Grounds Training Tutor Frank Newberry asks 'do you feel valued?'
Grounds Training Tutor Frank Newberry believes that most people want to work for an organisation that values their efforts. In this article, Frank suggests nine ways supervisors and managers can deliver values-based leadership
Value seems to be central to people's motivation
As mentioned before on these pages, the issue of 'value' seems to be central to people's motivation to work harder and be better at their work.
Many employees will sooner or later ask themselves:
1. Is the work I do valued by my employer?
2. Do I feel valued as a person?
3. Is my work team valued?
If the answer to these questions about perceived value is 'yes' then employees will be more motivated than if the answer is 'no'.
Beneficial to Workforce Engagement and Morale
As supervisors and managers at the sharp end, we can and should explore and develop a values-based approach to improving performance across the board.
This values approach can be particularly beneficial to workforce engagement and morale. For example, an individual's attitude and disposition (positive, cheerful etc.) - and perhaps the team's work habits (punctuality, safe working practices etc) - might well benefit from this approach.
Managers and supervisors (young and old) can be caught out by their staff's apparent negative or indifferent attitude to work, often forgetting that they themselves are in management because of their 'better' attitude and more highly developed sense of duty and responsibility.
Responsibility Lies with the Supervisor/Manager
Just as well - given that the responsibility for staff engagement and performance rests with the supervisor and/or manager!
There are nine specific messages in three categories that managers and supervisors will need to get across to individuals and teams if the values-based approach is to succeed.
Many years ago, Professor John Adair (born 1935) indicated that we need to say and do the things that give our people confidence in:
• The value of their job
• Their value as individuals
• Their value as a team
Confidence in the Value of the Job
Adair indicated that we need to:
1. Explain the CONTEXT of their work and people will know where it fits into the organisation's important work objectives, no matter how simple or basic the task or elements of the task might be
2. Set a good, positive EXAMPLE of hard work, and perhaps cheerfulness, and people will adopt a more positive approach to their work
3. Outline the IMPORTANCE of their work and people will know they are valued by the organisation, their team leader and the rest of the team
Confidence in the Value of the Team
Adair also indicated that we need to:
4. Give SUPPORT and PROTECTION and people will feel like a team. This may involve us protecting them from unfair criticism or accusation. The team may well look to us to protect them from each other when, for example, banter in the team becomes bullying
5. Brief everybody COLLECTIVELY and they will think like a team. People do not like to feel 'left out' and will value you taking the time to include them when you have key information to share
6. Inspire the idea of HELPING each other out and they will work like a team. Again, a good example really helps. An example in which we can be seen regularly helping out, or offering to help people out when time permits, and praising others for helping people out
Confidence in the Value of the Individual
Finally, Adair suggests that we need to:
7. Provide CHALLENGE and people will feel involved and work to their potential. In my experience most, but not all, people like to feel (as time goes by) that they are getting better at what they do. Most of them, when they are competent, like to feel that they will be moved onto more complex, more challenging work
8. Give PRAISE and they will feel appreciated for making an effort at work. It has been said in these pages that many people work best when they get regular praise and recognition. Others though would be suspicious and might suspect praise for 'just doing my job'. We need to be clear which of our people like a little praise and which of them work best with more frequent recognition
9. Show CONCERN for people and they will show concern for their work. This is where our ability to show that we care for people, and not just the work that they do, is put to the test. We need to make it clear that we have concern not just for individuals, but also for the way team members pull together to support everyone in the team
I wish you all the best with the nine messages above. May you always feel valued at work and may you be able to help others feel valued for their efforts.
© 2019 Frank Newberry
NEW DATES RELEASED
A great place to learn more about leading your team to a higher level of performance and morale is on Grounds Training's popular, proven and unique suite of four LANTRA Accredited Supervisory Essentials Seminars this coming winter.
Take any one, two, three or all four stand-alone one-day seminars:
Taking Charge - Thursday, 17 October 2019
Getting Better Results - Thursday 28 November 2019
Enhanced Communication Skills - Thursday 27 February 2020
Venue: Allscott Park, Telford, Shropshire TF6 5DY.
For more details on each seminar visit www.groundstraining.com