Improving Morale - 3 steps to heaven

At this time of fast moving change in many industries, maintaining good staff morale is always in the top 5 priorities of any organisation.  If you can get this bit right, then you have a much better chance of taking more people along with your change narrative and will spend less time in the “what more do I need to do to convince them” zone!

So, my recent tweet of: “The worse thing you can do for staff morale is demand the impossible!” requires some explanation.

What YOU (as a leader) could do straight away …  Yes, I mean absolutely today – there’s still working hours left so why not start now?

• provide focus on the things that are within your control, not the things that aren’t.  Staff like certainty and in the present climate there is precious little of it around!  So be the one to bring the focus on the things that you can do today and tomorrow;
• Do the BIG 3 of noticing what and when things are done right; listen; and show appreciation.  All 3 will go further than you ever care to imagine;
• TALK to people, partularly about morale.  Don’t allow it to remain the elephant in the room.  You will be amazed how this small step will lead full circle to bullet point 1 again!

Then, what you could do over a longer timescale to demonstrate that this is not a flash in the pan with you, because its not …. is it?

• Seek feedback.  Particularly after difficult situations.  The learning from those will be immense;
• Reflect:  Am I inspired?  Am I inspiring?  You really would be surprised how little you have to do for someone to think “they’re ok they are!”  Look to your own heroes and identify what it is they do that you want to mirror – then go and do it in your own way; and
• Learn.  Never stop learning.  Just talking to people helps you understand what motivates them, what their values are and gives you a very privileged insight into their own human nature.  All this is invaluable to  you.

Give it a try – the best things are usually the most simple in essence, and there’s nothing more simple than looking, listening and communicating on a basic level.

Sharon Davidson

MD at Aresko Ltd

Organisational development professional specialising in personal, team and whole organisation improvement. Full range of OD tools and techniques available including: Belbin team role analysis; learning style inventories; 360 degree feedback; cultural assessments; personality psychometrics; strategic planning and workshop facilitation. (This list is not exhaustive!)

Improvement is everyone's concern: +44 1550 720902 will start that process today.