Compromise! Three strategies to prevent your best talent from becoming someone else’s
If you’ve had more than two jobs in your career, you’ve probably had multiple bosses to go along with those positions. Most manager personalities can be divided into three categories. I like to call them my “A-Team” because they all start with a letter A. (and no, that’s not one of them).
The first type of boss is the awesome boss. When you think of your favorite boss of all time, what does that person own? Some common traits include “trustworthy,” “supports me,” “challenges me,” “approachable,” and “fun.”
The second type of boss is the average boss. For this boss, he probably worked hard enough not to get fired, and was probably paid enough not to quit. This type of boss is neither inspiring nor offensive. He or she really didn’t make a positive or negative difference in his career.
The third type of boss is, of course, the terrible boss. Words that describe this person often include “plays favourites”, “unfair”, “traitor”, “takes all the credit”.
Using the following techniques will help you become the “amazing” boss that you would have liked to report to in your career.
Here are three ways you can create a culture of appreciation in your workplace.
Build trust. Trust is the foundation on which you build your culture. If there is no trust, nothing else matters. It took a long time for your company culture to get to where it is now, and it’s not going to change overnight. What often happens to leaders is that they suffer from a condition called BSO – Shiny Shiny Object Syndrome. After attending a seminar, conference, or industry event, they discover “the next big idea” to increase engagement. Managers then enthusiastically implement these new strategies, but when they don’t see immediate results, they discontinue the program.
An example of frequent use is to implement “Lunch and Learns” for the professional development of your team. Don’t get me wrong, lunch and learn is a great idea. You have people from your organization meeting together, learning new ideas and having the same conversation. After the program, you can help and support each other to take action. Great, right?
Unfortunately, this is what happens instead. The idea of a Lunch and Learn is proposed, and the host becomes very excited about the big event. Managers promote the event. They post flyers everywhere. They splurge on lunch or refreshments for the session, and may even bring in an outside trainer. The big day arrives and only three people show up, instead of the 42 they were counting on to “make it worthwhile.” The person in charge thinks, “Well, that didn’t work. We’re not going to do it again.”
Instead, what if you asked those three attendees, “What did you like and what can we do better next time?” Take an interest in their feedback, implement their ideas and try again. Maybe the second time, eight people will show up. Same thing, “What did you like and what can we do better next time?” That’s how you build a program – over time.
Because employees are used to managers chasing BSOs, they know it only takes a few weeks for things to get back to “normal.” Employees won’t trust you until they see consistency in your actions.
Trust takes a long time to build and can be erased in a moment. Rolling your eyes, not following through, and not setting the example you want to see within the organization are things that destroy trust. When you, as a leader, commit to making change no matter how long it takes, you’re well on your way to creating a culture of trust.
Invest in training. Help your employees be better tomorrow than they are today. This means investing in your personal and professional development. Of all the attributes potential employees look for in their next job, one of the most important is the opportunity to grow and develop. Some managers feel that spending money on training is a waste of resources. Those managers may say, “Why should we spend money to train our employees? They’ll just take what they learn and leave anyway.” And, while in a few cases that’s true, here’s something to ponder. What happens if you don’t train them and they stay? What you will find is that when you invest in your employees, they will work harder for you.
While speaking at a conference, I asked participants what they did to invest in their employees. One woman shared that they give each employee $2,500 per year to invest in her own personal and professional development. There was a collective gasp in the room, as several people said, “I have too many employees to spend that kind of money on training. We’d go bankrupt if we did that.” So I asked him, “What percentage of your employees accept this generous offer?” and she replied, “About 3 to 5% of them.” These are the percentages that are mentioned almost every time I ask the question, so you’re not taking much of a risk. The good news is that those employees taking advantage of your financial support for education are the ones to watch. Those people are your future leaders.
When you’re trying to figure out the best ways to invest in your employees, you can ask them directly what they’d like to see in that training or career development program. You’ll also want to change the conversation when it comes to training. Most of the employees, who are being “sent” to training, see it as a punishment. If, instead, you let that employee know that you see something in them and that you would like to help them expand and increase their capabilities to help them grow both personally and professionally, you have a better chance that that employee will get the most out of the educational program for that you are sending them.
positive acknowledgment action. Catch your employees in the act of doing things right. In other words, find ways to recognize, appreciate, and applaud the efforts of your team members. Mother Teresa once said, “We are more hungry for appreciation than for bread.” Showing appreciation is just as valid at work as it is at home.
Marcial Losado’s research finds that high-performing teams work with a 6-to-1 positivity ratio. This statistic means that for every negative comment employees hear, they hear at least six positive reactions. These opinions are not necessarily, “Yes! Everything you do is perfect”, but rather, “That’s a good start of an idea, let’s see how we can develop it from here.” It is respectful communication. In an average performing team, there is a positivity ratio of 3 to 1. At this point, the company is barely surviving. Employees are doing enough work so they don’t get fired, and the company is probably paying them enough so they don’t quit. It is an even balance. Finally, on an underperforming team, there is a .3 to 1 positivity ratio. People on an underperforming team hear three times as many negative comments as positive comments. It’s almost like the old saying, “The beatings will continue until morale improves.” That does not work.
Stop always trying to fix what’s broken, and instead acknowledge what works. What gets recognized gets repeated, so if you want your employees to behave productively, let them know you appreciate their good work. Chances are high that they like positive feedback and look for ways to get more of it.
When giving positive feedback, don’t just say “Great job!” Be specific so they know you were paying attention to them. Find ways to recognize your employees the way they like to be recognized. Some of your employees will love the applause from the crowd, while others will hate it. Perhaps for those more reserved employees, strike up a one-on-one conversation with them. Written notes are also a great way to connect. When you tell someone you appreciate them, you create a wonderful memory, when you write it down, you create a treasure. A well-placed Post-It can make a difference in someone’s day.
To get started, sit down with your leadership team and determine the kind of culture you want to create. Focus not on the “must” things, but on the unique things that make your workplace a great place to work. And then, choose one or two of the main ideas that you will commit to doing in the long term. Then do it.
