Wide open spaces = invisible shock fence

Well, not exactly.  What we’re saying is, you want your team’s feedback, but you also need boundaries. An open and honest environment doesn’t mean free rein or endless gripe sessions.  Clearly outline appropriate times, topics, and behavior for productive conversations.

Manager: “Hey team, I know the new software is making our calls take longer.  Let’s spend 10 minutes listing all the things that are driving us crazy, then talk about some solutions.” 

ProTip: When they share a concern, write it on a whiteboard or flipchart.  It helps them feel heard.

You can dish it out, but can you take it?

It’s a two-way street. You give your team feedback, how about you also welcome questions, tough conversations and feedback.

I know it’s not easy, but neither is eating kale and you’re working on that!

Ask for honest feedback and work together to solve issues.

Employee: “This new software is actually making our customers wait longer to be served.”

Manager: “I appreciate your concern and understand it could use tweaking.  What do you think we should do?” 

Employee: “I have a couple of ideas….”

Bring chocolate, and I'll open my door

Do you have an “open door” policy? That expression might make you roll your eyes, as it’s as overused a workplace phrase as “synergy,” or “thinking outside the box,” but being open can transform a team. And, guess what, it’s not even about a door. 

Being open and available is what matters.  Make sure your actions are demonstrating an approachable vibe.

Try one of these:

• Take time to put a smile on your face before you enter the building
• Greet each team member in the morning. 
• Stop moving when you ask “How are you today?”

Send some good vibes today.

Open floor plan, open mind

Offices today tend to be open with low or even no walls. 

This level of exposure can encourage transparency, but can also put you on display in fragile moments when you are stressed or upset.

The next time you feel like you might lose your cool (and who hasn't had those moments?), take note of where you are.

If you might be observed by others, take a deep breath or a drink of water. If that doesn't do the trick, get outside.

In these new, open work spaces, it's critical to maintain professionalism by being calm and supportive of others, and by doing your venting somewhere private.

To hire or not to hire...

You may have heard the old adage, Hire slow, Fire fast! But what does it actually mean?

Hire slow means avoiding your gut instinct, and identifying whether the candidate will actually be a good fit for the culture, the team and the job.

A toxic employee can be especially damaging to a team, so be on the lookout for signs of incivility.  Try these questions:

• Ask what their former employees say about them (the good and the bad).
• Ask them to share a time they had to deal with stress or conflict- and follow up by asking how they dealt with it.
• Ask them what they’d like to improve about themselves (in fact, ask them this question a couple of times to get them to dig deep and share 3 things)

And finally, ask the Receptionist how the candidate treated them, or take the candidate out for lunch and see how they treat those who serve you.  You might even want to have the restaurant mess up their order (like Charles Schwab CEO, Walt Bettinger has been known to do) to check their response.

Check mark

Copyright: 123rf

In today's fast-paced work world, it's easy for tasks, steps, and ideas to slip through the cracks.

Idea of the month: Checklists.

It sounds rudimentary. But when you create a new process, aim to create a checklist to go with the process. 
Having the visual aid will help you, and anyone else responsible for the task, complete it accurately every time.

Sharing and then running through a checklist ensures mutual understanding, saves you both time, and reduces the chance of mistakes.

Checklists work well for:

• new greetings or closings
• new processes for up-selling or tracking
• transitioning tasks from one person to another
• packing for a trip to Hawaii!

What your go-to checklist format?

Take a minute

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up." - Mark Twain

Don't wait for someone else to make your day. Make theirs then enjoy the feeling.