“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” – Peter Drucker
According to a recent USA Today article* from September 2018among 1500 surveyed, job satisfaction is up to 51% according to The Conference Board. The leading indicator where people reported satisfaction was in the area of the social aspects. 62.4% liked the people at work. 57.5% said they liked their supervisors. The even better news here is as a leader those are the two easiest areas for you to be able to make a difference and keep turnover low.
What about the other 40% of people who don’t like their supervisors? The area where I’ve heard the most complaints in my many years working with multiple businesses is when feedback shared is only negative or people are afraid to speak up about real issues that need to be addressed.
Some leaders have a reputation for only criticism and never praise. You hear employees saying, “No news is good news!”. Yet when you think of your own habits, don’t you want to do even more of what someone compliments you for? I know for me, if I hear someone say something nice, I want to magnify the behavior even more!
Alternatively, if someone is always only criticizing and never praises, people begin to give up figuring they will never be able to make that person happy. If you are not good at uplifting, it is wise to couple yourself with someone who is good at sharing specific praise and creating a fun positive environment. You are lucky if you have a well-performing manager who your whole team loves because of how he/she can create a culture where it is a joy to come to work and where you see people smiling and laughing!
Leaders who have the gift for creating fun cultures and getting people to laugh when they need it most need to be recognized for how valuable they are. They may very well be your secret sauce for keeping people from the tipping point of burning out and saving you money in low turnover.
You might be asking, “what about accountability?” Of course! They need to be productive too! Your employees want someone who can bring them value beyond fun too. However, when was the last time you shared your appreciation for those who are good culture creators? When was the last time you praised anyone versus sharing only criticism?
Don’t forget your employees are all real people who more commonly than not beat themselves up. When you make it about uplifting them and focusing on their strengths, the numbers will come.
*”A majority of U.S. workers are actually satisfied with their jobs.” By Daniel B. Kline, The Motley Fool Published 7:00 a.m. ET Sept. 3, 2018
The cover photo was taken in downtown Greenville, South Carolina.
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Melanie Simon
Become Fulfilled 