The workweek is over. You’re tired and depleted. You’re blaming your fatigue on your increased responsibilities and long hours.
But, according author and business advisor Jon Gordon, you might be wrong. He insists that working hard – with a good attitude in the right environment – can be quite invigorating. What’s wearing you out at work might not be the work.
“While work is a convenient scapegoat, the real culprit is often the negativity of the people you work with and for,” says Gordon, author of Soup: A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture. He says many of us work in a world of drainers: like a boss, co-worker, employee, or client who sucks the life and energy right out of us.
Gordon promises that managers who can identify and fix draining behaviors will have more time to spend on their companies’ cultures – making people happier and more productive and improving the bottom line. He lays out a series of do’s and don’ts.
DON’T let negativity become your go-to response. Gordon calls negative people “energy vampires.” They are never happy, rarely supportive, and constantly nay-saying any and all ideas other than their own.
DO respond constructively when someone offers an idea. Let employees and co-workers know that when they come to you with their ideas, they’ll be received with respect. Insist that everyone practice positivity as well. “You have to encourage optimism and guard against pessimism, or your team will suffer,” Gordon says.
DON’T give in to the temptation to whine. One person’s complaint resonates with someone else, who then adds grievances to the pile, and so on. Before you know it, everyone is complaining.
DO push for solutions. The next time a conversation threatens to turn into Complaint Central, step in and ask the complainees how they would make things better. “Turn your employees from problem-sharers to problem-solvers,” says Gordon. “It will make an unbelievable difference in your work atmosphere.”
DON’T leave harsh messages on voice mail or send them by e-mail. These critiques can seem much more vehement than they actually are.
DO conduct the tough talks in person. If you need to have a stern talk with someone or talk through a problem, do it face to face. You’ll be able to establish a constructive dialogue right away.
DON’T let sub-par work slide. Low performers drag the rest of the team down, and if you allow them to linger and thrive for too long, your best employees will move on to more productive environments.
DO institute a zero-tolerance policy for low performers. Hold your entire team accountable for meeting their goals and adhering to the same performance standards. If one person consistently misses the bar, take swift action.
DON’T allow disorganization to impede productivity. You’re busy, and that’s understandable, but constant disorganization can drain your employees and co-workers if they always have to cover your tracks.
DO keep up with your tasks and responsibilities. If you can’t immediately put your hands on something you need, don’t automatically ask others for help. Try to think of better processes than the ones you’re using (or not using) now. If someone on your team has a knack for organization, ask him or her for help.
DON’T sacrifice quality on the altar of expediency. Moving through assignments quickly to get them off your plate can mean that you’re piling the work on someone else. And if you’ve rushed, you’re more likely to have made mistakes.
DO take the time to do the job right. Instead of rushing through a task just because it’s 5 p.m., get focused and make sure you do your best work the first time. Pay attention to details and check over your work. “Doing your best work sets the rest of your team up for success,” says Gordon.
DON’T allow unmet deadlines to throw everyone off track. It’s not always easy to meet deadlines, and sometimes it’s impossible, but those times should be few and far between. When people chronically miss deadlines, it’s a sign of a cultural issue: people aren’t giving their all or they’re overburdened.
DO hold yourself and others accountable. Set realistic deadlines and make a conscious effort to see that they’re met consistently.
DON’T point fingers to take the heat off yourself. If your employees or co-workers don’t think you shoulder your share of the blame, or if you are unapproachable when it comes to constructive criticism, they’ll start to shut down toward you.
DO accept responsibility gracefully and humbly. Nobody likes to be the one at fault, but owning up to mistakes and learning from them are big parts of working with a team and being successful. Be open to suggestions and criticisms – they may make the going much smoother!
If some of these behaviors sound all too familiar, says Gordon, take stock of what’s making your culture less than nourishing, and resolve to make it better. More information about Gordon and his books, including the newest title, is available at www.JonGordon.com.
