by Pamela Jett, CSP

Employee disengagement is expensive!!!!  According to a recent Gallop survey, disengaged employees cost employers 1 out of every 3 payroll dollars.  A burned-out, stressed-out, and over-worked workforce is becoming more and more the rule rather than the exception.  According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics latest numbers, the average number of hours an employee works is on the rise (3.6%),  but output is not keeping pace – only a 2.6% rise during the same period.

Why do these numbers matter?  If you are leading a team or a member of a team, many of your colleagues are contributing less and less and feeling more and more over-worked.  Performance is suffering, customer service in impacted, and tempers are at the breaking point (recall the flight attendant who recently “escaped” his work environment by launching himself down the evacuation slide – beer in hand and luggage in tow.)

What can we as individual leaders or team members do about this challenging state of the workforce?  Here are 3 simple things anyone, anywhere can do to improve employee engagement and morale.

1.  Express Appreciation - It is a simple thing that can make a big difference.  Say “thank you” regularly, communicate your gratitude when someone goes above and beyond, and take the time to brag about others in front of the boss or other power players.

2.  Keep People Informed - Communicating to employees or colleagues the “whys” and the big picture can help them stay connected.  When people feel like they are “in the loop” they are more committed.  Be careful of having a “on a need to know basis” mindset.  In this day and age when keeping everyone engaged is key, everyone “needs to know.”

3.  Catch People in the Act of Doing Something Right - It can be very easy in tough times to stay focused on the negative: production goals that go unmet, errors rates that are too high, delays, and mistakes.  Constant focus on the negative is demoralizing and unmotivating.  Take time every day to praise a colleague or an employee for something they have done right – whether it is a big or a little thing.  Making a conscious effort to see the positive will actually increase the number of positive things you see.  It’s all about what we choose to focus on.

None of us can take a disengaged workforce and completely turn it around by ourselves.  However, if we each make it a habit to practice the above 3 simple things, we will begin to make a positive impact in our own circle of influence.

Do you find this useful or thought provoking?  If so, post your comments, tweet about it, and share it with your friends.  For more information about me, Pamela Jett, and the communication tools I provide, please visit www.JettCT.com

By Pamela Jett, CSP

Gaining cooperation and resources (such as money, time or equipment) from others can be made easier with one communication tip:

Ask for advice before you ask for resources.

While this approach doesn’t guarantee that others will give you what you want, it greatly increases the odds that you will gain their cooperation and support.  It draws on a key truth:  Whose ideas do people like the most?  Their own!

Let’s make this simple and break it down to a 3-step process.

1.)  Share your current concept with them and then ask them what they might do to improve a certain part, or what they think you could do differently, or how you could take it to the next level.  Thank them and go away.

2.)  Ponder their contributions and, if possible, integrate some of their advice.

3.)  Re-approach and use language such as “the project you’ve been so supportive of requires….” (and then state your request for resources).

Obviously, every situation is different and would require different language.  However, if you use the 3 steps outlined above, you increase the chance you will get the support and resources you need.  Remember:

Ask for advice before you ask for resources.

I would love to hear your success stories.  If you’ve used this technique, share your story.  If you have a question, let me know.  Please post a comment on this blog, tweet it, and share it with others.

]]> http://www.jettct.com/blog/gain-cooperation-and-resources-with-this-quick-tip/feed/ 0 http://www.jettct.com/blog/brussel-sprouts-and-pride/ http://www.jettct.com/blog/brussel-sprouts-and-pride/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:21:39 +0000 pamela http://www.jettct.com/blog/?p=98

by Pamela Jett, CSP

Some things are really very hard for me to swallow:  brussel sprouts, creamed corn, liver, and zucchini, to name a few.  However, the most difficult thing for me to swallow is my pride.  It is difficult, distasteful, and not very fun from my point of view.  And yet, I am aware that swallowing my pride is good for me, just like liver and zucchini.  While every leader is aware of how important it is to be humble (which means teachable), it is sometimes very difficult.

One simple way to swallow our pride as leaders is to ask others for their ideas as opposed to simply imposing our own agenda.  Research is very clear that when we ask others for their ideas and solutions, we increase employee engagement and often get better solutions to complex problems.  It isn’t always easy to ask others for their opinions, especially when time is tight or when we think we know the “right” answer.  It is, however, worth it.  Here are a few simple “pride-swallowing” questions to add to your leadership communication repertoire.

• “What are your thoughts?”
• “How do you think this might play out?”
• “How would you approach this situation?”

Just like swallowing brussel sprouts, swallowing our pride can yield great bottom-line results.  And, as an added bonus, we become the kind of leader that employees like and respect.

Enjoy this post?  Please post a comment and share it with those in your professional network.

by Pamela Jett, CSP

In a busy work environment it can be very easy to get  caught up in managing a multitude of tasks, meeting tight deadlines, coping with constant change, and being asked to do more with less.  In that environment, it can be very easy to forget to use remarkable communication.  Here are a few quick tips to keep you focused on using remarkable communication even in the midst of chaos:

1.  Focus on making one change at a time. If you are looking to make remarkable communication one of your personal and professional hallmarks, pick one thing to work on and stay focused on mastering that change.  For example commit to replacing the words “idea” and “suggestion” with more powerful words such as “solution” or “plan.”  For more ideas of small changes in communication that can make a big difference, click here .

2.  Teach someone else. When you learn a remarkable communication tool, share it with someone else.  I often have great conversations  about communication with a friend, Charlotte, who is committed to self-improvement. Charlotte is an active blogger and she often shares what she has learned during our conversations with others through her blog and by teaching it to her family.  This reinforces her commitment to practicing the technique because she has declared herself publicly.  (Read Charlotte’s fantastic blog here.)

3. Recruit a colleague. If you decide to make a change in your communication, recruit someone who knows you well to support you in your efforts.  They can applaud you when you succeed and keep you on track when it is easy to lose focus.

Communication is the most important skill we possess.  Make a commitment to enhancing your communication and hence your credibility and professionalism, even in the midst of the pressing daily grind.

Pamela Jett is a communication skills expert who is committed to sharing remarkable communication tools that create remarkable results.  For more information on bringing Pamela to your meeting or event, click here or call Aimee at 866.726.5388.

Want to learn remarkable communication tools without even leaving your desk?  Attend Pamela’s next teleseminar!

by Pamela Jett, CSP

I read in today’s edition of the Harvard Business Review’s on-line management tip of the day that it is vitally important for leaders and managers to let employees make mistakes.  I would agree.  It is often wise to step-in and correct an employee before a mistake is made, especially if it will be a large or costly error.  However, it is also often wise to step back and allow an employee to make a mistake and then coach them on the back end on how to either fix it or do better in the future.

By allowing employees the freedom to learn from their mistakes, leaders are not only contributing to an employee’s sense of personal responsibility and success, they are also improving employee engagement.  It is a well known fact that people like their own ideas the most and will be committed and engaged in implementing solutions or ideas that they help create.

So how can a leader or manager use remarkable communication to coach an employee after a mistake has been made?  One way is to make sure you communicate in the positive, not the negative.  Sometimes as leaders we are so busy telling people what not to do that we forget to tell them what right looks like.  Monitor your use of the word “don’t” and make a concerted effort to “ditch the don’t” and communicate in the positive, not the negative.  Share with employees what you would like them to do next time.  Better yet, ask them what they think they ought to do next time.  You will enhance employee engagement by asking employees (or your children if you are being a leader at home) for their input.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Help your employees, your children, your colleagues, and even yourself learn from mistakes.  Use remarkable communication to help them learn and you will see commitment and employee engagement soar!

How has communicating in the positive helped you?  Leave a comment and share your success story!

by Pamela Jett, CSP

Does communication improve employee engagement?  The answer is a resounding “yes!”  Does effective communication contribute to an organization’s financial performance?  Absolutely!  According to Watson Wyatt’s 2009/2010 Communication ROI Study Report, effective employee communication is a leading indicator of financial performance and a driver of employee engagement.  In fact, research reveals that companies with highly effective communicators had 47% higher total returns to shareholders over the last five years compared with firms that are the least effective communicators.

Further research indicates that the best organizations invest in helping leaders and managers communicate with employees. The best organizations provide leaders and managers with the tools necessary to clearly communicate vision, values, and objectives – especially during times of change or economic difficulty. Top companies treat their managers and leaders as a special audience – offering additional training to help them manage.

So, my question to you is  - what are you doing to invest in your communication skills or the skills of your leaders and managers?  There is a direct correlation between good communication skills and bottom-line results. It makes sense, good financial sense,  to make sure employees have the soft skills, the people skills, the communication skills they need to succeed.  Far too often employers invest only in technical training and neglect soft skills training.  Now is the time to evaluate your own personal professional development plan to make sure you are investing in your communication skills (even if your employer won’t make that investment.)  If you are a leader or manager, now is the time to evaluate your organization’s training schedule to ensure a balance of technical and soft skill programs.  Give leaders, managers, and yourself the communication skills you need to succeed and for your organization to thrive.