubt, their hard work has paid off.  But what about the hard work of the people in your organization who guard the equipment?  The people who diligently work behind the scenes to ensure that your customers receive sustained support before, during and after the sale.  In most cases, the reward for these troopers is limited to their base salary, while their sales team counterparts are bestowed with corporate applause on top of all that glitters.

It seems that corporations expect their people to work as a cohesive team, but they do not reward the various teams in cohesion.  This brings about all sorts of divisions within the company, not only department vs. department, but people vs. people.  And as we all know ... "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

Chief Executives, YOU are the Generals.  Imagine the result if every department and member of your organization were to receive the same level of coaching, training and yes REWARD that the members of your leadership and sales staff receive.  Would you see things like ...

...  Higher levels of companywide commitment?  ...   Increased awareness and understanding of the corporate goals?  ...  Improved customer service?  ...  Superior performance and productivity?  ...   Better cooperation between sales and support forces?  ...  Enhanced corporate loyalty?

Have you considered giving your "equipment guarders" a piece of the pie?  Perhaps if you do, they will stay for dinner!

Share and Share Alike!