No matter how much we might love our jobs, most of us would rather be traveling, on the golf course, spending time with friends or family, or doing any number of things we enjoy in our personal time. Even in the best of jobs, work is called work for a reason. We use words like effort, toil, labor, exertion and drudgery to describe the challenging components of the work we do. And yet, who says work cannot also be fun?
As a leader, you have the most discretion to add some fun to the workday. You have the power to inject a sense of playfulness that can inspire creativity, positive problem solving, enhanced communication and of course, beat some of the work blues that can creep in to any of our days. You might be CEO or CFO but you can also claim the title of CHO, Chief Happiness Officer.
Does this sound silly or frivolous to you? Think again. The gains you as an employer get when your people feel positive about their time at work are tangible. When your team is happy, they give you their best, discretionary effort increases, communication happens more smoothly, all of which translates to a more positive workplace culture, which boosts customer satisfaction which in turn makes for a better bottom line. What can you do to claim the title of CHO?
Give Your Team the Tools They Need to Be Great
In order to feel good about your job, you must, must have the tools to do it well. We all lose sometimes and it’s hard when it happens, but imagine what it must feel like to begin each day knowing you are handicapped from doing your best. Employees who don’t have the tools or training they need to do their jobs well feel set up to lose and it’s demoralizing.
Offer Your People Respect & Trust
As your company’s leader, you set the tone for how your people will interact with each other. Certainly you are a person like anyone else and even you aren’t always going to be your calmest, most eloquent, rational self. Still, if you base your communication with your team on respect you will lead by example. You can show them that even when you stridently disagree or when you are disappointed and angry, you still offer others a basic level of respect and civility regardless of the circumstances.
Express Yourself
If they did something great, tell them. If you appreciate their efforts, make it known. As leaders, all too often we have so much on our plates that we move from one situation to the next without pausing to acknowledge progress or thank our team. It isn’t that we are not grateful, rather that we are often overwhelmed and trying to tackle our massive to do lists. When you take a little time to express yourself with your team, it comes back to you in their effort and enthusiasm. Your praise can often be the gasoline that keeps their engines running.
Be a True Coach
With good coaches there is often the mentality that we win together yes, but we also lose together. The best coaches don’t just rip into players when there is a loss, they examine and evaluate what went wrong and then strategize for next time. When you give people the best of you when they win, of course they feel good. But when you give people the best of you when they lose, they develop a powerful connection and sense of loyalty. On that same note, a solid coach gives their team a clear direction and uses milestones to track progress and show them what lies at the finish line.
Be a Model of Flexibility
When you can, give people what they ask for. Work/life balance is quickly becoming an important factor for many employees. They want jobs that don’t feel like shackles designed to make everything harder. The best employees have the skills to get flexibility somewhere, let it be with you. Helping your team with some organizational flexibility will keep your best people happy and not surprisingly, working harder. People who have bosses that allow them some flexibility work hard to keep privileges and are less likely to look for greener pastures.
Who Doesn’t Want to Be Happy?
The bottom line is that we ALL want to be happy and satisfied at work. For most of us in leadership positions, a happy team and smooth running operations contribute to our own happiness. Put some of your resources into becoming your organizations CHO and it will be a win-win all around.
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