The following is an open letter to my staff in our monthly newsletter. Feel free to copy it, model it, use it with your own staff.

You Were Hired…

You were hired because I believe in your ability to help me grow this company.

You were hired because I believe you can connect with customers, make positive lasting impressions on them, help them solve their problems and create memories.

You were hired because I believe you care about the impression this store makes on our customers, you care about the cleanliness of the store, the orderliness of your department and the efficiency with which customers can find what they need.

You were hired because I believe you want to make a difference in the lives of our customers, not just sit around and wait for a paycheck.

You were hired because I believe you are smart enough to understand our products and how they impact the lives of our customers.

You were hired because I believe you love to have inclusive fun, not at the expense of others, but fun that everyone can enjoy.

You were hired because I believe you want to learn. You are not satisfied with your current set of skills and are constantly trying to improve.

You were hired because I believe you are a go-getter, someone who will seek out projects to improve this store, improve the customer experience, improve yourself.

You were hired because I believe in you.

You Were Fired…

You were fired because I stopped believing in you.

I saw you sitting on your butt waiting for something to happen instead of making it happen.

I saw you making excuses instead of making customers happy.

I saw you paying more attention to your co-workers or your phone or your spouse than the customers.

I saw you worrying more about time off than paying attention to your time on.

Maybe my perception was wrong. Maybe I didn’t see the whole story. But I can only go by what I see and what I believe.

It is up to you to…

Show Me I Was Right to Believe

-Phil