Unmotivated Employees? Might Be Your Fault
The primary task of leaders is to take care of employees...to ensure their success, so that they in turn can take care of our clients...our customers. It's a major shift for a lot of leaders who still think that no one else can do anything without their intervention and oversight. When you are intentional about taking care of employees you are going to beat the national statistics which indicate that only 30% of American workers are engaged and motivated to do a super job. The rest are waiting for the next payday. It's a tragic loss of productivity and you can be a hero if you can recover some of that loss. Here is what you have to do.
1. Make sure that only "can-do" job applicants are hired; you want employees who are experienced at trying to overcome obstacles. They may not always be successful but the point is they try.
2. Teach. Avoid being and enforcer. Help people learn your expectations. John Maxwell talks about how it is that people learn what you want them to do: explain the behavior to them; let them watch you do it; watch them while they do it; have them teach it to someone else. Be prepared to repeat the instructions; repeat the learning exercise. Learning doesn't happen immediately, but eventually.
3. You are a teacher but also be a learner. Underscore the importance of learning by getting involved in your own personal improvement project...and tell others about what you are doing. Learning is not only something we do after we have made a mistake; it's integrated into our daily work life.
4. Be accountable for your own performance and the performance of those who work for you. If you expect others to be accountable, demonstrate it yourself. When something goes wrong, face honestly your own role in the situation before pointing the finger at others.
5. Get to know your employees as persons. Listen to what bothers them. Learn about what they are good at. Be supportive when they are involved in personal stress; when they are stressed, it's your problem too.
6. Say "thank you...nice job". Put yourself on a quota of at least 3 "thank yous" every day. If you are paying attention, it wont be hard; lots of your employees are doing wonderful things.
7. Be determined. Your strategy of taking care of employees will not always look like it's working. Keep on! Support from above is helpful but it is not essential. Eventually, everyone will see that you have been a successful leader because your employees are accomplishing beyond what anyone would have expected.
Are 70% of your employees waiting for pay day? Without realizing it, the problem could be YOU.
Don't get discouraged; you can learn to be a successful leader. Most of us learned a lot by facing our mistakes and learning from them. The seven steps above can get you back on track.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
To Delegate or Not...That is the Question
Delegation of responsibilities, or getting your work accomplished by others is a skill that all managers need to practice consistently and successfully. The all too familiar cry however, "it's just easier to do it myself". The result is burned out managers who take responsibility for everything and demoralized subordinates who feel their boss doesn't trust them with greater responsibility. Being a good delegator requires skills that many of us will need to learn; it takes us out of our comfort zone in order that we can assume the true responsibilities of supervision and leadership.
Here are a few things you will need to learn to do well in order to have your delegation of tasks work well.
1. Take the time to train people to do tasks that can be delegated. It is easier to delegate when you feel confident that the work will be done satisfactorily. Don't stretch subordinates with work beyond their capability; it's setting them up for failure. But you do need to be good at assessing skills and training to fill in the knowledge gaps.
2. Remember that there is always more than one way to effectively complete a task. Your subordinate may help you see a way to "work smarter". Sometimes to delegate, means to give up control and allow the knowledge of others to be expressed.
3. Match the person to the job requirements. Sounds obvious, no? But a lot of times we don't identify tasks for delegation in a way which makes professional sense. Rather, for example, we dump jobs on to others simply because we don't like to do those particular tasks. That's not fair and it's not professional.
4. Keep your own needs for perfection in check. If your attitude is that "no one can do it better than I can" you can't delegate successfully.
5. As a general rule, tasks that you delegate should meet the following criteria:
- things that divert your attention from the work you really should be doing
- tasks that don't require your personal attention
- tasks that another person on your team can handle
- tasks that will enhance the reputation of others on the team when they complete them successfully.
- don't delegate a job that will directly impact your own welfare or the welfare of your work team if it is not completed satisfactorily
- don't delegate a task that your boss has asked you to handle personally
- don't delegate a task that requires special credentials or licensing that only you have.
Healthier Workplaces has a complete training project on how to delegate tasks successfully, as well as on other responsibilities of leadership. Why re-invent the wheel. Give us a call at 877-872-6195.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Strategies to Carve Birds out of Wooden Blocks
by Larry Wenger
It’s been an observation of mine that one of the biggest problems facing organizations is that we don’t get the most out of the employees we have. We put up with negative attitudes and mediocre performance. It’s complicated because on the one hand, the employee themselves must take some responsibility for their own performance. On the other hand, if leadership doesn’t identify the strengths that employees have; if employees are not respected; if they aren’t challenged; if they aren’t trained and given clear feedback, positive and negative, then leaders are responsible when the work done by employees is half-hearted, sprinkled with mistakes and generally much less than it could be.
A current TV ad for a local senior center prompted me to reflect on this problem. The ad is trying to convey the creative energy that living at this senior center makes possible. The ad shows a man putting the finishing touches on a hand carved wooden bird; it really is a great accomplishment. The ad concludes with the carver saying, “I can hardly look at a block of wood without seeing a bird in it.”
And therein lies the issue. When we think about our employees do we see a block of wood or a bird. At the point they were hired, we saw a bird…we felt like there was a reason to believe that they could make a beautiful contribution to our organization. But something happened…or maybe a series of things. We saw their mistakes; it dawned on us that they weren’t perfect. So what do we do about it?
When it comes to our employees, we do not have a good track record for making birds out of wood blocks. I know, it’s not easy. It takes a lot of commitment and determination. But I think it can be done. Here are seven tips that can help ensure success: (1) start early; don’t overlook those first mistakes. Performance problems, like cut fingers, heal themselves best when cared for promptly. (2) Make sure you know the employee…their likes and dislikes; their personal interests; their professional strengths and weaknesses. (3)Restate your commitment to their success. (4) Provide coaching-oriented supervision…frequently, and make other resources available, like specialized training. (5) Be specific about how you want the employee to behave. (6) Specify a timeline by which you want to see improvement. (7) Be clear about what the consequences will be if the improvement does not happen.
Why did you hire this person in the first place? What was that special characteristic that made you think they could contribute. Find that characteristic, carve it out of the clutter. It’s still there, even though hard to find. It will be worthwhile cause everyone wins.
A current TV ad for a local senior center prompted me to reflect on this problem. The ad is trying to convey the creative energy that living at this senior center makes possible. The ad shows a man putting the finishing touches on a hand carved wooden bird; it really is a great accomplishment. The ad concludes with the carver saying, “I can hardly look at a block of wood without seeing a bird in it.”
And therein lies the issue. When we think about our employees do we see a block of wood or a bird. At the point they were hired, we saw a bird…we felt like there was a reason to believe that they could make a beautiful contribution to our organization. But something happened…or maybe a series of things. We saw their mistakes; it dawned on us that they weren’t perfect. So what do we do about it?
When it comes to our employees, we do not have a good track record for making birds out of wood blocks. I know, it’s not easy. It takes a lot of commitment and determination. But I think it can be done. Here are seven tips that can help ensure success: (1) start early; don’t overlook those first mistakes. Performance problems, like cut fingers, heal themselves best when cared for promptly. (2) Make sure you know the employee…their likes and dislikes; their personal interests; their professional strengths and weaknesses. (3)Restate your commitment to their success. (4) Provide coaching-oriented supervision…frequently, and make other resources available, like specialized training. (5) Be specific about how you want the employee to behave. (6) Specify a timeline by which you want to see improvement. (7) Be clear about what the consequences will be if the improvement does not happen.
Why did you hire this person in the first place? What was that special characteristic that made you think they could contribute. Find that characteristic, carve it out of the clutter. It’s still there, even though hard to find. It will be worthwhile cause everyone wins.
Monday, February 15, 2016
9 Tips for Restoring Trust Within Your Work Group
1. Acknowledge that trust has been eroded and that it may take it a while before we develop the confidence in each other that we had before. Restate the purpose of the group and what is required for success.
2. Expect that restoring trust will happen slowly and there will be times of encouragement and discouragement; sometimes it will seem like you are making no progress.
3. Keep up the structure of meeting and talking to each other, even though it is uncomfortable at times. Continue the agenda process and meeting minutes. They are all ingredients in a smoothly operating team; don't give up on them.
4. Make sure commitments are kept, even if they are around seemingly insignificant issues. Demonstrate to each other that the group has the capability of being reliable; initially around small issues; later, larger, more impactful ones.
5. Listen to each other...I mean, really listen. Respond in a way that assures the speaker that they were heard.
6. Be transparent. Share all the information, not just the good news. You may want to avoid more difficulty but the path to restoring trust is built on a renewed commitment to the truth.
7. Demonstrate support, concern and encouragement for every member of the group. Some of this can take place within the group sessions; at other terms this concern may be best expressed in 1:1 conversation. The effort here is to move the experience of group members with each other in a positive direction.
8. When a member demonstrates even a small effort to renew their accountability and commitment to the group, acknowledge their effort and express your appreciation; they have begun to model the behavior required to re-build trust and that should be reinforced.
9. At every other meeting ask the group for their feedback about how things are going in the group. Ask them for suggestions as to how you could improve as the group leader. Stress the importance of members giving each other feedback as to their performance in the group; these should not be personal attacks but rather positive suggestions as to what is required of each member in order for trust to be restored and make the group more functional.
Larry Wengerr
1. Acknowledge that trust has been eroded and that it may take it a while before we develop the confidence in each other that we had before. Restate the purpose of the group and what is required for success.
2. Expect that restoring trust will happen slowly and there will be times of encouragement and discouragement; sometimes it will seem like you are making no progress.
3. Keep up the structure of meeting and talking to each other, even though it is uncomfortable at times. Continue the agenda process and meeting minutes. They are all ingredients in a smoothly operating team; don't give up on them.
4. Make sure commitments are kept, even if they are around seemingly insignificant issues. Demonstrate to each other that the group has the capability of being reliable; initially around small issues; later, larger, more impactful ones.
5. Listen to each other...I mean, really listen. Respond in a way that assures the speaker that they were heard.
6. Be transparent. Share all the information, not just the good news. You may want to avoid more difficulty but the path to restoring trust is built on a renewed commitment to the truth.
7. Demonstrate support, concern and encouragement for every member of the group. Some of this can take place within the group sessions; at other terms this concern may be best expressed in 1:1 conversation. The effort here is to move the experience of group members with each other in a positive direction.
8. When a member demonstrates even a small effort to renew their accountability and commitment to the group, acknowledge their effort and express your appreciation; they have begun to model the behavior required to re-build trust and that should be reinforced.
9. At every other meeting ask the group for their feedback about how things are going in the group. Ask them for suggestions as to how you could improve as the group leader. Stress the importance of members giving each other feedback as to their performance in the group; these should not be personal attacks but rather positive suggestions as to what is required of each member in order for trust to be restored and make the group more functional.
Larry Wengerr
Monday, January 18, 2016
Employees Who No Longer Care...Do You Know What to Do? by Larry Wenger
Whether I am talking to employees at a human services agency or at a local hardware store, I find that most supervisors struggle with the problem of employees who have lost their motivation to do a good job. They walk around looking bored; their eyes glazed; they sit down whenever possible; they talk to customers and clients in unpleasant tones; they have very little positive to say to anyone; they cant wait for the next payday. You know the folks I'm talking about.
I hear it all the time. Their supervisors are very frustrated. Understandably so and yet too often, if you examine their personnel folders, there's nothing there. Rarely do these unmotivated people do anything bad enough that gets them fired on the spot. Yet their negative influcence spreads a dangerous disease every day. It's a disease that makes it hard to get anything significant accomplished.
These problems are not easy to fix; you can't give unmotivated employees a pill to change them. Interesting that many of us work for organizations that claim to know how to change human behavior and yet we seem totally inept at changing the behavior of employees. We can help employees change; it doesnt happen quickly but it can be done and let me say right away that we will not change them with threats or a "my way or the highway approach". It's a network of behaviors that will stimulate the change, when implemented professionally and by supervisors who are good with people and emotionally intelligent. Here are some suggestions.
1. Reduce mis-hires. Renowned football coach Lou Holtz says that he's a better coach when he has good players. Make it hard to get a job at your place. Put job applicants under stress and only hire the ones that show good potential to contribute to your organization. Accept nothing less...for any reason.
2. Be clear about duties and expectations. Align these with the mission of the organization and discuss it at every staff meeting...it's a discussion, not a lecture. Everyone should know how the mission impacts what they have to do this afternoon.
3. Emphasize learning for everyone...form top to bottom. Demonstrate how learning new skills makes everyone more productive. Talk about your efforts to improve your own performance.
4. Show an interest in the personal stressors of your employees. Understand the mountains they have to climb in order to be successful on the job. Maybe you know where they can get some help. Their loyalty will more than make your effort worhwhile. It's not about being "nosey", it's a matter of being available.
5. Overcommunicate your commitment to support the success of your employees. Be their cheerleader; promote them; let others know about their accomplishments.
6. Give people honest feedback beginning on their first day; don't put it off.
7. Be a supervisor who is trustworthy and dependable. Don't overpromise, but do overdeliver. Give them a safe environment in which to work; one in which they can grow and make mistakes. Being firm, fair and consistent makes it easier for them to change.
Building motivation in someone takes time and it's not simple. Who knows, for some it may never work. But these 7 suggestions will promote a culture in which change is possible.
If your supervisors want to get the most out of their staff but aren't sure where to start, I'd love to talk to you about it. Call me at Healthier Workplaces for a free consultation, 877-872-6195.
5.
Whether I am talking to employees at a human services agency or at a local hardware store, I find that most supervisors struggle with the problem of employees who have lost their motivation to do a good job. They walk around looking bored; their eyes glazed; they sit down whenever possible; they talk to customers and clients in unpleasant tones; they have very little positive to say to anyone; they cant wait for the next payday. You know the folks I'm talking about.
I hear it all the time. Their supervisors are very frustrated. Understandably so and yet too often, if you examine their personnel folders, there's nothing there. Rarely do these unmotivated people do anything bad enough that gets them fired on the spot. Yet their negative influcence spreads a dangerous disease every day. It's a disease that makes it hard to get anything significant accomplished.
These problems are not easy to fix; you can't give unmotivated employees a pill to change them. Interesting that many of us work for organizations that claim to know how to change human behavior and yet we seem totally inept at changing the behavior of employees. We can help employees change; it doesnt happen quickly but it can be done and let me say right away that we will not change them with threats or a "my way or the highway approach". It's a network of behaviors that will stimulate the change, when implemented professionally and by supervisors who are good with people and emotionally intelligent. Here are some suggestions.
1. Reduce mis-hires. Renowned football coach Lou Holtz says that he's a better coach when he has good players. Make it hard to get a job at your place. Put job applicants under stress and only hire the ones that show good potential to contribute to your organization. Accept nothing less...for any reason.
2. Be clear about duties and expectations. Align these with the mission of the organization and discuss it at every staff meeting...it's a discussion, not a lecture. Everyone should know how the mission impacts what they have to do this afternoon.
3. Emphasize learning for everyone...form top to bottom. Demonstrate how learning new skills makes everyone more productive. Talk about your efforts to improve your own performance.
4. Show an interest in the personal stressors of your employees. Understand the mountains they have to climb in order to be successful on the job. Maybe you know where they can get some help. Their loyalty will more than make your effort worhwhile. It's not about being "nosey", it's a matter of being available.
5. Overcommunicate your commitment to support the success of your employees. Be their cheerleader; promote them; let others know about their accomplishments.
6. Give people honest feedback beginning on their first day; don't put it off.
7. Be a supervisor who is trustworthy and dependable. Don't overpromise, but do overdeliver. Give them a safe environment in which to work; one in which they can grow and make mistakes. Being firm, fair and consistent makes it easier for them to change.
Building motivation in someone takes time and it's not simple. Who knows, for some it may never work. But these 7 suggestions will promote a culture in which change is possible.
If your supervisors want to get the most out of their staff but aren't sure where to start, I'd love to talk to you about it. Call me at Healthier Workplaces for a free consultation, 877-872-6195.
5.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
The Nine Commandments for Supervisors
For many supervisors, their relationship with people who work for them could be a lot better. A recent study by faculty members at the University of Florida said that more than half of the employees found their supervisors untrustworthy, not good role models and too free to share confidential information. This is indeed a severe indictment. Poor supervision is often seen as a factor in high turnover and increasingly employers are holding supervisors accountable for turnover amongst their direct reports.
Supervision is about nurturing employees. It's about being committed to making them successful rather than waiting for them to make a mistake. Supervisors need to have a clear and specific idea of how they can support the individuals who work for them and how technical skills as well as attitudes or habits can be improved.
Technical skills are the easy part. Attitudes and habits are harder to change which speaks to the reason why they are responsible for more terminations than the technical skills. Which takes us to the Nine Commandments... since if followed, the supervisor will be more successful at changing attitudes and habits.
1. Get to know the employee, what motivates them, what some of their personal interests are, what their goals are for their personal and professional future. Be prepared to share some of your own as well. This develops the bond between you and your employee, enables better planning for the future and adds zest to your work together.
2. Be organized. Don't bring your employee into a cluttered office. Be prepared. The employee should not feel as though he/she is taking you away from more important work. Don't take phone calls during the session. Do put a do-not-disturb sign on your door and make sure that your discussions are held in a private, safe-to-talk space. The environment should show respect for the employee.
3. Model the behavior you expect to see from your employee. Handle your own responsibilities well.
4. Acknowledge good work. Regularly and often. No employee has ever complained that their boss compliments them too much. Compliments feel good.
5. Be positive and optimistic. Give your employees the confidence that things will work out; give them a reason to believe that planning and hard work will lead to success. Describe their strengths as well as weaknesses.
6. Document your discussions. Describe the behavior you want from the employee both verbally and in writing. Track progress and make note of it. This eliminates surprises when it comes to doing the annual review.
7. Refer often to the mission and goals of the organization. Make sure that the employee knows exactly how to contribute to those goals.
8. Demonstrate your own commitment to learning and to improving your own performance. Don't expect your employees to find time to go to training if you can't seem to break away for some time of personal growth. Be willing to admit your own mistakes and areas in which you need to improve.
9. Be fair, consistent and honest. Be prepared to speak clearly about areas of the employee's performance that must improve; don't use vague language. Be behaviorally specific in terms of the problem and the solution as well as the time frame for expected improvement. One can be specific without being judgmental of the person receiving the feedback.
As a supervisor you must recognize that your job now requires that you help the organization achieve success through the cooperation of other people. You may have been really good at making clay pots, but that is not your job now. Instead of the technical skills that were required in making those pots, you now need the people skills which build loyalty and motivation. As Dwight Eisenhower is quoted as saying, "Leadership (including supervision) is about getting other people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it that way." Attitudes and habits do not change quickly. You will need to be patient, but determined.
For many supervisors, their relationship with people who work for them could be a lot better. A recent study by faculty members at the University of Florida said that more than half of the employees found their supervisors untrustworthy, not good role models and too free to share confidential information. This is indeed a severe indictment. Poor supervision is often seen as a factor in high turnover and increasingly employers are holding supervisors accountable for turnover amongst their direct reports.
Supervision is about nurturing employees. It's about being committed to making them successful rather than waiting for them to make a mistake. Supervisors need to have a clear and specific idea of how they can support the individuals who work for them and how technical skills as well as attitudes or habits can be improved.
Technical skills are the easy part. Attitudes and habits are harder to change which speaks to the reason why they are responsible for more terminations than the technical skills. Which takes us to the Nine Commandments... since if followed, the supervisor will be more successful at changing attitudes and habits.
1. Get to know the employee, what motivates them, what some of their personal interests are, what their goals are for their personal and professional future. Be prepared to share some of your own as well. This develops the bond between you and your employee, enables better planning for the future and adds zest to your work together.
2. Be organized. Don't bring your employee into a cluttered office. Be prepared. The employee should not feel as though he/she is taking you away from more important work. Don't take phone calls during the session. Do put a do-not-disturb sign on your door and make sure that your discussions are held in a private, safe-to-talk space. The environment should show respect for the employee.
3. Model the behavior you expect to see from your employee. Handle your own responsibilities well.
4. Acknowledge good work. Regularly and often. No employee has ever complained that their boss compliments them too much. Compliments feel good.
5. Be positive and optimistic. Give your employees the confidence that things will work out; give them a reason to believe that planning and hard work will lead to success. Describe their strengths as well as weaknesses.
6. Document your discussions. Describe the behavior you want from the employee both verbally and in writing. Track progress and make note of it. This eliminates surprises when it comes to doing the annual review.
7. Refer often to the mission and goals of the organization. Make sure that the employee knows exactly how to contribute to those goals.
8. Demonstrate your own commitment to learning and to improving your own performance. Don't expect your employees to find time to go to training if you can't seem to break away for some time of personal growth. Be willing to admit your own mistakes and areas in which you need to improve.
9. Be fair, consistent and honest. Be prepared to speak clearly about areas of the employee's performance that must improve; don't use vague language. Be behaviorally specific in terms of the problem and the solution as well as the time frame for expected improvement. One can be specific without being judgmental of the person receiving the feedback.
As a supervisor you must recognize that your job now requires that you help the organization achieve success through the cooperation of other people. You may have been really good at making clay pots, but that is not your job now. Instead of the technical skills that were required in making those pots, you now need the people skills which build loyalty and motivation. As Dwight Eisenhower is quoted as saying, "Leadership (including supervision) is about getting other people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it that way." Attitudes and habits do not change quickly. You will need to be patient, but determined.
Webinar Training for Managers Available
Happy to announce the availability of 5, 30-minute webinars on management. These trainings written by Larry Wenger and produced and distributed by NetSmart Technologies, one of the largest producers of on-line training. The 5 topics are:
Happy to announce the availability of 5, 30-minute webinars on management. These trainings written by Larry Wenger and produced and distributed by NetSmart Technologies, one of the largest producers of on-line training. The 5 topics are:
- Building a High-Trust Workplace;
- Employee Happiness;
- Hire and Retain the Right People in the First Place;
- Sensational Staff Meetings;
- Staff Training and Development.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Thanks for coming to the Healthier Workplaces Blog. Read thru the material here and comment on any or all; we'd love to read your feedback. Can we help you start an on-boarding program; improve your interview process so that you are more likely to hire "winners"; develop leaders and supervisors; solve long-standing employee morale issues??? Give me a call to arrange your free, no-obligation consultation. We'll arrange a program that meets your requirements and budget.
Larry Wenger, President
Healthier Workplaces
877-872-6195
larryw@healthierworkplaces.com
Larry Wenger, President
Healthier Workplaces
877-872-6195
larryw@healthierworkplaces.com
For New Employees...It's Sink or Swim
Larry Wenger
On-boarding is a term developed and implemented in corporate America now for the last 10 years or so, and it's now just starting to gain some traction in the non-profit community. What is on-boarding?
On-boarding is a series of activities designed to help new employees feel socially comfortable; to feel like they belong. It is not what we typically call "orientation".
When I was a young boy, I had to change schools frequently due to family moves. I recall my sense of awkwardness those first few days, weeks and months. When you are new in a situation, it takes a while before you stop worrying about whether or not you are accepted as a peer; whether or not you are being judged; will anyone eat lunch with you; how long will it be before I'm sure I have a friend? At school this is a very uncomfortable time and it probably detracts from a student's ability to be academically successful.
At work it's the same way. The only difference is that when you are in a workplace situation the situation is more critical. At work you are expected to produce and yet how can you do that when your life is filled with newbie anxiety. On-boarding is about reducing that anxiety so that you can be more comfortable faster and so that you can be a productive member of the team more quickly. Stories of where employees are treated insensitively by co-workers are all too common. This just makes the new employee's adjustment even more difficult and increases the liklihood that they will not last for those critical first six months.
So what are some examples of on-boarding? What specifically can be done to help new employees feel like they are supported and assisted in their adjustment to their new work situation. As you will see they are not difficult or expensive things but they become a program of activity that we intentionally implement to help new employees.
1. Even before a new employee starts have a colleague-to-be send them a welcome note.
2. If the employee is to be assigned a desk make sure it is clean, free of material from a former occupant and has an initial stock of supplies. Make sure they have an email account established and know network log-on procedures.
3. Welcome them on the first day and introduce them to other employees.
4. Debrief them at the end of the day for at least the first two weeks. Give them the opportunity to discuss their observations and concerns.
5. At the end of the first week, give them something to take home and share with family and friends. Might just be a formal invitation for them to visit the office at a time in the near future.
6. Assign someone to have lunch with the new employee those first few days.
7. Arrange a photo-op with the CEO.
8. Conclude the first week with a lunch or morning snack for the new employee and the assigned work group.
Perhaps this list will help you think of other helpful ideas. It's amazing how much of a difference it will make. They'll go home every evening that first week feeling amazed and grateful that they came to work for you...that's what you want. They'll share their joy with others. You can't get better PR.
The option of course is to do nothing and let time be the only event which helps people to eventually be comfortable at your workplace. That's the "sink" part of the equation and that is exactly what will happen to too many new employees if that is your approach. Develop your own on-boarding program; you'll be glad you did.
Larry Wenger
On-boarding is a term developed and implemented in corporate America now for the last 10 years or so, and it's now just starting to gain some traction in the non-profit community. What is on-boarding?
On-boarding is a series of activities designed to help new employees feel socially comfortable; to feel like they belong. It is not what we typically call "orientation".
When I was a young boy, I had to change schools frequently due to family moves. I recall my sense of awkwardness those first few days, weeks and months. When you are new in a situation, it takes a while before you stop worrying about whether or not you are accepted as a peer; whether or not you are being judged; will anyone eat lunch with you; how long will it be before I'm sure I have a friend? At school this is a very uncomfortable time and it probably detracts from a student's ability to be academically successful.
At work it's the same way. The only difference is that when you are in a workplace situation the situation is more critical. At work you are expected to produce and yet how can you do that when your life is filled with newbie anxiety. On-boarding is about reducing that anxiety so that you can be more comfortable faster and so that you can be a productive member of the team more quickly. Stories of where employees are treated insensitively by co-workers are all too common. This just makes the new employee's adjustment even more difficult and increases the liklihood that they will not last for those critical first six months.
So what are some examples of on-boarding? What specifically can be done to help new employees feel like they are supported and assisted in their adjustment to their new work situation. As you will see they are not difficult or expensive things but they become a program of activity that we intentionally implement to help new employees.
1. Even before a new employee starts have a colleague-to-be send them a welcome note.
2. If the employee is to be assigned a desk make sure it is clean, free of material from a former occupant and has an initial stock of supplies. Make sure they have an email account established and know network log-on procedures.
3. Welcome them on the first day and introduce them to other employees.
4. Debrief them at the end of the day for at least the first two weeks. Give them the opportunity to discuss their observations and concerns.
5. At the end of the first week, give them something to take home and share with family and friends. Might just be a formal invitation for them to visit the office at a time in the near future.
6. Assign someone to have lunch with the new employee those first few days.
7. Arrange a photo-op with the CEO.
8. Conclude the first week with a lunch or morning snack for the new employee and the assigned work group.
Perhaps this list will help you think of other helpful ideas. It's amazing how much of a difference it will make. They'll go home every evening that first week feeling amazed and grateful that they came to work for you...that's what you want. They'll share their joy with others. You can't get better PR.
The option of course is to do nothing and let time be the only event which helps people to eventually be comfortable at your workplace. That's the "sink" part of the equation and that is exactly what will happen to too many new employees if that is your approach. Develop your own on-boarding program; you'll be glad you did.
The Magic "G" Word
Larry Wenger
I know that Thanksgiving is over but is it too late to thing about gratitude? I don't think so. Turns out, according to Life and Business Coach Lorin Beller, it's impossible to be grumpy and grateful at the same time and when we chose gratefulness we are more successful personally and professionally. "We become more attractive to our boss, our clients, and our peers; we especially attract others who have a positive outlook on life." Try being grateful every day for a month, and see if you don't you'll begin to see some benefits. Like for example:
And we need to be grateful for the people in our lives both now and in the past. People who have helped us alone the way; who have given us a word of encouragement; who loaned us their car for a job interview; or who gave us money when we were up against it financially. The words of the song made famous by Josh Grobin a number of years ago remind us about times when others have helped us; "you raise me up, so I can stand on mountains." Be grateful!
Larry Wenger
I know that Thanksgiving is over but is it too late to thing about gratitude? I don't think so. Turns out, according to Life and Business Coach Lorin Beller, it's impossible to be grumpy and grateful at the same time and when we chose gratefulness we are more successful personally and professionally. "We become more attractive to our boss, our clients, and our peers; we especially attract others who have a positive outlook on life." Try being grateful every day for a month, and see if you don't you'll begin to see some benefits. Like for example:
- it becomes easier to work with others; even difficult projects turn out better because of the cooperative relationships you will build.
- you'll find yourself saying "thank you" more often; acknowledging the hard work done by everyone around you.
- even when things aren't going well, you'll be grateful for the small things in life: that you have a job, even if it might not be your ideal situation; that in your search to improve your life, you have found hidden talents that you did not know you had.
- where others see obstacles to accomplishing a goal, you will see solutions, even new possibilities.
And we need to be grateful for the people in our lives both now and in the past. People who have helped us alone the way; who have given us a word of encouragement; who loaned us their car for a job interview; or who gave us money when we were up against it financially. The words of the song made famous by Josh Grobin a number of years ago remind us about times when others have helped us; "you raise me up, so I can stand on mountains." Be grateful!
Friday, November 27, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Larry Wenger, Founder, Healthier Workplaces
(877) 872-6195
(877) 872-6195
LarryW@HealthierWorkplaces.com
HEALTHIER
WORKPLACES AND KENCREST PARTNER
TO PROVIDE INSPIRED LEADERSHIP FOR BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE
TO PROVIDE INSPIRED LEADERSHIP FOR BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE
Healthier Workplaces,
a Bucks County, Pa.-based management training and employee relations
consultancy, has partnered with KenCrest, a Plymouth Meeting, Pa.- based
not-for-profit organization. KenCrest is
a pioneering provider of social and educational support services to persons
with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism. Healthier Workplaces, headed by Larry Wenger,
a veteran human resources consultant specializing in both the not-for-profit
and corporate leadership arena, is leading the effort, which will enhance the
professional knowledge of more than 300 KenCrest directors, managers and
supervisors on management best practices to continue the program and
service delivery to KenCrest clients.
The course, entitled “Excellence in
Leadership and Supervision” will build upon the leadership skills of KenCrest’s
management and supervisory staff and positions the agency for future sustainability
and continued growth. KenCrest provides services primarily in southeastern
Pennsylvania, but also operates programs in Connecticut and Delaware, employing
a total of nearly 2,500 people.
The course provides participating staff with a 36-hour training program over a six-week period. It will help them solidify their understanding of leadership and management best practices, develop a clearer awareness of their own leadership styles, identify areas in which a change in their behavior might increase their leadership success, and apply the knowledge and assessment information to their daily activity. The course is being held in several locations concurrently, so that staff from a variety of work locations can conveniently attend. It is anticipated that all trainings will be completed by July 2016.
“KenCrest,”
designated as one of the Philadelphia area’s top places to work, “is to be
commended for taking on a staff development project like this”, says Healthier
Workplaces’ Larry Wenger. “It says a lot
about their commitment to maintaining the workplace as a setting of excitement,
growth and challenge. We’re honored to
be partnering with them in this effort.
Often, when economic times are uncertain, employee training is one of
the first expenses to be cut.
KenCrest’s bold move to make this
kind of an investment in their future, and that of their staff, speaks volumes
about the organization’s commitment to quality services.
Since 2005, many human service
organizations and leading companies throughout the Northeast have trusted
Healthier Workplaces, headquartered in Newtown, Pa., for training on leadership
development and employee morale and relations. Larry Wenger and his team of
expert trainers have years of experience in the area of social management. To learn more about Healthier Workplaces,
visit www.HealthierWorkplaces.com.
# # #
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Getting Rid of the Annual Performance Evaluation
Sounds outrageous doesn't it. No more annual evaluations. Think of it! There's a rationale behind this seemingly over-the-top recommendation. The rationale is that when it comes to improving the performance of employees, and after all that is what it's all about, the annual performance evaluation is not where we should spend our time and energy. Here's why.
1. The communication during the typical performance evaluation is confusing. It's 50 minutes of how great the employee is doing, followed by ten minutes of, "but there is one other thing...." And guess what, the employee walks out only remembering the negative comment.
2. Annual performance evaluations serve a limited instructive function. They are a requirement of a bureaucracy. They are not an opportunity for teaching. They are simply a review of performance over a period of time and normally that period of time is the 30 days before the supervisor wrote the evaluation; that's the period of time that the supervisor can most readily recall, even though the evaluation is supposed to cover a year.
3. The annual performance evaluation too often is not done in a context of a positive relationship between supervisor and employee. So the entire conversation is ripe for misunderstandings to occur. (see the YouTube video in our current Newsletter for an example of misunderstandings). It's not a positive relationship because the supervisor has made only minimal investment in building a relationship.
4. Annual performance evaluations are not done on time or done at all. Not unusual to hear about organizations where a heavy majority of employees have never had a performance evaluation. And sometimes the more senior level supervisors are the most negligent in carrying out this responsibility.
5. The annual performance review has too many surprises; usually surprises about their performance which has not met expectations. This means that employees have been working with the mistaken impression that their performance was at least "ok".
So what is the option? What both employees and supervisors need is regular, frequent performance feedback - daily if necessary. New employees need daily feedback, more experienced, normally, less frequently. This requires the full range of leadership skills in order to be done competently: time management so that time for feedback is available; a commitment to the development and success of employees; the ability to communicate good news and bad news with clarity, to mention just a few.
Let's get good at performance feedback. Begin by having frequent 1:1 meetings. No, a 1:1 meeting is not chit-chat in the hallway. Let's learn about how our employees learn and improve their performance; it'll be a little different for each. Let's learn to teach; see what John Maxwell says about equipping employees for success. Stop playing 'sink or swim' with our employees and then telling them at the end of the year, if they last that long, that they are drowning.
Sounds outrageous doesn't it. No more annual evaluations. Think of it! There's a rationale behind this seemingly over-the-top recommendation. The rationale is that when it comes to improving the performance of employees, and after all that is what it's all about, the annual performance evaluation is not where we should spend our time and energy. Here's why.
1. The communication during the typical performance evaluation is confusing. It's 50 minutes of how great the employee is doing, followed by ten minutes of, "but there is one other thing...." And guess what, the employee walks out only remembering the negative comment.
2. Annual performance evaluations serve a limited instructive function. They are a requirement of a bureaucracy. They are not an opportunity for teaching. They are simply a review of performance over a period of time and normally that period of time is the 30 days before the supervisor wrote the evaluation; that's the period of time that the supervisor can most readily recall, even though the evaluation is supposed to cover a year.
3. The annual performance evaluation too often is not done in a context of a positive relationship between supervisor and employee. So the entire conversation is ripe for misunderstandings to occur. (see the YouTube video in our current Newsletter for an example of misunderstandings). It's not a positive relationship because the supervisor has made only minimal investment in building a relationship.
4. Annual performance evaluations are not done on time or done at all. Not unusual to hear about organizations where a heavy majority of employees have never had a performance evaluation. And sometimes the more senior level supervisors are the most negligent in carrying out this responsibility.
5. The annual performance review has too many surprises; usually surprises about their performance which has not met expectations. This means that employees have been working with the mistaken impression that their performance was at least "ok".
So what is the option? What both employees and supervisors need is regular, frequent performance feedback - daily if necessary. New employees need daily feedback, more experienced, normally, less frequently. This requires the full range of leadership skills in order to be done competently: time management so that time for feedback is available; a commitment to the development and success of employees; the ability to communicate good news and bad news with clarity, to mention just a few.
Let's get good at performance feedback. Begin by having frequent 1:1 meetings. No, a 1:1 meeting is not chit-chat in the hallway. Let's learn about how our employees learn and improve their performance; it'll be a little different for each. Let's learn to teach; see what John Maxwell says about equipping employees for success. Stop playing 'sink or swim' with our employees and then telling them at the end of the year, if they last that long, that they are drowning.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Set up Employee Perks that are Creative, "Cool" and not Expensive.
So you are not a Silicone Valley employer and you cannot afford free meals, child care, a year of parental leave or unlimited vacation time. So what? That doesn't mean that your benefit package needs to be same old, same old. You can still be creative, cool and affordable. Here are some ways to accomplish that, according to INC. writer Diana Ransom.
1. Allow your employees to take a day off periodically to volunteer at a social agency. Maybe you are already a social agency but doing this gives your employees a view of how things are at other agencies and maybe they will appreciate your place more. They may also have opportunity to rub shoulders with corporate volunteers and might be eager to learn about what you are doing.
2. Provide subsidized shares at a local community supported agriculture garden. Great opportunity for your employees to learn about growing great, natural food.
3. Subsidized gym memberships. Negotiate with a local fitness center about a bulk membership purchase and you'll get the per person rate down very low.
4. Give employees $100 per year to assist in their purchase of a non-motorized vehicle (bike, kayak, roller skates). Physical activity not only builds health but fights of depression and the loss of their "mojo".
5. Make benefit changes as flexible as possible. Everyone is different. Yes, it will cost more to coordinate but the savings might be more than made up in reduced turnover.
6. Have focus group discussions employees annually to review their needs and interests with regard to perks.
7. Tie perks to the bottom line. Yes, some of them are very nice, but the reason they exist is to make the organization more effective and efficient. If a perk is costing more than the savings it produces, chances are it should not survive.
So you are not a Silicone Valley employer and you cannot afford free meals, child care, a year of parental leave or unlimited vacation time. So what? That doesn't mean that your benefit package needs to be same old, same old. You can still be creative, cool and affordable. Here are some ways to accomplish that, according to INC. writer Diana Ransom.
1. Allow your employees to take a day off periodically to volunteer at a social agency. Maybe you are already a social agency but doing this gives your employees a view of how things are at other agencies and maybe they will appreciate your place more. They may also have opportunity to rub shoulders with corporate volunteers and might be eager to learn about what you are doing.
2. Provide subsidized shares at a local community supported agriculture garden. Great opportunity for your employees to learn about growing great, natural food.
3. Subsidized gym memberships. Negotiate with a local fitness center about a bulk membership purchase and you'll get the per person rate down very low.
4. Give employees $100 per year to assist in their purchase of a non-motorized vehicle (bike, kayak, roller skates). Physical activity not only builds health but fights of depression and the loss of their "mojo".
5. Make benefit changes as flexible as possible. Everyone is different. Yes, it will cost more to coordinate but the savings might be more than made up in reduced turnover.
6. Have focus group discussions employees annually to review their needs and interests with regard to perks.
7. Tie perks to the bottom line. Yes, some of them are very nice, but the reason they exist is to make the organization more effective and efficient. If a perk is costing more than the savings it produces, chances are it should not survive.
6 Hot Tips to Help You Hire Winners
Very few of us have ever had any formal training in how to make hire decisions. We learn as we go and we feel like out "gut" reaction to an applicant is pretty accurate. Times have changed in the hiring game however and today you are likely to know more about the capacity of that copier you bought last month than you do about the applicant sitting in front of you. They are all wearing a "mask" after all and your job, should you chose to accept it, is to get behind the mask and uncover what the applicant probably does not want you to know.
Making good hiring decisions can make all the difference for your organization. You'll definitely be ahead of the game when it comes to employee morale; you will probably lower your turnover rate and the ability of the staff as a whole to meet your "mission" increases dramatically. Since replacing even a $10 per hour employee, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, costs no less than $3800 out of pocket, you'll even save money.
So here are 10 smoking' hot tips to help you separate applicants who can really help you from those who will be around to collect a paycheck, and very little else.
1. Remember, your objective is different than the applicant. You want to find out as much about the applicant as possible; the applicant wants a job offer or at least a second interview.
2. Watch out for "positive chemistry". This feels good right away and you'll assume that you've finally found the right person. But it probably has very little to do with whether or not the applicant can meet the job requirements.
3. Make sure your questions ask about the applicant's past work and experience. Don't pose a scenario and ask, "what would you do?" Past performance is the best predictor of performance in the future.
4. Don't provide the applicant with a job description before the interview. Plenty of time for that later. The job description (especially if it's a good one) merely gives the applicant easy access to the verbiage he/she thinks you want to hear.
5. Don't talk too much. Wait for the applicant to answer difficult questions. Be comfortable with silence. If you as the interviewer are talking more than 20% of the time...you are talking too much.
6. Use pre-prepared questions. That way you will be able to listen intently without worrying about what your next question should be.
Making good hiring decisions is not necessarily a science, but you should always be trying to improve your ability to make these judgements. Whatever hiring process you have, subject it to a quality control process. Become a student of hiring and do it better today than you did yesterday.
Very few of us have ever had any formal training in how to make hire decisions. We learn as we go and we feel like out "gut" reaction to an applicant is pretty accurate. Times have changed in the hiring game however and today you are likely to know more about the capacity of that copier you bought last month than you do about the applicant sitting in front of you. They are all wearing a "mask" after all and your job, should you chose to accept it, is to get behind the mask and uncover what the applicant probably does not want you to know.
Making good hiring decisions can make all the difference for your organization. You'll definitely be ahead of the game when it comes to employee morale; you will probably lower your turnover rate and the ability of the staff as a whole to meet your "mission" increases dramatically. Since replacing even a $10 per hour employee, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, costs no less than $3800 out of pocket, you'll even save money.
So here are 10 smoking' hot tips to help you separate applicants who can really help you from those who will be around to collect a paycheck, and very little else.
1. Remember, your objective is different than the applicant. You want to find out as much about the applicant as possible; the applicant wants a job offer or at least a second interview.
2. Watch out for "positive chemistry". This feels good right away and you'll assume that you've finally found the right person. But it probably has very little to do with whether or not the applicant can meet the job requirements.
3. Make sure your questions ask about the applicant's past work and experience. Don't pose a scenario and ask, "what would you do?" Past performance is the best predictor of performance in the future.
4. Don't provide the applicant with a job description before the interview. Plenty of time for that later. The job description (especially if it's a good one) merely gives the applicant easy access to the verbiage he/she thinks you want to hear.
5. Don't talk too much. Wait for the applicant to answer difficult questions. Be comfortable with silence. If you as the interviewer are talking more than 20% of the time...you are talking too much.
6. Use pre-prepared questions. That way you will be able to listen intently without worrying about what your next question should be.
Making good hiring decisions is not necessarily a science, but you should always be trying to improve your ability to make these judgements. Whatever hiring process you have, subject it to a quality control process. Become a student of hiring and do it better today than you did yesterday.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
You have reached the blog of HealthierWorkplaces. Read the latest posts, make your comments and then check out our WEBSITE and see why we are your first choice for leadership training at your organization.
A New Model for Staff Training by Larry Wenger
If you are tired of sending people to conferences where they attend workshops that they barely remember when they get back to your agency, have a look at this. The Healthier Workplaces training team is about 2/3 of the way through a project with an agency in New Jersey where we are combining classroom presentations with on-the-job coaching. The program, beginning to end, will include 10 classroom presentations with lots of discussion and interaction. Topics will be around management skills but are driven largely by input from the participants. So far, we have talked about communication with difficult people, running meetings and the ability of these group home managers to support each other in making needed changes in their respective homes. Simultaneously with this classroom experience, a training team member is visiting each home to help transfer the learning into actual group home operations. All told, there will be 2 learning transfer visits to each group home.
Recently, each group home manager was asked to identify something they had learned which was now reflected in the management of their house. Each replied pointing to a specific change they had made as a result of the training and transfer of learning visit.
Want to see your employees have more energy? Want to reduce mistakes? Do med errors drive you crazy? Do your supervisors really supervise? Are difficult conversations avoided? This new model, classroom and coaching, may be just what you need. Call us for more information. 1-877-872-6195
If you are tired of sending people to conferences where they attend workshops that they barely remember when they get back to your agency, have a look at this. The Healthier Workplaces training team is about 2/3 of the way through a project with an agency in New Jersey where we are combining classroom presentations with on-the-job coaching. The program, beginning to end, will include 10 classroom presentations with lots of discussion and interaction. Topics will be around management skills but are driven largely by input from the participants. So far, we have talked about communication with difficult people, running meetings and the ability of these group home managers to support each other in making needed changes in their respective homes. Simultaneously with this classroom experience, a training team member is visiting each home to help transfer the learning into actual group home operations. All told, there will be 2 learning transfer visits to each group home.
Recently, each group home manager was asked to identify something they had learned which was now reflected in the management of their house. Each replied pointing to a specific change they had made as a result of the training and transfer of learning visit.
Want to see your employees have more energy? Want to reduce mistakes? Do med errors drive you crazy? Do your supervisors really supervise? Are difficult conversations avoided? This new model, classroom and coaching, may be just what you need. Call us for more information. 1-877-872-6195
How About Respect for Front Line
Employees!
There is a weird thing in a lot of human service organizations. The farther down you go on the org chart, the
closer you get to the real reason the organization exists. But that is just where the weirdness begins. The people at the bottom of the totem, on
the front lines, are the ones who have the most to do with whether or not the
organization meets its mission. How did
it end up that normally they are the
lowest paid employees? Low pay is only where
their problems begin. They rarely are
given input into the organization’s future even on matters which effect them
directly. Oh, they might be asked for
their thoughts via a Suggestion Box but who really pays any attention to what’s
in those boxes. They’re a joke. Training is rarely available for them since
it’s difficult for them to be released to attend a class unless it’s for a
licensing-mandated topic.
But we’re not done. Their work is extremely difficult…even
dangerous. They sometimes provide an intimate level of
care that some of us would see as disgusting.
The front line is where the turnover is.
So there are always vacancies that sometimes require overtime to
cover. Overtime pay is nice but after a
week or two of double shifts, you stop caring about the money…you just want to
go home and sleep or be with family. Their
job involves working with vulnerable and disturbed populations where it’s easy
to make mistakes; negative events that
you can get the blame for even when your training to handle these situations
may have not occurred or may have been ineffective.
One more problem.
They receive no supervision or a very poor level of supervision. Their supervisors used to be front line
workers and were rewarded for their hard work with a promotion. That’s great.
But suddenly, they find themselves supervising former colleagues;
sometimes friends, relatives and neighbors.
And most organizations do very little to help them with the
adjustment. Supervisors are not any different than anyone
else…they don’t want to feel incompetent.
But no one has ever really made their job responsibility clear to
them. So in order to restore an air of competence
to their psyche they gradually revert to a role they understand…direct
care. At that point, supervision is something they used to
do.
So, what to do?
There’s no end of problems to be dealt with here. Where do you start as a concerned human
services executive? Well
before you write your action plan, begin by taking the time to really listen to
front line employees. Don’t assume that
the problems I have identified here reflect the experience of your
employees. These will not be easy,
simple conversations. Some employees
may be reluctant to talk with you. In
the past they may have been asked, “what can we do to improve your job” by
other leaders. But those leaders were
going thru the motions…they didn’t really want to listen; they just wanted the
appearance of being a listening
leader. They had no intention of any follow
through.
Your attempts to listen must be buttressed by your vision…
to bring front line employees into the mainstream of the organization. You will meet resistance and a seeming lack
of interest. But keep going back to talk
and listen. When you can, take a front
line employee out of their work environment.
Invite them to your office for lunch.
Take them out for a cup of coffee.
Demonstrate your determination to be a good listener. Visit them on the overnight shift. And above all, follow-through. Get back to people and let them know what you
are doing about their suggestions. Let
them know you heard what they had to say.
If some suggestions are “over the top”, be honest and let people know
that you will not be pursuing that and why.
They’ll want to know “why”. Finally, reinforce your own effort at
listening to front line employees by insisting that all other managers and
supervisors do the same thing. Transform
your personal vision into a leadership team priority. Hold each other accountable to
demonstrate respect for front line
employees by listening. Expect that you
or another member of your leadership team will “listen” no less than
daily. After six months of this, your
action plan should flow easily.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
You have reached the blog of HealthierWorkplaces. Read the latest posts, make your comments and then check out our WEBSITE and see why we are your first choice for leadership training at your organization.
Are Your Staff Meetings a Waste of Time? - by Larry Wenger
Meetings have a terrible reputation. Lots of talk and no action. The "real" issues are never discussed. There is very little discussion if the boss is in the room. There's always the elephant...something that everyone knows about but that no one wants to discuss.
The problem is that at the very beginning, before the meeting ever began, the purpose of the meeting was not clear. There was not an agenda and those who would be in attendance had very little input into the planning process. So, it should be no surprise that when someone even hints that there may be a new meeting coming soon, the response is, "oh no, not another meeting."
But it's not how many meetings you have or how long they are, the issue is do they get the job done; are they productive? Is the cost of the staff time for those in attendance outweighed by the value of decisions that were made; do those decisions make the organization more effective and efficient.
Meetings are essential. None of us can accomplish all that needs to be done by ourselves, so we have to get together with others and collaborate...figure out the best way to get things done. Why do we resist them so? Most of us are pretty social...we like being with people and enjoy a cooperative effort. In meetings is where we should be the most productive. From that perspective, time spent alone in our offices may represent a real waste.
So what can we do to make sure that our meetings are productive, interesting and even enjoyable. Here are several suggestions that perhaps you have not previously considered.
1. Introduce variety and physical activity into our meetings. Bring toys: nerd balls; play-doh; paper airplanes. These are great sources of relaxation and move everyone's mood in a positive direction.
2. Invite guest speakers. Could be an outside "expert" or simply another employee who does not normally attend. Listen carefully to their perspective on issues.
3. Have walking meetings in your neighborhood. Tell those you meet about your organization. The physical activity also keeps the mind alert.
4. Meet in a different location or arrange the seating differently.
5. Allow 5-10 minutes at the beginning for "small talk"; things that people need/want to say before you get down to business.
6. Acknowledge hard work done by team members. Recognize their individual skills. Make sure everyone has input. Build trust so that people are open and honest in their communication.
7. Subject the meeting to a CQI process. Make sure that the effectiveness of your meetings is increasing. Make sure that everyone accepts responsibility for having a good meeting. Yes, strong facilitation is needed but everyone can and should identify problem areas as well as affirm positive group performance.
Now go and have a great meeting! Comments anyone?
Meetings have a terrible reputation. Lots of talk and no action. The "real" issues are never discussed. There is very little discussion if the boss is in the room. There's always the elephant...something that everyone knows about but that no one wants to discuss.
The problem is that at the very beginning, before the meeting ever began, the purpose of the meeting was not clear. There was not an agenda and those who would be in attendance had very little input into the planning process. So, it should be no surprise that when someone even hints that there may be a new meeting coming soon, the response is, "oh no, not another meeting."
But it's not how many meetings you have or how long they are, the issue is do they get the job done; are they productive? Is the cost of the staff time for those in attendance outweighed by the value of decisions that were made; do those decisions make the organization more effective and efficient.
Meetings are essential. None of us can accomplish all that needs to be done by ourselves, so we have to get together with others and collaborate...figure out the best way to get things done. Why do we resist them so? Most of us are pretty social...we like being with people and enjoy a cooperative effort. In meetings is where we should be the most productive. From that perspective, time spent alone in our offices may represent a real waste.
So what can we do to make sure that our meetings are productive, interesting and even enjoyable. Here are several suggestions that perhaps you have not previously considered.
1. Introduce variety and physical activity into our meetings. Bring toys: nerd balls; play-doh; paper airplanes. These are great sources of relaxation and move everyone's mood in a positive direction.
2. Invite guest speakers. Could be an outside "expert" or simply another employee who does not normally attend. Listen carefully to their perspective on issues.
3. Have walking meetings in your neighborhood. Tell those you meet about your organization. The physical activity also keeps the mind alert.
4. Meet in a different location or arrange the seating differently.
5. Allow 5-10 minutes at the beginning for "small talk"; things that people need/want to say before you get down to business.
6. Acknowledge hard work done by team members. Recognize their individual skills. Make sure everyone has input. Build trust so that people are open and honest in their communication.
7. Subject the meeting to a CQI process. Make sure that the effectiveness of your meetings is increasing. Make sure that everyone accepts responsibility for having a good meeting. Yes, strong facilitation is needed but everyone can and should identify problem areas as well as affirm positive group performance.
Now go and have a great meeting! Comments anyone?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)