by Inge Beckers | August, 2021 | Inge Beckers, leadership
Every organisation, small or big, wants to be successful. Whether they will succeed in this aspiration does not only depend on their products or technology. It mainly all revolves around their people. Research in the area of organizational psychology demonstrates that implementing positive psychology concepts at the workplace increases the performance of employees and as such the organizational productivity. It furthermore shows that positive employee behaviour is not a result of a successful organization, but that it is actually the other way around: positive employees deliver better results which generate more effective organizations. The research evidence to support this is growing continually. Shared responsibility Being a positive leader is not about making your employees happy. You are not responsible for your employee’s happiness, but you are responsible for creating a work environment that enables your employees to feel well and appreciated and as such contribute to achieving the best possible organizational performance. In a positive environment, people feel valued and they know how their work impacts the purpose of the company. They receive clear expectations and regular feedback. They feel safe to express their thoughts and ideas and they trust their leader. If all of this is provided, the ultimate responsibility for happiness at work lies with the employee. Positive relationships The foundation of every relationship is trust, in private life as well as at work. Without out it, employees will put less effort and attention into their work, they will be less likely to share information and care less about the success of the organisation. Employees who trust their colleagues and leadership are more likely to...
by Janette Kirk-Willis | June, 2021 | COVID Life, Janette Kirk-Willis, leadership
Change. It’s been quite a year. A pandemic, economic uncertainty and technology changing at the speed of light. Change can be exhilarating but continual change can create anxiety and eventually health issues like burnout and depression. How can you as a manager support the complex and varied needs of your team during this tumultuous time? Keep talking Talk to your team more than you think you need to. Teams that talk less experience increased feelings of isolation and anxiety. Obviously tell your team about any company changes and updates, inform them about any changes to your flexible working policies and what the implications are. Help your team to prioritise their workload and understand where the ‘give’ is in your team’s agenda. Support a culture of teamwork and collaboration. Give feedback in a timely manner. Develop a culture of praise, use appreciate enquiry where you can [1] Be available for your team as much as possible. Be vulnerable If you can be vulnerable with the team or individuals about your own wellbeing it will build trust. Being open helps us to develop and deepen relationships. Be sure to only share what you feel comfortable with sharing there is no obligation for you or others to ‘over share’ [2] Check-in with each other Don’t view it as yet another Zoom meeting…checking in with individuals and teams is critical, do it regularly and with commitment. It’s not always easy to tell if someone is struggling, especially remotely. You can start with ‘How are you?’ but don’t end there…really listen and understand the response, ask follow up questions that show that you’re listening...
by Inge Beckers | February, 2021 | Inge Beckers, leadership
In this 5th blog on positive leadership, I will explain why positive communication is a key asset to the workplace. What do we mean by positive communication? It is using a language that is based on respect, that builds trust and collaboration and it is as such the cornerstone of creating a psychologically safe workplace in which employees feel connected and engaged. Positive language Positive communication is based on positive emotions and uses affirmative, constructive, and supportive language instead of negative and critical language. Research on why some management teams perform better than other* shows that the ratio of positive statements to negative statements is the single most important factor in predicting organizational performance. Managers who use positive language are twice as successful. They are better at building rapport with others and they have more impact on the way they are perceived as a manager. Positive communication can also help in building a strong company culture by creating clarity about the mission, the values, and the goals of the organisation so that employees know why they are working and what they are working towards. When people feel their work matters, they will be more inclined to working harder and with a much more positive outlook. As a result, the use of positive language is not only more effective but also powerful and inspiring for all employees at every level. Perhaps you have heard the story of the janitor at NASA. When President John F. Kennedy was visiting NASA headquarters for the first time in 1961, he noticed a janitor carrying a broom. He interrupted his tour, introduced himself and...
by Inge Beckers | January, 2021 | Inge Beckers, leadership
So far, I have discussed two strategies to become a positive leader: creating a positive mindset and cultivate a positive climate. The third strategy is to build positive relationships. An organization depends on his individuals to interact and form connections to get the job done. The quality of these connections are the building blocks for bringing out the best in people and organisations and have a huge impact on the business results. As humans, we are innately social beings, we need other people, we need connection. Considering that we spend one-third of our lives at work, it makes sense that we should want to promote positive social interactions at work, and not just in our personal lives. Research from Gallup shows that people who have a good friend at work are more likely to be happy and engaged. Working in a positive work environment results in more creativity and productivity, better customer engagement and increased profit. High quality connections Two well-respected researchers in the field of management and organisations, Dutton and Heaphy have done research on a particular form of positive work relationships, called ‘high-quality connections’. These connections refer to a brief moment of contact – in contrast to a long-standing relationship -and can be considered as relational micro-moments. They can be of high quality (positive), low quality (negative) or neutral. When these connections are of high quality, they create positive emotions and therefore contribute to the individual as well as team flourishing, which in turn will lead to higher organisation’s effectiveness. If employees experience high-quality connections, they feel more engaged, energized, respected and trusted by each other....
by Inge Beckers | October, 2020 | Inge Beckers, leadership
Being a leader can be quite challenging. You are responsible for your team, your department and your business goals. You want to be successful and motivate your people to perform at their best. After all, you all want to achieve great results, no? Well, it might not be that easy. It is not because you are motivated and enthusiastic that your team will feel the same way and perform at their best level. It is not because you are aware of all the goals and objectives, that your team will understand what is expected from them. Positive leadership is about unlocking the potential of your team. When people use their strengths more, they will be energized and achieve better results. Displaying a positive attitude at work creates a multitude of benefits. Not only will people look at you in a more appreciative way which may incline them to help you in more ways, but it is also contagious. Positivity rubs off on everyone else. Fixed versus growth mindset Adapting a positive mindset is about adapting a growth mindset. Carol Dweck did extensive research on human motivation and the power of our mindset. She concluded there are two mindsets: the ‘fixed’ and the ‘growth’ mindset. Her research looked at the origins of those mindsets and the role they play in motivation and self-regulation, as well as their impact on achievement and interpersonal processes (Dweck, 2006). When we translate this to leadership skills, it means that managers with a ‘fixed’ mindset belief that intelligence, personality and strengths are stabile and hardly changeable, and they tend to show what they know instead...