Culture to Engage

Do You Dare?

 As Independence Day approaches, I wonder how much freedom we can stand and how much we can stand to allow our employees.

Within appropriate limits (your definition) what would be your 5 answers to this question:

To make your work more interesting and more enjoyable, what changes would you make?

1. .
2. .
3. .
4. .
5. .

Now, without any limits except that you fulfill expectations and time requirements, what 5 answers would you give the same question:

To make your work more interesting and more enjoyable, what changes would you make?

1. .
2. .
3. .
4. .
5. .

Those questions were meant just to warm you up. Here are the real thinkers:

• Would you offer those two questions to your reporting employees?

• Would you discuss and consider their first set of answers? Their second set of answers?

• What benefits might come from this activity and its discussion...for you, your employees, your team?

I hope you'll comment...and comment on the comments.

When You're Not on Thin Ice

Let's get tactical.

We all have (too many?) meetings. We all want the meetings to have  meaningful, effective, and productive results. We all know that sometimes the way we start the meetings directly impacts those results.

I was asked yesterday by a long-distance client if I could suggest "team building icebreakers" for a major staff meeting next week. Considering that engagement directly relates to both team building and ice breaking, I said, "Sure."

Figured I'd share them with you, exactly as they were e-mailed to the client.

Use them as you wish...

I've operated on these givens:

1. A 15-30 minute time frame.
2. Approximately 12 participants.
3. The intent to focus on "communications among team members" and to make at least minimal transference to the issue of inter-group communications.
4. The desire to engage and energize the meeting and participants from the get-go.

Know Me More
Have individuals stand in either a circle or a large U-shape.
Explain that each individual is invited to share some bit of information about her/him that no one in the group already knows.
Emphasize that the information does not have to be deeply personal, does not have to be "secret" and does not have to be "major."
It only has to be something no one else already knows.

Allow time for every individual to share information. Allow as much laughter, interplay, etc. as possible.

Debrief with such questions as...

1. Why do you suppose we did this? (Any/every answer is correct, for the base purpose is for participants to experience whatever they experience.)
2. What effects might this brief exercise have on us as a team and our work as a team?
3. How might we extend what we've learned from this activity to our future as a team?

The Communicator in Me

Introduce by reminding that communication has two parts: sending (expressing) and receiving (listening).
Distribute 3x5 index cards.
Ask everyone to write a statement on one side of the card that praises a specific aspect of her/his expressing and a statement that praises her/his listening on the other side.
Remind them that the invitation makes bragging fine!  You want everyone to praise a single aspect of her/his expressing and listening.

Collect the cards, shuffle them well. Redistribute the cards randomly.

One person at a time reads either side of the card held. The person reading guesses whose card it is. If incorrect, the entire group can volunteer guesses. If nec. have the "owner" of the card identify her/himself.
After the "owner" is known, the flip side of the card may be read to the group.
(NOTE: This activity may require a close eye on the clock. It could run over 30 minutes if not well monitored.)
(NOTE2: The flip of this activity, for a subsequent meeting, is to have every participant honestly write a critical statement of expressing/listening on the card.)

I Hear You! What?
In advance, draft function-specific statements, equal in number to your participants. The statements do not need to be long, detailed, or complex; they need merely relate somewhat to the participants' work. (Example: The new Policy and Procedures book will benefit every employee.)
Write the statements on individual index cards. Distribute one card to each participant.

Offer instructions such as these:
Partner up. If we have an odd number of participants, one group will be a trio.
Decide with your partner who will go first, who will go second.
When I say 'go' the first partner reads his statement to the other partner.
The listening partner responds either by stating back what he has heard, accurately, in her/his own words or by stating back something completely off target, not even closely related to what's been said. It's your choice as the listener.
Immediately after, the second partner reads her statement. The listening partner chooses to restate accurately or miss the mark completely.
 
NOTE: Be sure you are comfortable giving the instructions. You need not follow that script; you may vary it to suit you as long as you have both partners experience making the statement and receiving either true listening or non-listening.

Debrief with these questions:

1. If your partner reflected back that she/he listened carefully and accurately to what you said, how did you feel?
2. How did you feel if your partner demonstrated she/he had not been listening at all?
3. How might we transfer this to our everyday communications? What do we need to do to make the transfer "stick"?

 

Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_tahoe_guy/249255831/

The Difference Difference Makes

I often hear manager's I support say, in effect, "the new generation just doesn't get it." Those managers are usually my counterpart Boomers. And to be sure, in management ranks, we are of visibly decreasing numbers, but I don't think it's just fear of being outnumbered that generates the misunderstandings.

The posting below is from Cheri Baker's The Enlightened Manager. Cheryl's insights, from the Gen X/Gen Y perspective(s), are valuable.

Communicating Across Generations - Words Matter.

Posted: 16 Jun 2008 10:15 AM CDT

I've attended a fair number of these so-called "generational" talks over the last couple years. Most of these talks focus on the differences between people based upon their relative ages. Generation Xers (my group) is supposed to be fiercely independent and hard working. Generation Y (also known as the Millenials) are said to have a different notion of "work ethic" than the rest of us - focusing on outputs instead of time at the desk.

So what happens when generations collide? Misunderstandings can occur. Let me highlight a point from a recent consulting assignment.

I was working with a local medical clinic on an employee development program, and one of the issues that surfaced was that the team felt like they didn't get enough recognition. This issue kept coming up, and it frankly baffled the clinic leadership. The organization in question did spend quite a bit of effort recognizing employees, including a service award program, an annual award dinner, regular performance feedback, and a generally friendly and welcoming culture.

So there was this gulf. The clinic employees (many of them younger) who felt under appreciated, and the clinic leadership (many of them older) were confused. What did these employees expect? Daily recognition parades?

We did a group dialog exercise, and one of the things that came out of the discussion was this notion that for many of the younger workers, when they said "recognition" what they meant was that they wanted small appreciative "touches" throughout the day. Saying "please and thank you" in an appreciative way meant more than getting fancy awards. Having a boss say "thanks for your hard work today" meant more than a fancy annual dinner.

Suddenly, the clinic leadership had a little 'ahah' moment. Our workers don't want parades, they want respect. They want us to know we see what they do - and they want feedback. That may be different than what we are used to doing, but it's not a hardship.

I mentioned this story to a employee recognition expert, the talented Teresa Chambers, and she said that yes, the younger generation is looking for regular verbal approval and appreciation.

The key here was that when the employees said "we want more recognition", that the word "recognition" had a different meaning than the leaders expected.

I suspect that when it comes down to generational differences, there is a lot that can be explored simply by clarifying what each group "means" by a particular set of words. When we get to the meaning behind the language, we may be closer to bridging the gap than we ever suspected.

If you have any thoughts to add to this post - please leave a comment so everyone can enjoy it!

Methods of recognizing and motivating employees are really not that different among the generations. Frederick Herzberg  published his research on dual factors of employee motivation almost 40 years ago. He pointed out that employees derived satisfaction from the presence of motivator "touches" as Baker mentions above:

• Achievement
• Recognition
• Job Opportunity

And on a less direct-link note, employees were dissatisfied by the absence or lack of hygiene factors such as:

• Salary
• Benefits
• Working Conditions

Industrial psychologists have not denied Herzberg's accuracy. My work with employees in all 3 generational groups convinces me that motivator touches: a compliment, public congratulations, signs of personal interest (without their being probing) have recognition value to those in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s (like me, next year.)

The recognition touches Cheri distinguishes are the out-of-the-ordinary (but should not be too rewards for work well done). The hygiene factors are of-the-ordinary, presumed as part of the work package. The latter are expected, the former are appreciated...across generations, I would say.

Compliments to Cheri for making me think some more about the need for clarified communications.

Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10689546@N06/2209321754/

Simple Improvement Can Be the Best

Truth: How (well) a manager communicates with employees directly affects their engagement.

We're probably on the same page that just telling your employees to "get engaged!" only produces short-lived engagement, if any.

I'm confident, too, we agree that how you share ideas, opportunities, challenges, changes, assignments and more can affect how much they engage

Truth: How (well) a manager communicates with employees can be improved.

We learned to speak at an early age. We've done lots of it. We've gotten used to it. We know how to talk. We know what we want to say. We take it all for granted.

But simple efforts can improve that communication.

Conclusion (and pretty much a Truth): A little attention to how (well) you communicate information to engage your employees can have a big impact upon their engagement.

Situation: Your organization is increasing emphasis on customer satisfaction. You want your people to buy into the commitment, accept the responsibility, and engage in contributing to greater customer satisfaction.

 

Be Clear. Say what is true. Say it briefly. Say it simply. In the next quarter we want to increase client satisfaction scores by 5 points or more.

Be Uncluttered. Exclude opinion, qualification, and variation. Use simple examples that support only the main point. We want satisfaction increases in all areas on the survey: reception/waiting room, care staff, physicians, and office follow-up.

Be Energetic. Say it like you mean it. Say it like it means something. (Place your example here!)

Be Involving. Engage employees in the conversation from the get-go. Invite responses, thoughts, ideas. Ask questions and listen to answers. How might we contribute to this effort? What can you 'see' yourself doing to raise the scores? What can you project increased satisfaction looks/sounds like?

Remember, the intent is to improve how (well) your communication stimulates engagement. Try these three tips when planning what you'll say. These will help you include those Be's above.

• Say your message to yourself. Say it again.

• Ask, "What is the truth and nothing but the truth?" Now, say your message yet again.

• Plan specific questions. Put together what you know of your message, your individual people, and the current attitude-mosphere.

It Seems So Simple

The tremendous stir of information, energy, enthusiasm, and ideas regarding "employee engagement" is

1. Exciting
2. Surprising
3. Valuable
4. Amazing
5. Puzzling
6. Enter your word here: _____________
7. All of the above

I wonder, though, if we might be making it more complex than it ought to be.

Below are several related conclusions, drawn from more than 300 hours of research conducted since 2005.

• A manager’s responsibility is to develop high-quality performers among her employees.

• The manager should balance his attention to engagement, performance, and results.

• Employees who are actively engaged in their work perform more favorably, more productively, and more positively.

• Employees' performance produces results like customer satisfaction and loyalty, error reduction, improved candidate recruitment, enhanced employee retention, greater employee satisfaction/morale/productivity.

• Complementary attention to Engagement, Performance, Results requires an innovative approach to management.

• Managers must convey clear job expectations and promote employees’ desire to engage in fulfilling those expectations.

• Managers need to give employees opportunities to engage in continuous development, that they may achieve expected results more readily.

• Managers coach and mentor employee performance; they also support engagement not only in one's job but in related areas such as company objectives, professional and functional networks, career achievement, and community support.

• Managers need continuous awareness of ways to infuse their everyday management tasks with communication, opportunities, and resources that stimulate engagement.