by Brady Wilson | Workplace tips
You may not realize it, but your organization is home to an incredibly powerful operating system (O/S).
Think outside the realm of technology. What has the potential to engage and energize your employees, bring teams closer together, and create a high-performing workforce?
It’s conversation.
Conversation is the common denominator behind “apps” like customer service, feedback, coaching, strategy and innovation. Conversation—that is, quality, meaningful conversation between leaders and employees—powers up all the things that make a business successful.
Not sure you agree that conversation is your organization’s most mighty O/S? Consider what would happen without conversation. All those apps would crash—and your business would fail.
Talking heads
Let’s go a bit more “micro” and look at the human brain.
Conversation is, essentially, our brain’s O/S. This is because every single message transmitted from one neuron to another enables us to see, hear, move…and think. If all those 100 billion neurons were to stop talking to one another, our bodies and ability to process information would cease to function.
Meanwhile, science shows us that our own brains are significantly strengthened and enhanced by social conversations “between brains.” This is our native wiring: and consequently, the perfect O/S that we need to connect, understand and harmonize with others.
So, as neuronal conversations are the way the brain gets things done, employee conversations are the way that organizations get things done.
With this in mind, then, why do organizations not integrate conversation into their own employee engagement initiatives?
Ignoring conversation = missed opportunities
Using engagement surveys as an example, consider how organizations often deal with results.
Rather than pause to consider the “why” behind results, leaders will rush to create strategies—one-size-fits-all, broad-brush strategies built on nothing but numbers.
But employees do not respond well to global solutions. They want to know that they have been listened to. Leaders who draft plans without taking time to consider context or “backstory” practically guarantee employee non-compliance to any engagement initiative.
Organizations that ignore the importance of conversation are missing out on a range of opportunities to create a higher-performing workforce.
Here’s why: science shows that when you have meaningful, face-to-face conversations that demonstrate value, respect and care, this boosts the brain’s processing power—forming a feel-good energy cocktail of connection, calm, concentration, creativity and curiosity. Essentially, conversation can deepen the leader-employee relationship, energize employees, and power those apps that make a business so successful.
No time to talk?
Don’t feel you have time to talk to your employees?
Consider this: concerns that are unaddressed tend to fester and simmer. And then…they turn into “crucial,” “fierce” or “difficult” conversations—consuming multiples of energy, time and mind-space from everyone in the organization.
Leaders save themselves a lot of headaches when they move beyond engagement as we know it today, and honor how the brain works.
And not only that: conversations don’t have to take up a lot of time.
Short, simple “Energy Check” conversations are a proven and effective way to unlock insight and possibility in your employees’ minds. It can be as simple as asking employees what is energizing them at the moment, and what is depleting their energy. Done systematically, this technique can catch issues before they become calamity-based, saving time in the process.
Easy to install
Conversation already exists in your organization. It’s simply up to leaders to embrace it as the key operating system that drives the business—and shifting their mindset to include conversation in all engagement endeavors. This generates energy, fueling a great customer experience as well as business results.
Sound good to you?
***
Today’s guest contributor is Brady Wilson, co-founder of Juice Inc., a corporate training company. This article is based on principles from Brady’s latest book, Beyond Engagement: A Brain-Based Approach That Blends the Engagement Managers Want with the Energy Employees Need. Follow Brady on Twitter @BradyJuiceInc or visit his site.
by Maxine Attong | Workplace tips
Getting your people to contribute more to your organization while simultaneously establishing stronger talent retention must cost a pretty penny, right?
Not really.
You don’t necessarily need to add expensive new ingredients to the stew; you just have to know how to use your ingredients better.
A talented chef—or in this case, a corporate or organizational leader—knows how to let an ingredient speak for itself, perhaps with just a touch of seasoning or guidance.
What is the guidance—is it competition or is it incentives such as bonuses?
Not exactly.
Most employees want to have more input. However, personal issues, fear of being laughed at, or the anxiety of not getting credit can stymie contributions from a leader’s staff.
If a leader can engender a real sense of trust, the organization will benefit from the ingenuity of both the individual and the team.
A reliable way of establishing a trusting climate and culture is to make team members feel safe.
5 ways to build a workplace culture where people feel safe
1) Share responsibility; practice “I” statements.
With openness, encourage interaction by having team members and leaders enforce the rules and monitor the use of common space. When members break the rules, the team discusses the problems and decides on the sanctions and steps necessary to assist the member in following the rules next time. Speakers are discouraged from using the word “you.” Instead, they use “I.”
This simple yet effective practice encourages personal culpability and discourages blame.
Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility. ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer
2) Consistency.
Teams need to consistently follow the agreed-upon rules as they set the boundaries and the tone for relationships. Following the rules makes the behavior in the space predictable, which limits uncertainty and increases feelings of safety.
Consistent application of the rules helps the team to increase trust as behavior becomes prescriptive and members know more or less what will happen in the room and how they will be treated.
There must be consistency in direction. ~W. Edwards Deming
3) Judgment.
The members must feel that they are not being judged.
If someone says that an idea is bad, the speaker will shut down and feel embarrassed. In the future that speaker will hesitate to give ideas since he feels his ideas may not be good enough for the team. Less confident team members may refrain from presenting their ideas if they are uncertain of their quality. However, as we all know too well, many ideas that seem strange or unorthodox at first can wind up being some of the best.
To sit in judgment of those things which you perceive to be wrong or imperfect is to be one more person who is part of judgment, evil or imperfection. ~Wayne Dyer
4) Good intentions.
Not all team members are effective communicators, so it may be difficult for some people to frame and cogently express their thoughts. Assume all team members have good intentions and want a positive outcome. Even though what you are hearing may be contrary to that assumption, hold on to the thought so that you can fully understand what the member is saying before you react.
When listening this way, the leader delays having a reaction and has time to assess the situation before responding. When the leader has emotionally detached from the situation, he can then ask questions to clarify the situation.
Although actions may speak louder than words, it is our intentions that reveal our soul. ~Hal Elrod
5) Norming.
By this point in the culture building process, team members seem to embrace each other, and there is a spirit of togetherness. Do not be fooled by this. This response doesn’t mean that your team has normed and that each team member is making decisions that advance the goals of the team. It means that the safe space concept has allowed them to see each other in a more neutral light so they can accept each other’s strengths and weaknesses without judgment.
While this “understanding space” may act as an accelerator or catalyst for the team to norm, it is not magic. It does not mean that whatever problems existed within the team or workplace culture before have miraculously disappeared. The leader still needs to pay attention and check the team temperature. Regular team meetings and team building sessions should still be conducted.
Which of these five ways is your favorite?
What other investments in people do you suggest?
***
Today’s guest contributor is Maxine Attong, Gestalt Organizational Development practitioner, Certified Evidence-Based Coach, Certified Professional Facilitator, Certified Management Accountant and former Quality Manager. Maxine’s latest book is Lead Your Team to Win: Achieve Optimal Performance By Providing A Safe Space For Employees.
Image source: Markus Spiske | Raumrot.com
by Renee Robertson | Workplace tips
Coaching means many things to many people.
Many times a certain technique that is referred to as “coaching” isn’t really it at all; it’s actually counseling or feedback.
For example, you may have heard or had this happen to you. A manager will say, “Let me give you some coaching around ABC.”
They then proceed to explain why you failed to accomplish a task and explains the way ABC needs to be done.
More times than not, you walk away from this so-called learning encounter feeling disillusioned, deflated and unmotivated. As a result, coaching gets a bad rap and employees begin to disengage.
The power of “real” coaching
So what does a real learning conversation look like?
Well, something like this: “So, how do you think your presentation on ABC went?”
The employee is then given time to reflect, respond and be an active participant in the conversation.
The manager asks thoughtful questions:
-
- “What would you have done differently?”
- ”What actions will you take?”
- “How can I support you?”
Do you see the difference?
This is a learning conversation—the employee is empowered to act while being supported by their manager. The employee gains confidence knowing that they own the outcome while feeling acknowledged and supported by their manager.
Now more than ever, there is a great opportunity to bring this kind of guidance into organizations. According to Gallup’s study on the global workplace, only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work or are psychologically committed to their jobs and likely to be making positive contributions to their organizations.
Therefore, 63% of employees are “not engaged.” If this is the case where you work, then why not integrate coaching into your talent management strategy?
It’s a great way not only to increase employee engagement, but also to achieve other talent development goals such as developing competencies like problem-solving, strategic thinking or filling your talent pipeline with ready-now talent for upward or lateral assignments.
5 steps to follow
To integrate real learning into your talent management strategy, take the following five steps:
- Educate Your Leaders
Start at the top and educate your executives on the differences and benefits of coaching versus counseling. Interview them on their perspectives on how to do this and assess their willingness to participate and support a skill growth initiative. Explain the benefits of coaching and ask them where they see applications inside their organizations.
- Identify Coaches, Participants and Executive Sponsors
Look for individuals and managers that can become trained to be internal coaches inside your company. These individuals may be inside your talent management and organizational development areas or could exist inside the business itself.
Consider having talent management or Human Resources executives trained and credentialed as professional coaches. As a result, they will be in an excellent position to coach executives in the company.
Alternatively, you may choose to utilize external coaches. If so, you can submit a request via the International Coach Federation Coach Referral Service website or ask colleagues for recommendations.
Simultaneously, you will want to identify candidates to participate in your program. Review your succession planning and consider top talent managers, directors and executives. Participants should be excited to be part of the program and willing to make a commitment.
Just as important as identifying the coaches and participants is to make certain that you have executive sponsorship. Determine which executives would like to sponsor the program and be a participant. Request that they support you in four areas:
-
- your coach and participant identification
- your marketing efforts
- during participant enrollment, and
- throughout the program’s life cycle.
- Manage Expectations
Be sure to set clear expectations with four groups: your internal coaches, the individuals being coached, the executive sponsors, and, of course, your managers and colleagues.
It is best to run the initial program as a pilot and build upon its success. Make certain everyone is clear on the goals of the program, time commitment and their roles and responsibilities.
- Train
Enroll your internal coach candidates in a training program that is designed to train individuals that work inside companies as a coach. If you choose to enroll internal employees to become coaches, ensure they’re being taught by a coach with experience in training internal coaches. In addition, be sure to train the individuals who are to be coached on the role and responsibilities of the participant.
While training your coaches, be sure to establish a clear and consistent process for enrolling clients, the time period for learning, and exiting clients. The key here is to ensure that everyone participating has a similar experience.
- Measure Success
Prior to starting the program, determine how you will measure its success. It may be done simply by using a Net–Promoter score or setting up a simple impact study. It doesn’t have to be a rigorous measurement such as ROI. If your program is embraced and utilized (clients show up and actively participate), then that’s a great sign.
Interviewing them or surveying them on the benefits they received is also an excellent idea. In addition, be sure to ask the managers of the program’s participants about the changes they may have noticed in their employee’s behaviors after being coached.
In a time where we’re surrounded by change and have so many demands on our personal and professional lives, the need for coaching is at an all-time high. Coaching is a model for engagement, empowerment and accountability. It teaches those being coached to be responsible and to “own” their results.
By engaging in guiding and mentoring, you’re making a decision to replace mediocrity with high-performance.
So let’s ask ourselves: who and what company doesn’t want full engagement and high-performance?
Today’s guest contributor is Renée Robertson, a two-time International Coach Federation Prism Award Winner for Internal Coaching and the CEO of Trilogy Development. Renee shares her insights and first-hand experience in her new book, The Coaching Solution: How to Drive Talent Development, Organizational Change and Business Results.
by Randy H. Nelson | Workplace tips
Early in my business career, my wife asked me if I knew what I was doing.
I assured her I did.
Since then, my experience taught me I was wrong. The truth was that back then I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
I know now three elements—learning, leadership and awareness—are crucial for long-term business success.
3 necessities for long-term business success
(more…)
by Ed Basler | Workplace tips
Exorbitant student loans constitute just one reason why young people eager to experience the world may want to reconsider going to college.
There is now $1.2 trillion worth of college debt in the United States, and the average borrower will graduate owing $26,600 according to The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) Project on Student Debt.
Having a degree doesn’t guarantee getting a job or even being job-ready. I’m the son of a businessperson, and after four weeks of business school, I realized that the professor had no real-life experience in running a business. I wasn’t going to learn from him the practical principles necessary to succeed. (more…)
by Marsha Friedman | Workplace tips
The culture at my company has always been health-conscious.
Maybe that’s because I’ve developed so many natural health-marketing plans over the years.
I’ve found that when you make healthy choices easily available and make them fun, people get interested.
So the “office supplies” in our kitchen include jumbo jars of vitamin C and Echinacea. Activities have included afternoon juicing pick-me-ups and a 10-day “fast” challenge. That was a real bond-building experience of nutritious algae shakes and supplements. (more…)
You may not realize it, but your organization is home to an incredibly powerful operating system (O/S).
