Engaging employees
Good leaders find ways to motivate their people to get results, former Westjet CEO says
Sean Durfy says it certainly helps to have happy employees in the quest for success in business.
More importantly, though, he insists those employees have to be fully engaged to help achieve it.
Durfy, a 49-year-old Corner Brook native, shared his experiences and expertise as one of Canada’s best-known business leaders when he spoke to delegates at the 47th annual conference of the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Association at the Glynmill Inn in Corner Brook on Friday.
The former CEO of WestJet, who retired in 2010, Durfy gave those in attendance a wealth of information on how to expand their businesses and the keys to success in today’s global economy.
A solid leader who understands how to motivate employees is one of the keys to making it in the business world today, said Durfy, who stressed throughout his address the importance of having fun.
“If you can get those employees engaged to care about the organization, to care about the business and the customers and themselves, then you have a chance at being able to implement a strategy,” he said.
He noted it can be a challenging endeavour to expand a business when employees are disgruntled and don’t feel like part of the team.
The key to getting the most out of them is understanding what motivates them, Durfy said. Managers often think money and advancement opportunities motivate people to be excited about going to work, but he insists it’s other things such as being appreciated and engaged in what the company is doing.
“I have to know how I can contribute to the success of the company, and then we have to celebrate the successes,” he said. “If you can figure out how to do all that stuff right, then you have a shot at engaging these employees to actually care about what they’re doing.”
Durfy said empathy is also important, because people have their own issues and challenges away from work.
Being a strong leader entails many things, he said, but one of the main characteristics is good communication and a knack for getting people to believe in what you’re trying to accomplish. Good leaders, he says, hold themselves and the employees accountable at all times.
“You have to surround yourself with great people and let them do their jobs.”
Durfy believes there will be great opportunities for the construction industry over the next few years with both federal and provincial governments ready to throw support behind housing and infrastructure. He encouraged those in the industry to seize the opportunities available to them.
“Projects have to get gone,” he said. “It’s a big pot of money and Newfoundland is going to get a piece of it, and the construction industry is going to have a big impact on that.”