Tag: leadership

Aloha at Work

Let’s face it. Going to work is not like going on vacation. But that doesn’t mean we can’t bring the spirit of aloha to our organization. Most of us translate aloha as hello or goodbye. But in the Hawaiian language the real meaning of aloha is peace, love, and compassion- I extend aloha to you. Too often we take a short sighted aloha approach to talent – one focused on welcoming employees on their way in and exiting employees on their way out. What if instead we focused on the talent within our organization, cultivating a positive and empowering environment?

It’s clear a change is needed. According to the 2016 Gallup Survey, 51% of employees are looking for a new job.  Only 31.9% of workers are engaged in their job. The implications are astounding.  Study after study shows the correlation between engagement and customer satisfaction, productivity, and quality.  So before our top talent packs their bags, let’s unpack a new approach to talent – one that draws on the peace, love, and compassion elements of aloha. Here are three suggestions:

(1) Provide peace of mind.  Employees want to understand the business strategy and know that their work impacts organizational results. So let them! Show them how they make a difference. Ask for their input and act on it.  Collaborate with them to set clear objectives that drive both business results and their motivation.

(2) Know what your employees love.  I love the list of questions posed in David Hassell’s Mindreading 101: Questions to Ask Your Team Every Week. Ask your employees about their wins this week. Ask what you are doing, or should be doing, to make them more successful. Ask for their ideas on how to improve your products and services. By understanding what they love you can also evaluate what they hate and try to eliminate rules, processes, and communication practices that push down morale and productivity.

(3) Be compassionate. Webster’s defines compassion as  the sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress, together with a desire to alleviate it. Employees define it as my boss cares enough to listen to me and to give me honest feedback. Give employees your full attention when they express their frustration. Help them see the big picture. Coach them on what they might say or do differently next time.

Engagement isn’t about leis or luaus. It’s about making a difference for both our employees and our customers.  So before you head out on your next vacation, how might you bring some aloha to your workplace?

Leading Through Change- Put Your Own Oxygen Mask First

“Self care is not selfish. You can’t serve from an empty vessel.” Eleanor Brownn.

Embedded in every change initiative is the intent to breathe new life into the organization―to revitalize ways of thinking, behaving and working. But as leaders we often find ourselves in the crosswinds of multiple changes, caught between a team choking on the pace of change and wheezing on our own change fatigue. To successfully lead through change the first step is to take care of ourselves. I know, you’re thinking that’s funny – I am subsisting on coffee and my kid’s fruit snacks right now. But it’s not funny- it’s actually very serious. According to the July 12, 2016 Harvard Gazette, data show that 36 percent of workers suffer from work-related stress that costs U.S. businesses $30 billion a year in lost workdays. That does not include all the employees filled with stress and anxiety who are still at work but not fully productive. So what can you do?  I suggest taking a page from the airlines. On every flight we are reminded that in case of emergency we should put on our own oxygen mask before attempting to help others. Change is bumpy. We can’t navigate it safely if we are passed out. This Leading Through Change Self Assessment can serve as your oxygen mask. Take the assessment. Then commit to LEAD through change:

Look/Listen. Reflect on your results. What are they telling you?  How is that impacting your effectiveness at work? At home?

Engage.  Share the results with someone that can help support you in making changes in your current routines.

Act. What one thing will you do differently so you can lead your team through this change?  What does that look like? What is your next step? What is your timeline?

Dedicate Yourself. Then go do it and stick with it. Encourage your team to take this assessment and share their goals and results.

It’s a lot easier to talk about transformation than to actually do it – whether it is for ourselves or for our business. The good news is if we look at what we have learned, make course corrections, and focus on continuous learning, we will have the fuel needed to make positive change over the long haul.