I attended a networking event where the speaker talked about his research on what makes groups and teams “extraordinary.” The information he shared was practical and helpful. And although he didn’t specifically say that respect matters in building extraordinary teams, he talked about what I consider to be respectful actions, such as accepting differences and listening to the contributions of others. His talk got me thinking about how respect can influence whether or not a group is extraordinary-meaning that the group gets great results, shares a sense of purpose, and is engaged. What would a group be without respect?
How can you instill respect into a group quickly and witness some pretty “extraordinary” results?
Here are some tips:
• Define shared values. Values serve as powerful guideposts to actions and attitudes. Get your team together and select 5 core values that guide everything you do.
• Establish behavior norms. Involve everyone in the group to agree on the standards of behavior that will guide everyone’s interactions. Examples include: come to meetings prepared; turn off cell phones during meetings; and question someone’s ideas, not their values.
• Explore and honor different perspectives. Next time your group is given a project or is expected to meet a specific goal, bring the group together and invite different ideas about how to go about it. Brainstorm freely and encourage the group to think creatively. See if you can come up with an entirely new approach to an ‘old’ situation.
Recently, I spoke with one of our clients, Cynthia Davies from the Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology. She’s not only the Director of Human Resources there, she’s also a valued Madd-Steiny partner. Cindy and her team are in the middle of implementing our respectfull teams program across the organization. I asked Cindy why she chose this program, given that she had lots of choices in the marketplace. Here’s what she had to say:
“This program is in line with our core values in 2004, which includes ‘building a respectful work environment’. Since we rolled out the core values, we have always strived to link them to programs, training and decisions we make in the organization. To me, it seemed logical that this was a program we could use to emphasize our core values and build upon our strengths.”
Since they introduced the program in late 2009, Cindy has seen lots of discussion around the concepts of respect. “I have noticed people talking about respect much more. People are asking themselves: What can I do to achieve the results I want?’ and What can I do to change the course of things?”
Finally, I asked Cindy about her hopes for the organization after the program is presented to everyone in the organization. Cindy said: “My hope is that everyone will see that it’s all about how we treat people. If we do a good job behind the scenes, it will filter out to the patients. You can’t help it! You feel it as a patient and a customer when there is a respectful culture.”
Madd-Steiny clients like Cindy at the Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology are discovering the power of respect. Are you ready to build a respectful culture? Visit our website to see how Madd-Steiny can help.
I returned home last night from a business trip completely exhausted. The reception that I received from my two teenage boys and husband completely filled me with a life force that I can still feel today. What did they do? My husband made a delicious dinner for us to enjoy together and my boys each gave me a long and heartfelt hug! Little things, I know. They made a BIG difference for me.
Later, as I was attending to the large number of emails that had been delivered over the past several days, I posted a comment on Facebook about how much I LOVED my life. Immediately, I received comments in return from a significant number of people.
Today I’m thinking about the incredible energy that is available to me when I take time out of my busy day to simple count my blessings – to give attention to all of the things that are “right” in my world.
Lynae and I are committed to the philosophy that “organizations move toward what they study” with our work in organizational development. We know the importance and power of focusing on “what’s working” and helping organizations plan to “do more of what works” rather than focus on “what’s wrong”. We often bring the Appreciative Inquiry model into our strategic planning projects with organizations as well as our training and development work.
We can all apply this philosophy to our work and personal life and reap the benefits. Here are three simple steps to put this into action in your life today.
Discover: When are you at your best?
Dream: What success do you want to celebrate in 1-3-5 years?
Design: What have you done before, that you could do again to get closer to your dream?
