People
We value and support our people as a competitive advantage.
We must attract, develop, retain and motivate the most talented people who care and who work together as partners. We want to give them the training they need to succeed in their work. We want them to be responsible and accountable for their functions. We want to recognize and thank them for outstanding performance. We believe everyone is important and deserves respect for who they are and how they can contribute to our success. We say “associates” not “employees” and “brand partners” not “distributors” because our people are a precious resource to be invested in.
We believe our people will out-execute our competitors every time because they care more than our competitors do
Products and technology don’t fulfill the promise behind a brand — people do, people who are more talented, more motivated, more energized than their competitors.
When our people are in the right jobs, spending time on the right things, leading well, feeling good about their contributions, fully using their skills and learning new ones, and having fun — they’ll do what’s right for the customer. When they’re properly supported, rewarded, encouraged and recognized, they’re even more satisfied with their jobs, providing even better service for our customers. This generates more revenue — which results in greater profit — which fuels a higher stock price.
Capital goes where it is wanted and stays where it is well treated.
That goes not just for financial capital; it goes for human and intellectual capital. We must, therefore, be known as a great place to work. A place where our associates can build a career that can last a lifetime. We want to be an employer of choice, a company that really cares about people, where teamwork is valued and rewarded. Our relationships with our customers and partners are only as strong as our relationships with each other.
Our associates and brand partners are our most important constituents because they’re the most important influence on our customers. We want all our associates and brand partners to be our customers, too. Some people say loyalty to a company is a thing of the past. We don’t believe that. People naturally aspire to a larger purpose beyond just themselves. They want to believe in their company and the good it can do. Don’t we all? People will believe in their company, however, only if they believe their company believes in them — if their company values them and their contributions — if their company appreciates the complexity of their lives — if they’re offered opportunity and challenge and, most important, if that company lives by its vision and values.
This will result over time in a higher stock price that will benefit all of us because virtually all of us own stock in our company.
We value the contribution every associate can make toward our company’s success by:
- Leading by example.
- Caring about each other and showing it.
- Holding our selves personally accountable for results.
- Having the courage to speak what we believe is the truth.
Each year, we will invest in training for education, mentoring and coaching, developing management and leadership skills for the benefit of our associates and brand partners. We believe the greatest skill is the skill to learn new skills. We’re expected to take charge of our own career development. We need to understand the skills required for our next opportunity and then find ways, with our supervisor’s help, to develop those skills.
There’s another important way we influence behavior: recognition. We can never do enough of it. Try this: Give so much recognition to your associates for a job well done that it becomes counterproductive. You can’t!
We want every associate and brand partner to be able to say, “I chose the right company. I’m valued. I’m rewarded. I’m recognized. We work hard, but we have fun, too. I can improve my professional skills here. I can reach my career goals. I enjoy my work.”
