A Guest Post by Harry Paul, aka Harry the Fish Guy
Coauthor of FISH! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results and Instant Turnaround! Getting People Excited About Coming to Work and Working Hard
It’s scary out there. Every time I think about it, it sends chills up and down my spine. Everyday we are hopeful the news on the economy will change for the better. But the recovery is creeping along at best and sometimes seems to only get worse. Lay-offs, bailouts, bankruptcies, and foreclosures are for now a way of life. Businesses are closing; laying people off and watching as their profits disappear. And yet, the majority of us still have jobs and go to work everyday. And constantly we are asked to do more with less. The forty-hour workweek is a thing of the past. We are now working 24/7 tethered to our jobs by technology and fear no matter where we are.
What can we do to get us through these tough times? What can business do to get through this crisis? Business must focus on their people, those folks showing up for work everyday. Making sure they have everything they need to be their best. Having the support and appreciation of management so they can accomplish the goals and mission of the organization, a mission that is clearly communicated. And give your people the information, tools and training they need to do their jobs effectively.
And when management believes in and trusts their people, they will believe in themselves. Then people will feel obligated to ensure that that trust is not misplaced and the success of the organization is paramount. They know they are recognized and appreciated for their hard work. When people are treated with care and respect; then they start to make good things happen, and quickly. An instant turnaround takes place. Why? People will turn on their Discretionary Effort. That’s the effort that is like spare change in your pocket waiting to be used. Discretionary Effort that cannot be bought or bribed, it will only be turned on if people feel valued, cared for, trusted and respected. When this happens, your organization delivers everything, from products to service, with seamless excellence. And work becomes a destination; a place where people want to go, not feel that they have to go.
The program to turn on your employees Discretionary Effort is called Destination: Work. There are four principles that when followed will take your organization to a place where you will not measure success by quarters, but start measuring your success by decades.
1. Focus on people not just the numbers
Many times our communications from management is based on a scorecard. When managers give feedback based only on the performance numbers it sends a clear message that these numbers are more important than their people; they’re expendable. This will only motivate people to be far less productive and to look elsewhere for a job when things get better.
2. Motivate with trust, not fear
Show people you care about them, that they are important, without a hidden agenda. People will work harder, perform a higher quality of work, take more initiative, be more accountable, not afraid of change, and work better with each other; all leading to an increase in productivity and profitability.
3. Turn work into fun
Work should be enjoyable and fun. People need to be more light-hearted at work. Take your work seriously, yourselves a little less seriously. Bringing a sense of humor to work increases energy, makes work more enjoyable and keeps people more engaged.
4. Management must be a team player
Management must be visible, providing positive, relevant feedback and sharing information needed to accomplish the mission and goals of the organization. When managers get involved it shows they care. Employees will work harder and take performance to the next level.
When the principles of Destination: Work are put into use, people will wake up in the morning ready to give their best, be fully engaged at work and say, “Wow! I get to go to work today. I get to make a difference. Lucky me.”
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Are you ready to create Destination: Work? Fill out the short form below for a free consultation about how “Harry the FISH! Guy” can help you. He’s been called:
“Brilliantly outrageous!”
“An oasis for our dried up culture.”
“A mastermind of change.”
“A walking parable – he taught us to Fish!”
Yes! People will get excited about coming to work. They’ll engage. They’ll perform. They’ll produce results like you’ve never imagined.
Harry’s keynote speaking, leadership speaking, leadership workshops and books focus on making work fun, rewarding, and ultimately a place your team will want to perform at every single day.
