It’s been a lean time for most companies, and the dark days of the recession have spawned a troubling new issue—widespread loss of employee engagement, says consultant Jon Gordon.
“Even if companies haven’t literally lost their employees, many have lost them psychologically,” warns Gordon in his new book, The Shark and the Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During Waves of Change. “Leaders have to change that.”
“You need to personally make sure that your company is a place where people want to work. You must focus on winning in the workplace if you want to win in the marketplace,” says Gordon. Here are his nine strategies for boosting morale and engagement in the current economy.
1. Focus on People, Not Numbers
“It’s not numbers that drive people, but the people that drive numbers,” Gordon points out. After all, he says, numbers are just indicators of how well your people are executing. Remember, he says, “Culture drives behavior, behavior drives habits, and habits drive results.”
2. Model Good Behavior
Leaders set the tone for employees. They can inspire, or they can extinguish. For example if you greet workers cheerfully even though you’ve both had to come into work an hour early, they’re likely to mirror that attitude. “Whatever you expect from your people, you must also expect from your senior leadership,” Gordon says.
Leaders need to be humble and hungry, he explains. Humble in that they seek to learn, grow, and improve every day, and hungry with a passion to work harder than everyone else.
3. Practice Positive Leadership
“Positive leadership” means remaining purposeful in the face of adversity. “While it’s important to acknowledge the obstacles your organization is facing (after all, no one really respects a naïve Pollyanna!), don’t dwell on them, and don’t bring up bad news before you’ve pointed out one or two things that are going well,” says Gordon.
Optimistically focus on where you are going. Remember, Gordon says, “Culture drives behavior. You win in the office first. Then you win in the marketplace.”
4. Fill the Void
In these uncertain times, employees are questioning how their industries and jobs will be impacted. This uncertainty creates a void, and “Where there is a void, negativity will fill it,” Gordon believes.
In the absence of clear and positive communication, people assume the worst, Gordon says. As a leader, you must personally meet with your employees and continually communicate, communicate, communicate.
“Make transparency the norm, not the exception,” asserts Gordon. “Talk to your team members often, and let them know where they stand. Host frequent town hall meetings in which you listen to employees’ fears, concerns, and ideas, and share your vision for the future.”
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5. Tell Energy Vampires, ‘It’s time to get on the bus … or off.’
You might think that a few nonconformists and cynics won’t be a major problem, but Gordon insists you’d be wrong. He calls those who are a constant source of negativity “Energy Vampires” because they suck the energy and life out of everyone around them.
“Once you’ve identified the naysayers, gently approach them and give them a chance to get on the bus and share in a positive vision,” Gordon advises. If they refuse to get on board, you must get them off the bus. “Even if your biggest complainer is your highest performer, the negative energy outweighs any positive contributions,” Gordon says.
6. Forbid All Complaining
Successful organizations with great cultures focus on solutions, not on complaints, Gordon says. His rule is simple: “You are not allowed to complain unless you also offer a solution.”
In tomorrow’s Advisor, we’ll feature Gordon’s tips 6 through 9, and we’ll take a look at a special webinar for the new year—all about how you can be a better boss in 2010.
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