Why Saying Well Done Works
Encouraged by the recognition, Sarah Lewsiton went home from work that day, full of
self-belief and wonder that she had made the leap at last.
In her last job, she had always felt that she was unsuitable, in fact below par, for the place.
On her very first day at this new job, it was different. On the very first day,
her supervisor had recognised her in a way that no-one had done before.
At 17,
she had gone into the workplace ready to conquer the world. A positive girl,
she had never understood that her hard work, unstoppable enthusiasm and keen
willingness might not be enough. At the last place, where she had worked for
nearly two years, they had, subtly, yet consistently, knocked that out of her,
through criticising, embarrassing and slighting her. So much so, that she had
changed to be cynical, sceptical and sarcastic. In the end they had to part,
badly, and it had taken a few weeks for Sarah to build the courage to go for
another job.
Yet on the very first day in the new place, someone had made her
day, just by saying two little words - 'Well done'.
In life, especially in our
busy workplaces, there is sometimes, no time, to say, 'Well done'. Yet we all
know how it feels when we are on the receiving end, just as Sarah did. It costs
nothing, except a few moments and a bit of focus - but it makes the world of difference.
For Sarah Lewsiton,
tomorrow would be another good day, because the culture was naturally supportive,
encouraging and enlightened. And her place of work would come to benefit over
the years she would stay. She would contribute more, become a great team player,
work well when delegated to and have simple, yet constructive ideas about how to
take the business forward.
Two little words - that's all it takes. Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide,
mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He
has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website,
http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com
(Note to editors. This article may be edited for use in your publication or
newsletter as long as a live link to the website is included)
...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Reprimanding Marginal Employees
THE MARGINAL PERFORMER: Every manager must, from time to time, deal with a marginal performer - an employee whose work, for the most part, is satisfactory, but who regularly fails in some specific area or areas to maintain a satisfactory level of performance. The work of the marginal performer can be classified as substandard in some cases but not so poor as to warrant immediate termination.
Competion or Cooperation?
It has been said, there is no better way to hone your skills and improve your performance, than competition. Competing with others, or even with your self, fosters continued improvement, striving for even higher goals, and an ongoing sense of achievement. Competition in the world of business is natural and expected. Every business has competitors that are vying for the dollars in the marketplace. And over the years, some of these competitors have been classic. Coke versus Pepsi comes to mind, as does Avis versus Hertz in the rental car industry. Years ago Miller Lite had commercials where two factions of their fans competed over the reason to buy their product. As a crowd gathered half the group would shout out "Less Filling!!" while the other half would retort "Tastes Great!!!" They were humorous commercials with Miller Lite being the only real competitor. These classic competitions served to strengthen the product itself and made the competitors stronger. In effect, both Pepsi and Coke won, as did Avis and Hertz.
Rethinking Workplace Security: How the Rules Have Changed
The workplace has traditionally been a dangerous place. Very early in mankind's history perils emanated from the place and type of work they performed. Long before industrialization, men mined precious metals, gems and fuel in the form of peat and coal hidden beneath the earth's surface. Extracting these materials brought with it the risk of cave-ins and being buried alive. Moreover, the quest for the most basic of all life giving substances, water, could also end in sudden death or severe injury as well shafts were dug in the soft earth.
Doing More With Less
This is a bottom-line environment.
30 Ways to be a Butt-Head Boss
1. Trust no one. Not your superiors and not your employees. Especially not your employees. They're probably out to get you anyway.
I Am Not A Number - Why Too Many Change Projects Fail
Many of you will recognise this quote from the 1960s TV show, "The Prisoner". Patrick McGoohan used the phrase to describe his frustration at not being treated as an individual, and being kept in the dark about what his superiors were up to in a very confusing environment. This experience is not dissimilar to what employees face in most change projects.
How to Deal With Salespeople
If you are an executive, you may sometimes feel like a open jelly sandwich at a picnic. Every crazy critter in the world wants to bite into your budget. Here's how to protect your time and preserve your sanity.
Innovation Management ? idea selection, development and commercialisation, what are the differences?
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
Top Ten Things About Creating a Business Vision
To visualise where you are going, is deeper and more sensory than anything you have ever done before. And these are the skills of those who are able to create a vision you can really live and breathe. These people...
The Top 10 Requirements for Your Business to Become and Remain Profitable
We live in a relentlessly competitive world. The daily pressure to work "better, cheaper and faster" can make even talented business owners and entrepreneurs lose site of first principles. As you cope with the decisions and details of running your business, focus on the fundamentals! Regardless of the type of business or the products or services you sell, here are my suggestions for the Top 10 Basics that will make your fortune:
The Changing Boss-Secretary Relationship
THE CHANGING BOSS-SECRETARY RELATIONSHIP: Imagine a partnership at work. One member is outlining the agenda for the annual stockholders' meeting, the other is managing the logistics. The last decade has brought many changes to the traditional boss/secretary relationship. We now see powers and responsibilities delegated to "executive assistants" that only ten years ago would have been the sole province of the boss. And there has been a corresponding rise in the prestige and influence of those secretaries chosen to fill such positions. The fact is that fewer women are willing to be career secretaries.
A Fast and Simple Way to Update Your Business
You open your computer, the flashing button says, "We have a new update for your software program. Do you wish to update now or later?" You choose the Update Now button and immediately your computer begins to download a new version of the software program.
Basic Management Skills
Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at less than 60 % of their potential. Basic management skills training is guaranteed to change all this and at such little cost
6 Simple Steps to Dealing with Difficult Managers
The challenge of managing difficult managers can be rather daunting, especially when you inherit them! If they are your own born and bred, then hopefully they would have evolved into great managers!Experience shows that difficult managers are difficult because they are angry and frustrated about something or somebody (even themselves - especially where they are, or have become, a square peg in a round hole of a job), so the steps to take are these:-
Bar Charts Brought to Life: Index of Interactive Information for HTML and PDF
Bar Charts and the Information Challenge
Innovation Management ? Good Leadership
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
Solving the Problem Solving Problem
The meeting started like a hundred others before. There were five people sitting around the conference table, like they always did, trying to solve a problem that had popped up in the last few weeks. If you could watch and listen from another room you wouldn't find major arguments or conflicts. These people had worked together before and from all outward appearances were pretty effective as a team.
Saying One Thing, Doing Another...
This week I was asked to speak at an internal conference for a bank. The subject was how to build a great customer experience. However, the reality was somewhat different to the title. I sat listening to speaker after speaker - all coming along with the same message "how can we stuff more products into our clients and achieve our targets".
Dialogue vs. Discussion
Have you ever sat in a meeting where everyone is busy giving their point of view and trying to prove why they are right? Where no one is actually listening or trying to understand other individuals' points of view. The alternative meeting format is where everyone listens to and agrees with the meeting leader. No one contributes or adds ideas, they are just compliant.
Preparing a Budget
Ok, you say, I know I need a budget, but how do I prepare one? The most common budget period is one year, but this can vary depending on whether or not your business has seasonal or cyclical fluctuations. For example if you run a Christmas decorations shop, or a costume shop your business is going to peak during certain times of the year.
|