Who do you work for? …Your company? Your boss? Yourself?
…Or do you work for your customer or client?
How you answer this question will always define your perspective on the work you do. Because at the core of service is an understanding of who you serve.
Typically, we instinctively answer the “Who do you work for?” question with the name of our company. Or we say, “I own my own business, so I work for myself.”
Then, when presented with that fourth option, we feel a little guilty, backtrack, and decide that we really are for the customer. We weren’t thinking. Of course we work for the customer.
While it seems like a trick question, there’s no real wrong answer. Employees do work for their boss. Owners do work in the best interest of their company. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s reality. It’s business. But most importantly, it’s a balance.
Your customers and clients should always be a priority, but they can’t be the only priority. Embrace the dichotomy. It’s what keeps the system alive.