A few years ago, I hired Tammy as my assistant because a friend said his daughter needed a job. A proud father, he said Tammy was an amazing worker. Of course, he was biased, but I know how honest and hardworking my friend was and thought the apple wouldn't fall far from the tree. I asked Tammy to send out a mailing after she input the names into a database program. A week later, I asked her if the mailing had gone out. Tammy said she was still working on it. Another week passed, and I remember that I needed to follow up on the mailing and asked when it went out. She said, "Not yet." Curious, I wondered when it would go out. She told me she didn't know how to input the names into the database and was too embarrassed to ask me for help — after two weeks. This was the first step in the process and she couldn't even get that right. But it was my fault for losing control of the people in my business and the process. What I should have done was follow the DIP Program.
So, what is DIP?
- Get your staff together for 15 minutes first thing in the morning when they arrive.
- Ask what they accomplished yesterday, and describe it in detail. Have someone on your staff take the minutes of the meeting. You may want to make this a rotating duty so everyone gets a chance to take notes.
- Prioritize what you want them to do today, making sure they are on the same page as you. This will ensure your staff will hit the goals you lay out for them instead of the tasks they enjoy the most.
- Repeat daily.
The DIP program takes only 15 minutes and will give you command and control of your business. You will never again wonder why things don't get done and why your costs are so high. This will also help you pay people according to what they are worth and also staff according to the required tasks instead of the level of complaint you hear. Lastly, don't forget to praise your people for doing things right. Cheerlead your team in every DIP meeting. Help them enjoy 15 minutes of fame together.
