Leading with Manners Positivity and Heroics
Leading with Manners Positivity and Heroics
The article “Workplace Rituals Enhance Productivity” by Katherine Cameron provides some great examples of what I talk about when I discuss with people the leadership methods that have worked for me. I have chosen the subheadings of this article to expand on the philosophies I feel are so important when dealing with improving and maintaining productivity
INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES
Cameron touches on how meetings should be frequent, unscheduled, and individual. These meetings need to have proper follow-up through effective communication and note taking.
In practice, it is important to make any meeting with employees unique to that individual. As well, having meetings that occur daily, even if informal, create clear communication and keep your employees on their toes.
Too often, I have seen methods of scheduling meetings that don’t ever take place, or meetings that are too canned and lacking content. In one of my roles, there was a standing meeting on the same shift each month for each employee. Not only did this create chaos with trying to coordinate schedules, it created an overly strict set of opportunities where employees could formally meet with management.
WANDERING AROUND
Another lost art that Cameron discusses is the art of “managing by walking around”. Cameron indicates that not only do managers need to walk through employee areas when they are on the way to a meeting; “a manager must block out time on a calendar, and make this a practice”.
To be an effective manager by wandering around, a manager will not only offer polite pleasantries; they will also step in and show their employees how their job can be done more effectively, either through demonstration or walking them through the process. They will display a positive attitude and posture at all times during this walking around period. If managers expect to be a great example, they need to be the example.
GROUP MEETINGS
Group meetings can be effective if used properly. These are times for more focused communication to take place amongst team members who don’t ordinarily work together. To prevent group meetings from being ineffective, it is important to develop a structure and a plan for what the meetings will accomplish.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
“Proper prior planning prevents pretty poor performance” was a quote given to me from my undergrad professor of management at UMass. Without a plan, you can’t expect there to be optimum productivity. Plans need to be flexible enough to allow for change, but also rigid enough to reach goals in a reasonable period.
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS
The performance evaluation process needs to involve specific expected results that enable the leader to inspire and the employee to see results that they can then show the leader. Too often, reviews get stuck in a pattern where all decisions for the year are based solely on the results of a performance review.
To create performance evaluations that are heroic, it is important to review the review year-round with the employee to touch on what needs to be accomplished. Don’t let the review sit in a drawer until the next year comes around. With the review being a regular part of employee communication, you will create better results and keep the employees focused.
INTERDEPENDENCE IS KEY
Communication is a two-way street. In order for the process to work, you need to ensure that you spend time developing open communication strategies with your people. By acting on what you say and working with your employee on developing a solid relationship, the results can only be improved.
APPLYING THESE PRINCIPLES TO YOUR WORKPLACE
In my upcoming book, Leading With Manners, Positivity, Heroics, I will touch on a number of topics related to dealing with employees and being a great leader, no matter the setting. Below, you will find some examples of the principles related to productivity.
THE ONLY CHECKLIST YOU NEED
Eliminate checklists where possible. In a meeting once, one of my colleagues shouted it out “Our employees don’t need a checklist. Their checklist should read #1: Work!!!
By working alongside and with your people, and making yourself available, you can create a productive work environment without a litany of useless paperwork.
POSTING THINGS YOU BELIEVE IN TO GET REACTIONS
Post ways of doing things more efficiently in areas where the activities you are looking to change take place. An example of this is how I streamlined our process of new product requests. To ensure that customers got the products they wanted, I made sure we had one central location for all requests to be handled. This prevented repetitive ordering, and ensures that each customer was contacted upon request.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHEMOTHERAPY
Do you work somewhere that is a mess? Sometimes throwing out everything in a filing cabinet will create an environment where changes MUST take place. In cleaning our office recently, I accidentally threw out our “training program” folder that contained all the training materials for the store. Because I had developed a great relationship with the storeowners, they were not really upset, and looked at it as an opportunity to try out new things when it comes to training. We even developed a standard list of 20 things we believe in for the store by mimicking the program used by the Ritz Carlton.
In the event you find that your company is in total disarray, organizational chemotherapy must take place. It may hurt for a while, but like any cancer, it must be done. Whether it be emptying of a filing cabinet, reinventing a process, or reassigning roles, drastic change creates drastic changes in results.
TO ENSURE OPTIMUM PRODUCTIVITY
1. Throw out the processes that don’t work
2. Eliminate the paperwork that stifles production
3. Continually improve your best processes
4. Continually inspire your people through leading by example
As a leader who practices Manners, Positivity, Heroics, I conclude this article based on those three words. By being polite through always acknowledging your staff, you create an environment of trust. Through a positive friendly work environment that not only includes friendly people but also friendly conditions, you design a structure that is ergonomic physically and mentally. And through the little acts of heroism that you practice every day through getting the little things done right, your productivity will grow immensely through continuous small gains.
SOURCES
Cameron, Katherine. “Workplace Rituals Enhance Productivity”. HR Magazine, Feb 1998
Leading with Manners Positivity and Heroics - To learn more about this author, visit Robert Braathe's Website.
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It can be stated that the best leaders are the ones who may not know how to do every task, but know how every task needs to be done. These leaders also know how to get and bring out the best in all of their talent. By following some basic steps, and what I call Manners, Positivity, Heroics, anyone can be an effective leader.
The article “Workplace Rituals Enhance Productivity” by Katherine Cameron provides some great examples of what I talk about when I discuss with people the leadership methods that have worked for me. I have chosen the subheadings of this article to expand on the philosophies I feel are so important when dealing with improving and maintaining productivity
INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES
Cameron touches on how meetings should be frequent, unscheduled, and individual. These meetings need to have proper follow-up through effective communication and note taking.
In practice, it is important to make any meeting with employees unique to that individual. As well, having meetings that occur daily, even if informal, create clear communication and keep your employees on their toes.
Too often, I have seen methods of scheduling meetings that don’t ever take place, or meetings that are too canned and lacking content. In one of my roles, there was a standing meeting on the same shift each month for each employee. Not only did this create chaos with trying to coordinate schedules, it created an overly strict set of opportunities where employees could formally meet with management.
WANDERING AROUND
Another lost art that Cameron discusses is the art of “managing by walking around”. Cameron indicates that not only do managers need to walk through employee areas when they are on the way to a meeting; “a manager must block out time on a calendar, and make this a practice”.
To be an effective manager by wandering around, a manager will not only offer polite pleasantries; they will also step in and show their employees how their job can be done more effectively, either through demonstration or walking them through the process. They will display a positive attitude and posture at all times during this walking around period. If managers expect to be a great example, they need to be the example.
GROUP MEETINGS
Group meetings can be effective if used properly. These are times for more focused communication to take place amongst team members who don’t ordinarily work together. To prevent group meetings from being ineffective, it is important to develop a structure and a plan for what the meetings will accomplish.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
“Proper prior planning prevents pretty poor performance” was a quote given to me from my undergrad professor of management at UMass. Without a plan, you can’t expect there to be optimum productivity. Plans need to be flexible enough to allow for change, but also rigid enough to reach goals in a reasonable period.
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS
The performance evaluation process needs to involve specific expected results that enable the leader to inspire and the employee to see results that they can then show the leader. Too often, reviews get stuck in a pattern where all decisions for the year are based solely on the results of a performance review.
To create performance evaluations that are heroic, it is important to review the review year-round with the employee to touch on what needs to be accomplished. Don’t let the review sit in a drawer until the next year comes around. With the review being a regular part of employee communication, you will create better results and keep the employees focused.
INTERDEPENDENCE IS KEY
Communication is a two-way street. In order for the process to work, you need to ensure that you spend time developing open communication strategies with your people. By acting on what you say and working with your employee on developing a solid relationship, the results can only be improved.
APPLYING THESE PRINCIPLES TO YOUR WORKPLACE
In my upcoming book, Leading With Manners, Positivity, Heroics, I will touch on a number of topics related to dealing with employees and being a great leader, no matter the setting. Below, you will find some examples of the principles related to productivity.
THE ONLY CHECKLIST YOU NEED
Eliminate checklists where possible. In a meeting once, one of my colleagues shouted it out “Our employees don’t need a checklist. Their checklist should read #1: Work!!!
By working alongside and with your people, and making yourself available, you can create a productive work environment without a litany of useless paperwork.
POSTING THINGS YOU BELIEVE IN TO GET REACTIONS
Post ways of doing things more efficiently in areas where the activities you are looking to change take place. An example of this is how I streamlined our process of new product requests. To ensure that customers got the products they wanted, I made sure we had one central location for all requests to be handled. This prevented repetitive ordering, and ensures that each customer was contacted upon request.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHEMOTHERAPY
Do you work somewhere that is a mess? Sometimes throwing out everything in a filing cabinet will create an environment where changes MUST take place. In cleaning our office recently, I accidentally threw out our “training program” folder that contained all the training materials for the store. Because I had developed a great relationship with the storeowners, they were not really upset, and looked at it as an opportunity to try out new things when it comes to training. We even developed a standard list of 20 things we believe in for the store by mimicking the program used by the Ritz Carlton.
In the event you find that your company is in total disarray, organizational chemotherapy must take place. It may hurt for a while, but like any cancer, it must be done. Whether it be emptying of a filing cabinet, reinventing a process, or reassigning roles, drastic change creates drastic changes in results.
TO ENSURE OPTIMUM PRODUCTIVITY
1. Throw out the processes that don’t work
2. Eliminate the paperwork that stifles production
3. Continually improve your best processes
4. Continually inspire your people through leading by example
As a leader who practices Manners, Positivity, Heroics, I conclude this article based on those three words. By being polite through always acknowledging your staff, you create an environment of trust. Through a positive friendly work environment that not only includes friendly people but also friendly conditions, you design a structure that is ergonomic physically and mentally. And through the little acts of heroism that you practice every day through getting the little things done right, your productivity will grow immensely through continuous small gains.
SOURCES
Cameron, Katherine. “Workplace Rituals Enhance Productivity”. HR Magazine, Feb 1998
Leading with Manners Positivity and Heroics - To learn more about this author, visit Robert Braathe's Website.
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