| Theory is worthless as long as it remains theory; | | | | that your employees know that you think highly of |
| theory must be put into practice to gain its benefits. | | | | them. |
| Now that you understand the theory behind the | | | | Reminder |
| Making The Exceptional Normal system, let's see | | | | Repeat the notice so that your employees are |
| what's required to launch the system. | | | | reminded of the reasons for this new approach. |
| Notice | | | | Hearing the message a second time reinforces its |
| If your style has been to direct your employees' | | | | importance to their welfare. |
| activities, you are going to have to give some notice | | | | Volunteerism |
| that you're changing your style. If you don't, they're | | | | Let your employees know that each of them will |
| going to spend a lot of time wondering what's up. | | | | experience weeks where the workload is impossible. |
| When you change your style without notice, | | | | One of the reasons for the new approach is to |
| employees become skeptical of everything you say. | | | | minimize the impact those weeks have on your |
| While they're wondering what the change means, | | | | employees. Here's an example you can use. |
| they're not working to achieve their goals. Here's an | | | | Assume one team member has a lot of urgent, |
| approach, and some specific language, you can use | | | | important work to accomplish in next week. Another |
| to remove their concerns. Call your team together | | | | team member has an equal amount of work to do, |
| for a few minutes and say: | | | | but it's not as urgent or important. Tell them that |
| "I realize that in the past I have not availed myself | | | | what you'd like to see happen; that is to have the |
| fully of the knowledge, skills and experience that | | | | second team member volunteer to help the first |
| each of you possess. I am going to remedy that | | | | during that week. Then assure the volunteer that |
| going forward. The way I'm going to do that is by | | | | she'll get help catching up on her work the following |
| asking for your help in setting goals and priorities | | | | week, assuming it's a priority. This approach |
| each week. | | | | encourages and rewards volunteerism. The |
| We're going to start a weekly meeting format that | | | | encouragement comes in the form of doing |
| takes less than 2 hours. In that meeting we're going | | | | important work first. The reward comes by assuring |
| to work together to establish the goals and priorities | | | | the volunteer that she won't be left in the lurch later. |
| for the coming week. This system is designed to help | | | | The Carrot |
| each of us understand what's needed from our team | | | | Let your employees know that this system is |
| and to find ways to provide what's needed more | | | | designed to identify redundancies in the system and |
| effectively. Using this team approach has several | | | | remove non-essential tasks from their workload. Tell |
| advantages, it will: | | | | them that you have a lot of projects in the works |
| - allow us to make sure that we don't get distracted | | | | that require their talents and that they'll have |
| from our goals | | | | opportunities to work on these projects as they |
| - assure that each of us is working on the most | | | | finds ways to accomplish the current work more |
| important work first | | | | quickly. |
| - help us avoid scrambling to meet deadlines | | | | You're sending two messages with these statements. |
| - help us find ways to eliminate menial tasks that put | | | | The first is that increased efficiency will not translate |
| additional stress into our lives | | | | into lost jobs. That's a fear that employees have. |
| - help us help each other during difficult times I can't | | | | The second aspect of the message is that they |
| do this alone. I need your help. I am looking for your | | | | have an opportunity to tackle new challenges, learn |
| honest opinions and your best ideas. We'll have our | | | | new things and experience success in new areas. |
| first meeting, next Friday at 3 p.m. Please bring your | | | | That's exciting! Just make sure that you have |
| "to do" list for the following week. We'll review | | | | projects for them to tackle when they develop free |
| everyone's list and, together, we'll decide what our | | | | time. |
| goals and priorities will be for the coming week." | | | | Questions |
| This approach gives them the reasons why you're | | | | Ask you employees whether they have any |
| changing your style and the reasons make sense. | | | | questions about the system, then answer them |
| They'll also appreciate the fact that you're concerned | | | | honestly. Don't be afraid to ask for their ideas when |
| about their welfare, which is evident in your | | | | they ask about things you haven't considered. They'll |
| statements about reducing stress and helping each | | | | appreciate your honesty and candor. They'll also |
| other in difficult times. Finally, they'll respect you for | | | | appreciate the opportunity to participate in the |
| admitting that you don't have all the answers. These | | | | decision on how to handle those situations. It's a |
| perceptions will ease the transition from your | | | | great way to demonstrate the genuineness of your |
| previous style to the one you'll be employing going | | | | interest in their involvement. |
| forward. | | | | My experience is that most questions revolve around |
| Start on time | | | | job security. This is a good time to share with them |
| Inevitably, some people will get phone calls that run | | | | some of the projects you'd like to see them tackle |
| long or they'll want to finish a task that makes them | | | | when time is available. When they see that you do, |
| late for the meeting. Your natural inclination will be to | | | | indeed, have additional work for the future and they'll |
| wait until everyone is present. Don't do it! Why? | | | | be less concerned about their future employment. |
| When you wait, you tell the tardy employees that | | | | While you can't protect them from decisions made |
| they are more important to the process than those | | | | above, you can assure them that you don't intend to |
| who are on time. You also give them permission to | | | | reduce staff. |
| be late in the future. | | | | Here's a little tip for dealing with questions. Always |
| For the employees who show up on time, you're | | | | frame your response in terms of what's important to |
| telling them that they aren't as important as those | | | | the employee, then discuss why it's also good for |
| who are missing. In effect, you're penalizing the | | | | the company. By placing your employees' interests |
| people who are acting in the team's best interests | | | | first, you'll gain greater cooperation. |
| and rewarding those who aren't. That's not what you | | | | Review "to do" lists |
| want to do. | | | | Have each employee discuss his workload (based on |
| What message do you send when you start on | | | | his "to do" list) for the coming week, then ask him to |
| time? You tell your employees that these meetings | | | | prioritize the work. If you disagree with the |
| are important. You also reward those who are on | | | | employee's priorities, avoid the natural inclination to |
| time by respecting their time. Finally, you let tardy | | | | tell him what those priorities should be. Instead, ask |
| employees know that the team is going to move | | | | questions about why each of the tasks is important, |
| forward with or without them. | | | | this will give you a clue as to what facts he's |
| There is another tip I'd like to give you. It, again, | | | | considering and what he might be overlooking. Then |
| deals with tardy employees. Do not review previous | | | | you can deal with the priority issue without criticizing |
| discussions or decisions with those who are tardy. | | | | his decision. |
| Rather, communicate only those decisions that affect | | | | Consensus |
| them. When conveying these decisions provide only | | | | Once your team establishes its goals and priorities for |
| the goals, priorities and deadlines. Do not allow the | | | | the coming week, ask for their impression of the |
| tardy employees o open discussions on these | | | | overall plan. It helps them realize what they've |
| decisions. Instead, tell them that if they want input | | | | accomplished and reinforces their commitment to the |
| into future decisions they need be present at the | | | | plan. |
| start of the meeting. They'll get the message. | | | | Follow up meetings |
| Discuss success | | | | Establish a regular meeting schedule, preferably the |
| As each employee discusses her or his "to do" list, | | | | same day and time each week. Let them know that |
| find a way to genuinely compliment them on | | | | in the future meetings you'll discuss their successes |
| something the person does well. Try to do this as | | | | first, then plan for the following week. Please note |
| early in the discussion as possible. Your statements | | | | the use of the term "successes" in the previous |
| recognizing your employees' success makes it easier | | | | sentence. You want your employees to look forward |
| for them to open up about their ideas. It's human | | | | to future meetings with excitement, not dread. |
| nature to be open with people who think well of us | | | | These are the steps needed to ease your team into |
| and to be cautious with those who don't. Make sure | | | | the Making The Exceptional Normal system. |