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If you'd like your staff to develop enthusiasm about developing your business, accept this reality. It isn't their business. All of us feel more passionate about protecting our own possessions such as car, jewellery, personal treasures ... even children. The same applies to your staff. But you can take action to change their attitude.

Your Investment When you own or run the business you have....
? the biggest emotional and ego involvement
? the biggest ? or a very big ? financial commitment
? potentially the biggest pay off ? or loss
? ownership of the idea of the business
? created jobs and financial opportunities for ?them?
? the final say and..... the buck stops with you ? regardless. Is it any wonder that ?they? are not like ?you?? Truth is, you don't want more than one person like you in your business!

You wouldn't won't it any other way.

1. Accept The Inevitable. So ...... just accept it: they?ll never have the same commitment, the same emotional involvement or the same unshakeable faith in your business as you do.

You can?t turn ?them? into clones of ?you?. Instead, help them to become as enthusiastic, conscientious, positive and dedicated to being successful in their roles in your business as you are in your role.

2. Know Your Expectations. As business owner/manager you see your business as a means to an end. Even if it's a tough, seemingly endless grind, you expect your business to provide you with satisfaction in some form or other.

Make a list of your deeply held expectations that you expect your business to satisfy. Remember high sounding announcements about profitibility and cash flow won't work. Make the list personal

3. Recognize That Employees Are Just Like You. Employees too, have expectations about how their jobs should reward them. The main difference between theirs and yours is this: you have control, they don't. But when they join your business they expect a payoff ? just like you.

They may be unable to articulate their expectations as well as you. Their expectations may not be as clear as yours. But they exist.

4. The "Trick". The "trick', as they say, is to enable your employees to use your business to meet their expectations so that you can meet yours.

If what you want and what they want is in conflict, you'll have "people problems". You must recognize that their expectations are as important to them as yours are to you: if you don't you'll jeopardize your business success.

5. Clarify Expectations. Tell your people exactly what you expect from your business and what you expect from them. Encourage them to share their expectations with you. Then show them how you can help each of you get what you want.

This isn't a load of "feelie ? touchie" waffle, it's a hard nosed business reality. You can't achieve without their help. They can't achieve without your business.

Conclusion. The buck still stops with you. But if you want your people to commit to your business with your level of dedication, enthusiasm and emotion, you need to provide the reasons for them to do so in their terms.