So…I was thinking… (I know, dangerous territory, but stick with me on this one.)
What if we’ve been structuring businesses all wrong?
What if every employee, not just executives, not just the “decision-makers,” but every single person truly understood how the company makes money and loses money, and why their role matters?
Would they approach their work differently?
Would they start looking for ways to improve things, even in the smallest ways?
Would they feel more invested, not just in their jobs, but in the success of the company as a whole?
Most businesses love to talk about how much they value their employees. They hold town halls, send motivational emails, and throw the occasional pizza party (eye-roll) to boost morale.
But real value, the kind that makes people want to do more than just show up, comes from something deeper.
It comes from giving people a reason to care, not just with words, but with trust, transparency, and a real stake in the outcome.
Because when employees see the bigger picture, they don’t just show up.
They step up.
Employees Have Ideas. Why Don’t We Listen?
A lot of companies see employees in tiers.
There are the “decision-makers,” the ones whose ideas get funding, time, and attention.
And then there’s everyone else: the ones who are there to execute, follow processes, and stay in their lane.
But what if that thinking is completely backward?
What if the biggest missed opportunity in business isn’t in high-level strategy meetings but in the minds of employees who have never been asked, What do you think?
Joe Carleone, author of the book, The Touchstones of Leadership: Essential Principles for Business Leaders, recently shared a story about a turning point in his career. When he was promoted to oversee manufacturing, his father, a factory worker, gave him simple but powerful advice:
"Go down to the floor and ask the workers what needs to change."
So, he did. And the responses? Brilliant. Workers had ideas for making processes faster, more efficient, and more cost-effective; insights leadership had [unintentionally] completely missed.
The people actually doing the work often see inefficiencies and solutions long before management does. But if they don’t feel empowered to speak up, or worse, if they feel like no one will listen, those ideas go nowhere.
I’ve always believed that the people I work with (well… most, anyways), no matter how high or low they are on the totem pole, bring something invaluable to the table.
They come from different backgrounds, think in different ways, and solve problems through different lenses.
Some are highly analytical, some intuitive.
Some see solutions in systems and processes, others in relationships and interactions.
Some have years of formal education; others have years of lived experience.
And that’s the magic of it.
Because when you put all of those perspectives together, you don’t just have a workforce.
You have a goldmine of ideas waiting to be tapped.
But how often do companies actually give employees the opportunity to apply their unique way of thinking? How often do they empower them to look at a process, a system, a problem, and say, Hey, I see a better way to do this — and actually be heard?
But here’s the problem: Even when employees do speak up, they rarely have the visibility to see why their ideas matter.
And that brings us to the next point…
Financial Transparency Enables Smarter Thinking
Most businesses expect employees to take initiative, be problem solvers, think critically, make smart decisions.
And yet, they keep them in the dark about the very information that would allow them to do so.
They want employees to fix problems but never show them the full picture of the problem.
They want them to make sound business decisions but never tell them which numbers actually matter.
They expect them to act like stakeholders but never treat them like stakeholders.
And then they wonder why engagement is low.
Industry leaders have seen firsthand how financial transparency can transform a business. When employees understand revenue streams, profit margins, and operational costs, they don’t just show up; they take ownership. They make smarter decisions. They connect the dots between their day-to-day work and the company’s success.
And when that doesn’t happen? It gets expensive. Fast.
David Shenberger, Partner at Shenberger Technology, highlights how a lack of financial awareness and cross-functional transparency can cost companies millions. Cutting upfront costs, like reducing water purification redundancy, may seem like a smart move, but if it limits production, the losses can far exceed the initial savings. Similarly, when Operations skip maintenance, the result isn’t just a little downtime, it’s unplanned shutdowns, lost sales, and reputational damage.
His takeaway?
Every decision is a financial decision.
Without transparency, companies risk avoidable inefficiencies and costly setbacks. Empowering employees with financial insight isn’t just about numbers; it’s about ensuring smarter decisions that protect profitability and long-term success.
And, trust me, I get it — financial discussions can be dry enough to make my eyes glaze over and send me on a one-way flight to la-la land.
But tell me how my role affects those numbers? How a small shift in how I work and think could make the company (and perhaps me) more successful?
Now I’m paying attention.
That’s when I start thinking critically.
That’s when I start seeing opportunities.
Making Financial Awareness Part of the Routine
Verne Harnish, in his book Scaling Up, said,
"Routine sets you free."
At first glance, that might sound counterintuitive. Isn’t routine what makes people feel stuck, robotic, uninspired?
But Harnish isn’t talking about mindless repetition. The right routines, clear systems, structured decision-making, and repeatable processes, don’t box people in.
They give them the freedom to think bigger, act with confidence, and contribute in a meaningful way.
And that’s the missing piece when it comes to employee empowerment.
We tell employees to take ownership. We tell them to act like stakeholders. But ownership isn’t just about mindset, it’s about having access to the right information to make informed, strategic, and confident decisions.
That’s why financial awareness shouldn’t be reserved for executives in boardrooms.
It should be part of the daily rhythm of a company.
Michael Mousourrakis , Vice President, Strategy and Marketing at Alconox, puts it this way:
"Like in so many things, there is a balance. Companies that provide for-profit goods and services must rely on an array of different departments and functional groups aligned to the same vision, mission, and goal. These departments can include Tech Support, Marketing, Sales, R&D, QARA, HR, and of course, many others. The more individuals understand how their role and function fit into the process, how their output helps alignment with the company’s objectives, the more morale is increased. And the output is improved. This understanding is more than just the financial aspect. It is allowing and empowering employees to understand the proverbial big picture. Tools to achieve this can include company-wide and department meetings/newsletters and open discussions between managers and direct reports during reviews and throughout the year. For certain, there must be discretion in what is discussed, hence the balance."
When employees understand the numbers; the real, tangible business metrics that drive success, they don’t just follow instructions.
They anticipate.
They adapt.
They think ahead.
And most importantly, they make decisions that don’t just serve their immediate tasks but benefit the company as a whole.
That’s why I follow a simple but powerful practice in leadership:
I tell my team: Don’t just bring me a problem; bring me three possible solutions.
99% of the time, they solve it themselves before they even get back to me.
Not only does this take the problem off my desk, but it pushes them to think critically, trust their own judgment, and become more proactive decision-makers.
Now imagine if businesses applied that same mindset while also giving employees the financial insights to make smarter choices.
Would businesses be more efficient? Probably.
Would employees be more engaged? Definitely.
Would the company, as a whole, be more successful?
No doubt in my mind.
People Want to Matter — Let Them
At the end of the day, most people don’t want to just do a job.
They want to be part of something that matters.
But companies can’t expect employees to think like stakeholders while treating them like expendable labor.
Yes, if the company does well, employees get to keep their jobs.
But is that really enough of an incentive to think bigger, take initiative, and actively contribute to long-term success?
Businesses love to say they want employees who take ownership, who act like they have skin in the game.
But here’s the thing:
Stakeholders think like stakeholders because they benefit like stakeholders.
Joe Carleone had an interesting take on this:
"The best system I’ve seen is profit sharing — if the whole team wins, everyone benefits. Not individual incentives, not commissions — real team-based success."
So, what if there was more in it for employees?
What if companies didn’t just expect employees to care about profitability but actually rewarded them for contributing to it, no matter their position?
What if we all reimagined what a business could look like if collaboration, transparency, and shared success were actually built into the foundation?
Maybe the real key to business success isn’t about hiring the smartest, most ‘accomplished’ and educated executives.
It’s about unlocking the full potential of the people already there.
Because when you empower people the tools, the knowledge, and a reason to care, they don’t just work.
They build something better.