Aware of it or not, we communicate our intention in every interaction with employees, colleagues and customers. Our choices shape our relationships.
| 1. |
Begin meetings with a focus on success (or at least include it in the agenda). |
Imagine:
Your
boss calls a staff meeting and announces that
the
focus of the meeting will be on identifying
all your department's
successes and examples of exemplary work.
She further proposes the team will develop plans
for how to continue and expand on these successes.
Now Imagine:
The energy, focus and impact (once the initial shock has subsided) of this type of discussion and planning.
| 2. |
Catch and acknowledge people doing things right. |
In a study of successful leaders, a common trait was revealed:
“They were experts at deliberately noticing, anticipating, and magnifying positive potential.”
(Encyclopedia of Positive Questions, 2002)
| 3. |
Be aware of the impact of questions you ask yourself and others. |
Consider the difference between these two questions:
What can I do today to bring the best out in people?
I
wonder what problems I'll need to fix today?
It's
pretty obvious when you see it. (By the way, this
works at home, too.)
People are most often motivated by the pride they have in their work, in who they work with, and in the products they produce NOT by Employee of the Month parking places.
Surprisingly, for most people, pride is a greater incentive than financial gain.
(Jon Katzenback. Why Pride Matters More Than Money)
Reflecting on the following questions will help you identify what motivates you:
- Would a raise or promotion motivate me to work any differently?
- Would the prospects of winning an award change the way I work?
- In what ways do I work hard to meet standards and values I set for myself?
- In what ways do I work hard to meet the standards and values set by my team?
- In what ways do I work hard to meet the standards and values set by the organization I work for?
| 5. |
Leverage best practice experience. |
Accident Debriefings vs. Best Practice Investigations
When safety violations and accidents occur, a great deal of attention is paid to debriefing the incident. We must find out what went wrong and find ways to prevent it from happening again.
Another method, which can be adopted before there is an incident, is to interview people, teams, or departments that utilize exemplary safe work practices.
- Ask people to relate stories that reflect their best experiences.
- Discuss what they did to contribute to this experience.
- Identify the attributes of their best practice
- Create a plan to replicate those experiences and practices in other areas.
The positive tone of this type of investigation establishes a better attitude among employees than a debriefing.
While
debriefings are an important part of risk management,
the process tends to cast blame -- something went
wrong, someone's to blame.
Unfortunately,
once the blame is cast, there is little positive
long-term impact on other employees. Some may
get a wake up call, but others will rationalize
the accident as something that won't happen to
them.
| 6. |
Facilitate a Constructive Dialogue. |
This will provide a full-course meal of positive acknowledgement.
- Present specific examples of exemplary performance and the impact it had on productivity, morale, customer service, or the reputation of the team.
- Examine how this person was able to accomplish such quality work.
- Develop
a plan for how this person's work practice can
be applied by others.
|
