3 Steps to Being a Human at Work
Last week I ran a workshop with a client called Feedback Through Coaching. In the workshop, we discussed practising empathy and understanding as a coach and the importance having the right mindset. The mindset of curiosity and openness and as a leader having a genuine intention to develop the person sitting in front of you; a desire to give them feedback so they can be the very best version of themselves, be proud of their achievements and love coming to work.
As we were discussing these concepts, one of the participants gave a thoughtful look and then said, "Hmmmm…it's about being just like a human." We all laughed and I wrote the phrase up on the whiteboard for inspiration. Isn’t it interesting that as business leaders, we can sometimes forget to connect with our people human to human, regardless of position, experience or hierarchy?
In every industry, we are experiencing a growing reliance on technology in the workplace. There are chat bots who can engage in conversations with us and take actions based on our responses. There are sophisticated forms and software and interactive online surveys to discover how we are feeling and the improvements we would like to see in the workplace.
There is also the rise of robotics. I recently read about a hotel in Japan, the Henn-na Hotel, where they've replaced 95% of staff by robots or robotic experiences. When you check in, you're greeted by a hologram and you're accompanied to your room by a robot. Now, I’m all for technology advancements but they must be balanced with our need for human contact and connection.
If we add in with the technology mix, the increasing demands on leaders time, focus and energy, it’s no wonder that our people are feeling little more than clogs in a machine; overworked, overstressed, expendable and undervalued. In Australia, a staggering 76% of the workplace, self-nominates as disengaged. (US Gallup organisation, 2017 ‘State of the Global Workplace’)
So, how can we begin to reconnect to one another in the workplace?
How can we build trust and gain that human experience?
1. Increase Leadership Face Time
Take time to personally connect with your people. Practice making eye contact. Get belly to belly. Speak to your team members as you arrive and leave work and as you pass them during the day. Expand your network. Take the time to reach out to new employees and introduce yourself. Remember leadership is a contact sport – get out there.
2. Increase Team Time
Get your team together as often as possible and grow interdependency. Value differences of opinions and ideas. Create time and space for real collaboration and socialisation. Increase personal connection. Get people involved in decision making. Make them feel like they belong to something bigger than their desk and cubicle. Expand their influence.
3. Communicate Authentically
Give some consideration to your written messaging. Add a personal touch to your email, your voicemail messages. Show realness and warmth. Give your messaging some personality, make it you. Connect your written policies with your organisations values and use unique company language. Add pictures of you, of your people and your clients.
Leadership is all about influence. It’s about gaining trust and engagement from your people to drive performance. It’s a busy world we live in but slowing down and humanising your workplace will make your people feel valued and feel like they belong. Only then, do you get people doing their very best work and wanting to contribute and giving it everything they’ve got.
The power of being ‘just like a human.’
Champagne and Sunshine,
Midja x