Workplaces rarely implode overnight. Like small cracks in a dam that eventually lead to catastrophic failure, two tendencies in a workplace can create devastating fissures in an organization’s culture. The first is avoiding conflict. The second is ignoring feedback. Conflict is natural and feedback is vital, so these should not be ignored. And yet it happens.
Browsing: Emotional Intelligence
Stress is part of life. Whether you’re leading a team, raising a family, or managing a project, stress finds its way into the equation. But is stress always a villain? Like most things in life, the answer is nuanced. Stress can be both a catalyst for growth and a recipe for disaster, depending on how we manage it.
The workplace seems to be spinning faster these days. We live in a hyper-connected world of instant messaging, video calls, and digital paper trails. But one thing hasn’t changed much, and that’s the impulse to point the finger of blame as soon as possible when something goes wrong.
Does your organization consider training to be an expense? Maybe training is seen as a necessary evil that pulls people away from getting real work done. If so, you’re not alone. But if this is the case, your company may be missing out on a powerful profit center.
It’s not uncommon for managers or supervisors to think that when someone’s performance is slipping, the person has lost motivation. However, the idea that people lack motivation is fundamentally flawed. In fact, it’s bad psychology. By definition, the word motivation means “a reason to move.” And everyone, at all times, has reasons to move. Therefore, everyone has motivation.
In the corporate world, organizations don’t crumble overnight. Devastating workplace issues often occur because of subtle, unnoticed fissures that, over time, lead to catastrophic breakdowns.
Imagine a workplace in which employees regularly perform at high levels because they feel safe sharing bold ideas and voicing concerns without fear of retribution. Now imagine what happens when such a culture doesn’t exist. In such places, innovative solutions are left unspoken and conflicts linger unresolved. When that happens, it’s easy for teamwork to weaken.
If you’re a human being, count on the fact that mistakes will be made. Just know that we have choices in how we deal with them. We have two basic choices. We can find satisfaction in pointing fingers and assigning blame when mistakes are made, or we can learn from them.
In many ways, building an effective team is a lot like baking a tasty desert. You have to get the recipe right.
Let me tell you about Dr. Rosens (not his real name). After 10 years at the same hospital, he was known for setting high standards yet being encouraging at the same time.
