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
Monday, February 15, 2016
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!
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