"Kids are hard work and it's difficult to like them a lot of the time. But just when you're about to get fed up, they do something that makes you love them all over again.” –Anonymous
Your business is like your kid. Whether you were there for its birth or stepped up when someone else stepped down, you love it with everything you have. You make sure to give it the time and attention it needs to grow and you protect it from harm. It's also like your kid in that sometimes it just doesn't act right. Whether employees are leaving early or missing targets, sometimes your business isn't turning out how you'd thought it would be. When this happens, it's easy and understandable to be more than a little upset. No one is going to love your business like you do, but that's okay!
Kids don't always show you that they love you in the way that you expect them to. Employees are very similar. While they may occasionally take an extra-long break, they also stay late or come in early to finish up a critical task before it's due. They may take on extra work in order to keep you from being overwhelmed with things to do. Most importantly, employees show your business love by continuing to show up to work. In today's busy world, everyone has something else that they would rather be doing. This means that every day your employees are spending with you, they could be somewhere else doing something else. One of the greatest ways your employees will show your business love is by giving over their time, something they can never get back.
So on this Valentine's Day, take a moment and show your employees some love. Just like with kids, sometimes they can be some real knuckle heads and sometimes they can really be the driving force that gets you through a difficult day. Your days won't always be sunshine and roses, but I really hope that on Valentine’s Day, it is for you. Cheers!