Best Recipes Ever

Category: Leadership Coaching

  • Trust Takes a Lifetime to Build and a Moment to Lose

    Successful leadership and trust go hand in hand.   Unless the leader has the trust of his or her team, leadership is likely to be ineffective and will probably fail on most levels.  Earning trust takes time, losing it is quick.  As leaders it is easy to find ourselves in situations that cast doubt over our trustability.  For example:

    Have you ever been:

    • In a situation when senior management have told you information that affects your team members, but for some reason you have been told not to share this with them?
    • Had to discuss the results of the bonus scheme calculation with one of your team members and because the scheme is not transparent it looks like you are “robbing” the person of what he or she understands they have earned?
    • Asked by senior management to support a particular decision which you personally disagree with, but you have to present this to your team as if you believe in the decision and support it whole heartedly?

    There are many other situations that I am sure you can think of which jeopardise trust built with team members.  These are dilemmas that leaders face on a daily basis.  How can these and other similar situations that question your trust be handled effectively to maintain trust?

    When considering options look for those that help you maximize the trust in your response with all concerned parties.  In my experience gained during my career of leading teams in different hotel departments and ultimately in my own company “Concept Training and Development”, I have always tried to be open and honest with my team and with other groups, whether senior management, customers and clients.  After all this is the way I would prefer others to be with me, even if I don’t like what they are telling me!   Treat people as you would like to be treated is an approach that I strongly support and live by.  Therefore, if going back to the first example above, does that mean that I betray senior management to be open and honest with my team?  No, it simply means that I tell team members openly and with empathy, that “I am not at liberty to share information at this time, due to what ever circumstance.  Once everything is clear and has been decided they will be informed.”

    Building Trust

    Living with integrity is a solid foundation on which others can learn to trust you.  For others to know who you are and to begin to trust you, they have to know what your beliefs and values are, and therefore what foundation you are using to make decisions.  Doing this over and over shows consistency and therefore builds reliability and trust of you.   We cannot expect everyone to share our values, however being prepared to listen to and accept others values is also an important aspect of building trust.  The following points are tips for encouraging and building trust in you, which I work with on a daily basis and which have proved to be reliable:

    • Demonstrate trust of others – this comes first.  If you show that you trust, it is likely that others will reciprocate. 
    • Say “thank you”.  Notice your team members and the contributions they bring, to other team members, to the team as a whole and to you personally.
    • Follow through on what you say you will do – be dependable and reliable.  If you have agreed to do something and find for some unknown reason that you cannot deliver, manage by informing those who have a vested interest in a timely manner– don’t wait for them to come to you and ask!
    • Be open and honest with feedback.  Giving negative, constructive feedback is not always easy, but it is in the interest of both parties to do so.  Be honest, constructive and sensitive, whilst being direct in order that the other person is not left guessing, does not feel steamrollered or treated unfairly. 
    • Stick to your commitments.  Do not idly talk about something which involves another person and “forget” about it later.  For example, if you agreed to work with a person to ensure their growth and development ensure you do so.  If you agreed to put someone forward for promotion if they fulfill certain tasks and demonstrate certain capabilities, do it!
    • Communicate with social intellect – if you can show that you understand the other person they are more likely to put trust in you.
    • If you don’t know, say so!  Just because you are the leader does not mean you have to know everything.  This enables team members to come forward with ideas – and you might just be surprised at the level of skill and knowledge within your team!
    • Above all learn from your mistakes.   As leaders it is unlikely that we will get it right every time, but learning from those mistakes is the minimum we can do.

  • What is Intuitive Leadership?

    In day-to-day operations when things go wrong and there is a problem to solve, the first place that we all invariably go is to the facts surrounding the situation. Through understanding and analysing those facts, we make a decision.  Are decisions based solely on facts combined with previous experience of a similar situation, or do we inject our intuition at some point?

    WATCH MY VIDEO ON THIS TOPIC!

     

     

    WHAT IS INTUITION?

    Intuition, considered as a neurocognitive model, as either “Deliberative” or “Creative intuition” provides a framework for considering intuition and the  importance in leadership decision making.

    Deliberative intuition – Managerial intuition, problem solving, unconscious constructive deliberation, pattern matching, inferential processing and inferential intuition.

    Creative intuition – Entrepreneurial intuition, radical intuition, experiential non-linear processing, synthesis of unconnected memory fragments, strong emotional (afferent) component, passionate attention, holistic intuition, intuitive insight and classical intuition.

    Most of you will be familiar with the psychometric models for assessing intuition, such as MBTI (Myers Briggs), Rational/Experiential Inventory (REI) and Symbolon – Thinking/Feeling, Intuitive/Concrete.  The mere fact that we try to measure the degree of intuition, indicates that this characteristic has some value and importance in the business world, especially when needing to influence and inspire others as in a leadership role.

    HOW DOES INTUITION SERVE US?

    Research amongst GP’s and Emergency doctors, (Coget & Keller) that explored through interviews the role of initiation, came to the conclusion that intuition is important and a common part of practice in the following areas:

    • A sense that something is wrong – a sense of alarm / sense of reassurance
    • Recognition leading to a quick, non linear diagnosis
    • Insight leading to eureka moments through spontaneous diagnostic realisations and sudden frame shifting
    • Quick assessment – sick or not sick
    • Mismatch – when there is a lack of coherence in the symptoms.

    This research shows that the potential advantages of using intuition appear to be speed, accuracy and confidence. Jean-Francois Coget, who carried out this research on intuition, suggests that there is a “Critical Decision Vortex” and this has analytical, intuitive and emotional components.  Coget further suggests that exclusion of any of the three components risks reducing accuracy and speed.  Nygren et al. 2002, supports the idea that intuitive decision making can be more accurate than analytical decision making.

    Taking the example of a wild animal grazing – his or her intuition is going to warn about lurking danger, thus stimulating the necessary response to find safety.  When that danger has gone, it goes back to peaceful grazing.  Therefore, intuition is not something that is switched on and off, it is a sixth sense that is with us all the time. For example, choosing from two well qualified candidates:

    • For some reason the interviewer is in favour of one rather than the other.  However the reason is not explainable in a logical and rationale manner, but rather having an emotional element.   
    • Another example might be when looking into a problem and for some reason you are driven in a particular direction, which might not add up in terms of the analysis and the facts, but yet for some unconscious reason you are drawn to and make the decision based on that direction.

    INTUITION AND LEADERSHIP

    Harnessing and working with intuition is key to effective leadership.  Simply using our “head” brain all the time does not utilize everything in our tool-box.   It only analyses the facts together with any previous experience, discounting feelings connected with the heart as well as our gut feel.

    Understanding emotional issues through the heart, to ensure we tap into our own feelings as well as the feelings of others who are involved or who might become involved, and adding what our intuition is saying, provides a much broader picture and foundation for sound decision making.  In other words what does our gut say or feel about the person, the situation or the conversation in the present moment and therefore what questions have to be asked around the facts to deepen knowledge and understanding before making the final decision?

    As Coget says “Exclusion of any of the three components risks reducing accuracy and speed.”

     

    References:

    Coget, Jean Francois, Kellar Eugene The Critical Decision Vortex: Lessons From the Emergency Room https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492609357009

    Dorfler, Viktor, Ackermann, Fran Understanding Intuition:  The Case for Two Forms of Intuition. Management Learning 43 (5) 545-564 https://cyberleninka.org/article/n/1049255/viewer

    Nygren, Thomas E., White, Rebecca J. 2002  Assessing Individual Differences in Decision Making Styles: Analytical vs. Intuitive https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/154193120204601204

     

    Rachel ShackletonRachel Shackleton is an entrepreneur who owns and manages Green Key Personal Development and Green Key Health. Working with local and multinational organisations, she is a public speaker and trainer in the spheres of leadership, communication and customer excellence. She ensures sustainable productivity and profitability through healthy self-management and leadership practices, ensuring a focused and successful workforce.

  • Where is the Blue Ocean Strategy to “Beat COVID”?

    The current national and international lockdown is impacting individuals in ways that may not yet be obvious. Most organisations with the exception of those that are classed as “essential” are either working from home or closed, such as the hospitality sector including hotels, pubs, clubs, restaurants and sports centres as well as many small businesses that are either temporarily or permanently closed as their cash flow could not stand the “forced” closures.

    Whilst Covid19 has taken the world by storm and led leaders in governments to make extreme decisions by closing the economy to protect the vulnerable, what is the actual impact on individual health due to fear, anxiety and lack of social contact?  Is this being measured and is there a plan to address this?

    It is easy to be critical of our leaders for taking decisions that most leaders will never have to face, but assuming that these decisions to close economies are correct, where is the plan to manage the situation, and more importantly deal with the fallout from anxiety caused by firstly the fear of getting the deadly virus and secondly fear of the unknown due to potential redundancy, continued furlough, health of loved ones and so on that is increasing the number of people suffering from mental ill health on a daily basis?  How come this has not been addressed by our governments?  Are our leaders really blind to this?

    WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF FEAR ON A PERSON AND ON SOCIETY?

    During the last year, certainly in the UK we have been told to stay home to protect the vulnerable and our NHS (national health service) therefore, to avoid mixing and socialising, to not visit family members and to keep grandchildren away from their grandparents so that they do not pass on the virus, consequently protecting them. Whilst this is protecting them from Covid, could it be possible that we are negatively affecting both the grandchildren and the grandparents and possibly “killing” them with separation and isolation?

    The definition of fear according to the Cambridge dictionary is “an unpleasant emotion or thought that you have when you are frightened or worried by something dangerous, painful or bad, that is happening or might happen.”

    Fear is the underlying issue that stops us from making change, from taking risk and most importantly from “hearing and seeing” what it is we need to see and hear.  It drives behaviour that we would not normally exhibit when we use our logic and think clearly using our left-brain function of analysis, calculation and logic. Infact fear paralyses the ability to think and therefore those being led through a fear situation often look to their leader/s to provide direction, surety and calm in the way forward.  This opens the door for an autocratic leadership approach during a crisis.  Followers are told what to do, and in most cases follow blindly during the time of uncertainty and chaos.

    Where is the blue ocean strategy to "beat covid"?As the chosen style of leadership has so far been the autocratic style surely it is time to address how we are to move forward in order to generate confidence and trust in both our leaders and the future?  As we have been under the Covid threat for almost a year now, and probably more than a year as there are reports of people suffering with Covid type symptoms in December of 2019, is it not time to pull together a plan of action to:

    1. Balance the Covid threat with everyday life enabling businesses to get on with business and for people to live and go about their business “normally”?
    2. Restore the economy from the devastation the pandemic has caused?
    3. Deal with the fallout from the fear that has led to the massive increase in mental ill health, anxiety and depressive disorders in all ages within our societies?
    4. Bring families together to support each other as would normally be the case in a crisis, rather than dividing them creating additional fear and insecurity, which in turn weakens the immune system?

    Surely leadership is not only about fighting fires, but putting in a plan to get everyone out of the fire, even in an unknown situation?  It is clear now that the current government adviser group are not coming up with answers to address most of these issues, simply hanging their hat on a vaccine that even they admit does not stop transmission of the virus nor does it make you immune against the virus. Therefore surely it makes sense to invite and listen to other expert bodies of people who are not within the usual adviser group to get some different perspectives and inputs on how to move forward out of this situation?

    This brings to mind the book, “Blue Ocean Strategy” by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne published in 2005 which is primarily the study of Cirque de Soleil and several other organisations including Starbucks and North West Airlines and how they created new market space. Instead of competing in a red ocean, they created their own blue ocean of tranquillity and success and in so doing appealing to a new market, leaving competitors behind.   We have been in the Covid red ocean for too long, competing for who supplies who with what to fight the fire and “beat Covid”.  Where is the strategy to leave this red ocean and move on into calm and normality, whatever that might look like?

    Remember, “if you do what you always did, you will get what you always got”?  Cirque de Soleil came out of the red ocean it was in by analysing what others were doing, taking the best from that and creating something completely different, thus creating a market audience so that years later they are still very successful.

    When can we expect to see a Blue Ocean Strategy that our leaders use to lead us into calmer and successful waters?

     

    To find out more about how Green Key can help you and your leadership journey, contact Rachel directly. 

     

    References:

    Blue Ocean Strategy, W. Chan Kim, Renee Mauborgne, published 2005, Harvard Business School Press

    NHS

  • Who or What is the Heartbeat of Your Organisation?

    Usually we talk about the heart in relation to our health or the health of someone else. The heart can be physically sick, such as a heart attack, angina, arrhythmia or heart failure. We also talk about a “broken heart” referring to emotional trauma of some kind. In the English language this means that someone or something has broken our heart and could be referring to the loss of a loved one, an accident or collapse of a relationship. But what about the heart of an organisation? Would you describe the heart of your organisation as emotionally and physically healthy?

    Who or what is the heartbeat of your organisation? An interesting and perhaps even unusual question. As I see it, an organisation is a living entity, it breathes and has a strong or weak heartbeat. The health of this living breathing entity is based on morale within the team, employee engagement, leadership openness, interest and ability to inspire those who are working with them, clarity of direction, communication consistency, positivity and honesty, teamwork through sharing the wins and openly discussing situations that require change or improvement in order to strengthen strengths and learn how to build and change performance that is not as successful as the organisation leadership or team in question want it to be.

    In answer to the question – the people are the heart and the heartbeat of any organisation and depending on how they are treated physically and emotionally will either result in a healthy or an unhealthy heart that misses a beat, struggles to function in some way or is clearly and obviously down-right sick!

    Let’s take an example: The British government. Most people whether British or otherwise will be able to diagnose the current government as definitely sick because the heart health of this government and the government heartbeat is erratic, slow, possibly due to hypotension and is showing signs of arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythms). Are the arteries furring up due to poor flow of communication, lack of openness and trust? I’ll leave you to decide. This is not about whether you vote Conservative, Labour or otherwise, this is about the obvious lack of heartbeat from the head down within the government, which essentially is an organisation whose role it is to run a country.

    To fix the government or your organisation is it a case of going to the doctor? Probably yes, if those in charge are 1. Unable to see the problems, 2. Have no interest in solving them either due to lethargy or ego. 3. Lack the necessary leadership skills to address the issues constructively and fairly to keep blood flowing through the veins and the heart healthy. Going to the doctor will likely result in being put on medication or several if symptoms are varied. Does this solve the issue and lead to a healthy heart and heartbeat? Unlikely, but it will seem like things are back to “normal” functioning for a short period or until such time as the system can no longer tolerate the medication or requires a larger dose. And we all know that famous quote by Henry Ford, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you always got.” What has to change?

    To quote Forbes “No man can deliver the goods if his heart is heavier than the load.”

    Fixing the heartbeat in an organisation requires clear goals that are shared openly and with everyone, leaders that are interested in achieving agreed goals while supporting and empowering individuals and teams to perform at their best through active coaching, nurturing and fairness. Finding individuals doing things right and encouraging more of the same. Openly addressing blockages and issues constructively to firstly understand and then work collaboratively to solve them, not just temporarily, but permanently. A short-term fix, if needed can hold issues satisfactorily while the long-term fix is put in place. Think of a short-term fix as a sticking plaster, it will at some point come off. Just as managers and leaders look at weekly and monthly reports on financial performance it is important to also check the organisation heartbeat in the same way. This can be done through some form of assessment tool or wellness report. When the relevant indicators are showing there is an issue, or might soon be an issue, be proactive in addressing this before the issue takes hold.

    How do you know the heartbeat of your organisation is struggling? The answer is the same as when a doctor looks at a blood test, it shows markers that could be related to different undesirable heart conditions.

    • Low morale – arrhythmia, furring up of the arteries, hypo or hypertension, a “broken” heart
    • Negativity and toxicity – hypertension, angina, pericarditis, myocarditis, fatigue, anxiety
    • Poor teamwork – furring up of the arteries, hyper or hypotension, anxiety
    • Poor performance – the heart is not in it! The blood is pumping, perhaps not optimally, but it is still pumping, just enough to get by with nothing to spare – Hypoxemia (a low level of oxygen in the bloodstream), lack of recognition – a “broken” heart.

    The health of your organisation is dependent on a healthy heart with a strong heartbeat and is as important as the health of your own heart and heartbeat. Zig Ziglar once said “Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.” A simple message for any leader.

    If you would like to ensure that your corporation is fit enough to tackle current and future challenges then contact me (Rachel Shackleton) for a free no-obligation chat.  

  • Successfully Adapting To Change

    I was out walking recently and heard green canaries chirping in the trees above. This led me to consider the meaning of “adaptability” and how important that is in our world today. Green canaries are not native to the UK. Coming from warmer climates, they have learned to adapt not only to the UK vegetation and food, but also the climate. How did they do this? 

    Being able to adapt to changing circumstances gives the possibility to see and embrace new opportunities, as well as to flow rather than block what is happening around us without becoming a “Yes” man or woman and just going along with everything, therefore being run roughshod over.

    WHEN IT COMES TO ADAPTING AND CHANGING ARE YOU PIVOTING OR ADAPTING?

    Pivoting is the ability to slightly alter your behaviour to accommodate a need created by one person or situation.  You might pivot to make a computer algorithm work, or to bring stability to a procedure or process in response to a situation that requires immediate change. It is not a short-term, superficial correction. It is a long-term solution that requires behavioural, procedure and system process change.

    Adapting on the other hand, is also about change in processes and procedures as well as adapting your behaviour to a change in business processes, company strategy or direction. When you adapt, you respond to a situation that requires change and “make suitable, make fit or suit”. 

    As the world is constantly changing, it is necessary for us to both pivot and adapt in response to change. Businesses, to survive need to adapt to changing external circumstances, such as new competition, economic and financial crises, lack of talent in the market, and many other reasons.  Internally within the organisation there can also be reasons, such as loss of market share, computerisation of certain processes and development of new products.   

    Change is recognising that we need to adapt or change from where and how things are now to what we want them to be.  It is not always negative.  The negativity around change is often individual perception which blocks ability to think positively and flow with the change, rather sticking with “the devil we know rather than the devil we don’t know,” even though things might not be functioning the way we would like them to function.  

    Successfully Adapting To ChangeAs humans we tend to create a default behaviour that includes routines, habits and patterns around seeking pleasure, avoiding pain and conserving energy. This is termed your “comfort zone”. The familiar and automatic ways of how you organise your life around what you know with little or no thought needed.  

    Your comfort zone will include actions and thoughts, for example actions might be getting a coffee from your favourite cafe on the way to work, checking emails every 30 minutes, taking the same route to work every day, and brushing your teeth after each meal. Thoughts might include patterns around “nothing will change, therefore why try?”, “I know I’m right”, and thoughts of “I can” and “I can’t”.  

    A comfort zone keeps you stuck in mediocrity and may even threaten your health and well-being as well as overall achievements.  Some comfort zone patterns and behaviours serve you, some do not as they can be very limiting and stop you from adapting and changing at times when it is needed. All have costs and payoffs. 

    Having grown accustomed to our comfort zones, they become largely invisible. 

    This means you have to consciously make an effort to “see” when you are in your comfort zone and question, especially in situations that require change whether a particular comfort zone is serving you or not. It is natural to struggle at some point with the unknown, preferring to stay with the familiar. It is that same comfort zone that can result in you becoming stagnant, dis-interested and lethargic. Stepping out of your comfort zone to adapt and change is what creates growth and personal development.

    WHAT ARE TYPICAL REACTIONS AND RESPONSES TO THE NEED TO CHANGE?

    Responses are likely to link to various comfort zones and other perceptions and personal goals and might include, but not be limited to: 

    • Denial 
    • Playing politics 
    • Desire to stay with the familiar – comfort zone 
    • Resistance – finding all the reasons why this is not a “good idea” because of: 
    • Fear of failure – anxiety “can I cope” 
    • Fear of job security – perceived threat 
    • Mistrust  
    • Embracing the change as it highlights potential opportunities 
    • Excitement around something new 
    • And many more. 

    Many of us struggle with the need to change on some level and these reactions are mostly natural and understandable, with the exception of playing politics. The Kubler-Ross change curve illustrates clearly the process we go through when facing the need to change:

    1. Shock – surprise or shock at the news and the fact that things are going to change. 
    2. Denial – Disbelief and looking for evidence that it is not true. Talking to others about what they have heard, why it might be the case and why it cannot relate to you. 
    3. Frustration – That you now recognise that things are going to be different. You might have some feelings of negativity, even frustration and anger. 
    4. Depression – A reaction to knowing that change is inevitable, resulting in lack of energy and low mood, which might be dispersed with bouts of anger. 
    5. Experiment – Initial engagement with the new situation. It is likely that you are hesitant and are not embracing the required change. Mechanical rather than whole-hearted, because is it something you “have” to do, rather than want to through personal choice. 
    6. Decision – Realisation that the change is here to stay, and you are coming to terms with it by supporting the process. Usually at this stage you feel more positive about it. 
    7. Integration – The change has been integrated and become the new norm. Mood and behaviour is consistent and positive as you feel “at one” with the new processes and system.​

    The Kubler-Ross change curve

    HOW CAN YOU CREATE STABILITY AROUND SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE YOU TO ADAPT AND CHANGE?

    Address your attitude and approach – Whenever you are faced with the need to adapt, whether in a discussion when you do not share the same opinion or some other situation. Perhaps a decision has been made that you disagree with or there is a process, system or restructuring change needed in the work environment? What attitude do you adopt to discuss the issues that you face? Do you present a stubborn, unwilling, resisting person, or do you use enquiry to understand more before making up your mind? 

    Cognitive Ability – The cognitive aspect of adapting is reflected through your ability to enquire curiously. The desire to know more before you create your own opinion about what is required or potentially is about to happen. Only at this point making a decision using logical thinking and then expressing your opinion, thoughts and suggestions to support the need to adapt or change. 

    Emotional Reaction – If you care about something, it is very unlikely that you will not have some kind of emotional reaction. If you agree with the change you will likely demonstrate positive emotions, if you do not agree, then you might express this inwardly or outwardly. Inwardly suppressing your feelings and not sharing them with anyone, making it difficult for others to understand how you feel about the situation. If you express it outwardly there can be an array of reactions from a raised voice that is desperately trying to protect the current situation to anger and aggression, demonstrating a “controlling” approach that is pointing out all the reasons why this is not a good idea, and why keeping everything the same is the right thing to do.

    HOW DO YOU MANAGE THESE ASPECTS OF YOUR “HUMAN BEING” SO THAT YOU CAN ADAPT MORE EASILY?

    1. Listen to what is being explained without commentary. Hear what is being said without evaluation. Make notes if you need to. 
    2. Open up the discussion, asking questions to clarify any points and to fully understand.  
    3. If you agree with what is being said, say so and clarify points around any next steps. If you do not agree, avoid needless discussion and subjecting others to a barrage of reasons that making such changes is not a good idea. 
    4. Re-frame your position – think first of the positives around the suggested change and discuss those and then if needed ask questions to see clarification around aspects that appear to be less positive. 
    5. Pose your questions that highlight your concerns in relation to the change. Allow for discussion, remaining open and positive.
    6. As a result of the discussion, define what is expected and any goals. Gain agreement. 
    7. If you feel that it is still not a good idea having heard the answers to your questions, you can express this. At the same time, give your commitment to support the changes and adaptations needed. 
    8. Accept and flow with the changes. 

     

    “Every success story is a tale of constant revision, adaptation and change.”

    -Richard Branson

     

    Our E-learning course ‘Adapting to Change’ is coming soon. In the meantime, why not view our current catalogue of E-learning courses? 

     

    REFERENCES:

    On Death and Dying, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross M.D 

    The Bigger Game, Laura Whitworth, Nick Tamlyn

  • The Connection Between Leadership, Relationships & Burnout

    This blog was born from a conversation held recently with a new client.  This client came for a herbal medicine and naturopathy consultation.  Through asking several questions, it became clear that this client was very close to or was already suffering adrenal “burn out” due to stress.

    The connection between leadership, relationships & burnoutIn our conversation she mentioned that she works as a care assistant looking after others, sometimes in the care centre itself and sometimes by going on home visits.  In other words, she spends her day giving to others, including kindness, simple The values of your organisation has a tremendous impact on your working relationships, which then impacts how likely you are to experience burnout.medical attention and companionship to help them feel the warmth of another human being, to be a part of life, as well as wanted and loved.

    How is it possible that someone who spends her time giving care to others misses out on any care herself?

    This is the old adage of “the mechanic fixes everyone else’s car first and his car last?”  In other words, his car seldom gets any mechanical attention.  Giving to others means that our own resources need to be full up all the time to ensure we avoid draining our tank leading to constant tiredness, lack of energy and eventually physical and mental ill health.

    As part of this conversation, the client muttered under her breath that “no one gives her any care”, further adding that she is holding up various members of her own family for one of other reason.  From my point of view, this situation begs many questions, each of which are addressed below:

    WHAT ARE THE VALUES OF THE ORGANISATION? 

    It seems rather strange that an organisation that makes its money from giving care, does not consider care, kindness, wellbeing and health of its own employees, firstly through the organisation values and secondly in processes and procedures to support the mental and physical wellbeing of the “golden goose”. In other words, the very people that the organisation earns money through via the charged service they provide.

    HOW CAN AN ORGANISATION CREATE ITS LIVELIHOOD THROUGH CARING FOR OTHERS AND NOT DO THE SAME FOR THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES? 

    The answer to this question also links to the values of the organisation.  Overall it sounds very much like there are double standards, one for external clients who pay for the service and the other for internal clients, those that work in the organisation providing care.

    KNOWING THE DIFFICULTIES AND DAILY STRESSES OF WORKING IN HEALTHCARE HOW CAN THE MANAGERS AND LEADERS FROM THE TOP DOWN NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE CARE NEEDS OF ITS OWN PEOPLE?

    The ability to interact, feel and sense how each and every one of his or her team is doing is vital in any organisation to be able to add value to each and every employee, so that they in turn can add value to their customers through enjoyment of what they do.  This means developing relationships with each and every person in your team to know what is going on with them.  The ability to hear what is different from the norm, to “see” their behaviour through a direct sense, which might be referred to as intuition or sixth sense.  In “Why Should Anyone Be Led By You?”  By Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones they refer to this sixth sense as  “Situation sensing”.  In order to be effective at situation sensing Goffee and Jones explain that leaders need to have observational and cognitive skills to interpret what is happening around them, for example low morale, complacency that needs challenging and weak data. In the case of this lady, the fact that she is struggling and needs support with all the responsibilities that she is carrying.

    HOW IS THE LACK OF CARE AND ATTENTION TO MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING OF PERSONNEL LIKELY IMPACTING THE ORGANISATION? 

    Of course, I can only make some educated guesses here, but with one member of the team coming to see me to address her lack of energy, erratic and at best very weak digestive system, poor sleep and severe lack of joy in her life, is likely a reflection of other employees who perform the same or similar roles to her.  Unproductive – simply going through the motions of her job, failing to see the needs of her clients, putting both the client and the company reputation in vulnerable positions.  Lack of patience and tolerance with those clients that are more challenging, lack of patience and tolerance with herself, inability to focus and operating by auto pilot, all of which combine together and ultimately result in inevitably taking sick leave.

    21.2 days is the average number of days lost to mental ill health in the UK (HSE.gov), including anxiety, depression and stress when a person files for sick leave.  What is more cost effective, taking care of your personnel to provide an environment, working practices and leadership that supports each and every person in doing a good job for both themselves and the organisation, or ignoring the signs of stress, anxiety, fatigue and  lack of joy, potentially leading to mental or physical burnout?

    A case through the eyes of a departed duty manager:  A small, privately owned hotel situated about 10 miles out of London in a very pretty town on the river Thames.  As the majority of the personnel, including the duty managers are not local, all are offered accommodation, for a monthly rental fee in the hotel.  The rooms with small ensuite shower are very small with space only for a bed and chair.

    The owner appears unable to give out trust to his team, keeping a close eye on everything and operating with strict rules, irrelevant of how those rules might interfere with providing guests and restaurant customers a good level of service.  For example, staff meals are to be taken at a particular time and if not able to take a break at that time, food cannot be taken away and eaten later.  It should be thrown in the bin!  One duty manager was surprised to find at the end of the month that his salary was less than the contracted amount.  On enquiring as to the reason, was informed that he was not adding the expected level of value and therefore his salary was reduced.  There was no discussion to enquire how things are going, whether he was happy, whether he needed some help to become more effective etc.  The salary was simply cut with no explanation.  Correction of personnel in front of the guest was apparently common-place.  By now I think you have the picture of the kind of manager and leader, we are dealing with?  Situation sensing is not a part of his skill set.

    WHAT IS THE LIKELY RESULT OF THIS LEADERSHIP APPROACH?

    After three months the duty manager on finding another job, where he felt he can add value and be recognised in return for that, left the hotel giving the contractual one week’s notice.

    Another duty manager in the same hotel, simply did not come in for his early morning shift.  Without a word he left the hotel and has to this point not returned.  His mother did however inform the hotel that he had found another job and would not be returning.  Reading between the lines, it is likely that the atmosphere and behaviour of the owner drove him to leave, giving no second thought to employment procedures and rules, not caring about the salary that he might be due, rather valuing his self-respect, knowledge, skills and freedom more highly than his previous employer did?

    WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THIS STYLE OF MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP ON HEALTH, WELLBEING AND THE BUSINESS?

    It is difficult to find the right balance in any leadership role between over control and the appropriate level of control.   To give out trust, but at the same time not over trust, to build meaningful relations with each and every team member and to support as needed but not do their jobs for them.  This cannot be done by being too distant, or by being too close.  In each and every case it is about assessing the individual, knowing them well and recognising when things are out of balance and consequently going in the wrong direction, for either one or both parties.

    In both the illustrated hotel cases, these individuals found a way out before affecting their personal wellbeing. What about the lady who is on adrenal burnout, the one who is supporting most of her family members and has no resources left in her tank to even contemplate changing jobs?

     

    To learn how we can help you and your organisation, email Rachel directly at rachel@greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com 

     

    References:

    Why should anyone be led by you?  Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones

    https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/dayslost.htm

     

    Rachel ShackletonRachel Shackleton is an entrepreneur who owns and manages Green Key Personal Development and Green Key Health. Working with local and multinational organisations, she is a public speaker and trainer in the spheres of leadership, communication and customer excellence. She ensures sustainable productivity and profitability through healthy self-management and leadership practices, ensuring a focused and successful workforce.

  • Leading a Contact Centre – The Hidden Challenges

    As a manager of a support or contact centre, do you recognise any of these challenges when trying to lead your team to deliver excellent and consistent customer service, while also meeting demanding performance targets?

    If so, you’re not alone. Many contact centre managers face a combination of people, performance, and engagement challenges that make leading others one of the toughest, but most rewarding roles in business today.

    1. The Leadership Learning Curve

    Too often, managers step into their roles with little preparation or development for what leadership truly entails. They may have been top-performing agents, but managing others requires a different skill set entirely.

    Common challenges include:

    • Difficulty transitioning from team player to manager
    • Lack of emotional intelligence to build trust and strong relationships
    • Avoiding difficult conversations or giving feedback when performance dips
    • Struggling to coach effectively to drive behavioural change
    • Handling too many escalated calls, which may signal a lack of team empowerment.

    Leadership in a contact centre is about influence, coaching, and empathy—skills that require focused development and continuous learning.

    2. The Human Connection in a Hybrid World

    Many organisations celebrate hybrid working as a win-win: reduced office costs, better work-life balance, and increased flexibility. But there’s another side to the story—human engagement between managers and employees can easily drop when face-to-face contact becomes rare. The phrase “out of sight, out of mind” too often becomes reality.

    When team members feel disconnected, motivation slips, communication weakens, and performance targets suffer. Today’s managers need new skills to lead remotely—skills in virtual communication, trust-building, and emotional presence to ensure their teams remain inspired, supported, and empowered, even when working miles apart.

    3. The Cost of Constant Turnover

    Every new hire whether in a contact centre or elsewhere typically needs months of training and coaching before reaching full productivity. When attrition is high, managers are caught in a constant cycle of recruiting, onboarding, and retraining—leaving less time for strategy, coaching, and customer experience improvement.

    High staff turnover is not only financially costly, but it also drains team morale and consistency. Customers notice when they’re dealing with inexperienced agents, and loyal employees feel frustrated when they must constantly compensate and fill gaps.

    4. Beyond “It’s Typical for This Role”: Tackling Attrition at the Source

    Attrition in support centres is often accepted as “part of the job.” But if we dig deeper, it can reveal more serious root causes and concerns:

    • A toxic work culture where stress and burnout go unchecked
    • Poor management practices or lack of employee recognition
    • Weak recruiting that places the wrong people in the wrong roles.

    While some turnover is healthy and brings fresh perspectives, excessive churn creates chaos, inconsistency, and frustration for both employees and customers. The key to reducing attrition isn’t just about better pay or benefits—it’s about developing great managers. Managers who communicate clearly, coach effectively, and build trust and motivation create environments where people want to stay, do a great job and grow.

    5. Investing in Manager Development Is No Longer Optional

    The success of any support centre ultimately depends on the capability of its managers. By equipping them with the right skills—emotional intelligence, feedback delivery, coaching, and remote leadership, organisations can:

    • Strengthen employee engagement
    • Reduce costly turnover
    • Improve customer satisfaction
    • And create a culture of accountability and empowerment.

    In the end, great customer service starts with great leadership. Developing your managers isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s the foundation for a healthy, high-performing contact centre.

    The key lies in developing managers who can:

    •           Lead with empathy and accountability

    •           Coach effectively to build competence and confidence

    •           Maintain engagement in hybrid settings

    •           Model the culture you want your customers to experience

    Strong leadership remains the cornerstone of every high-performing team, department, and organisation.

    Looking for learning solutions to support development of your managers, here's a recent case study:

    https://www.greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com/pages/improving-support-centre-effectiveness

    More reading:

    https://www.greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com/pages/blog?p=thriving-call-centre-culture-wellbeing-success

     One of our solutions:

    https://www.greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com/bundles/management-skills-in-the-tech-sector

     

  • The impact of a toxic job

    Recently I have been deeply saddened by the number of people that I know that have a toxic job in a toxic environment whether physically in the office or remotely. When listening to the news over the last few months that staff are scarce and it is difficult to hire personnel for the many job vacancies, I am beginning to wonder if there some correlation between leadership and the way employees are treated and the scarcity of people, and therefore the inability to hire to fill vacancies?

    Everyone has bad days at work, but there are signs that employees and employers need to watch out for before a bad week “at the office” turns into never-ending, debilitating work stress that is ruining their personal health.  

    Too many people are trapped in toxic jobs. Jeffrey Pfeffer, an organizational behaviour professor at Stanford wrote in his book  “Dying for a Paycheck,”  (March 2018) that research has found that poor management in U.S. companies accounted for up to 8 percent of annual health costs and was associated with 120,000 excess deaths every year. Are employers really asking employees to put up with poor management and a toxic work environment at the cost of their health?

    As a Naturopath, Kinesiologist and Medical Herbalist, when consulting private clients about their health it is clear when the body knows subconsciously that their job is to blame for feelings of stress and overwhelm and it is that that is leading to the very symptoms they are consulting me about.

    What are typical symptoms when subjected to stress for long periods of time causing overwhelm, feelings of being over-stressed and potentially burnt out?

    Poor Sleep

    Very often poor or lack of sleep is one of the main symptoms. Clients report either not being able to sleep because their mind is racing or not being able to stay asleep, waking up in the middle of the night thinking about their to-do list or how to address a “conflict” issue with their boss. A few restless nights is not a big deal, but if it becomes a pattern, that may be a sign that job stress has become toxic.

    Waking night after night feeling more and more exhausted is a recipe for increasing mistakes when at work leading to re-work, which then affects the achievement of agreed goals and deadlines, causing a downward spiral to ill-health and poor performance.

    Headaches 

    I remember having a job many years ago, that literally made me sick. I would stand outside the door and all my muscles would tense up to guard my body from injury, causing chronic tension in my neck, shoulders and head. Chronic tension in this area is often associated with tension headaches and if it continues for weeks, may result in migraines, both being extremely debilitating, but migraine having the power to shut down the body and mind for up to 24 hours before the person begins to feel a little better.

    Digestion Issues and Nausea

    When in a job that is toxic, it can feel like you’re fighting off a wild tiger at your desk. Under a perceived threat, your brain floods the system with adrenaline and other stress hormones.

    A nervous system constantly under stress, can cause feelings of nausea, issues with digestion such as diahorrea or even constipation, as the body holds on to something that simply it cannot let go of. Notice how you and your employees are sitting when working at their computer? Are their shoulders hunched and jaw clenched most of the time as this might be a sign that the job is impacting health. 

    Indigestion, constipation and bloating can all be associated with stress, but not always the main cause, as stress impacts what and how the gut digests foods. Stress due to circulating stress hormones has the ability to impact healthy gut bacteria which in turn impacts mood due to the gut-brain axis. 

    Poor Mental Health

    At the moment, there is great emphasis on poor mental health and how organisations are to address this to prevent employees from suffering with mental health diseases, such as anxiety, mood swings, low mood and depression. Could it be that the toxic workplace and/ or boss is actually causing the mental ill-health in the first place?

    In 2019 depression was the leading cause of mental health related diseases and major cause of disability worldwide affecting approximately 280 million people and accounting for more than 47 million disability-adjusted life years in the same year. In fact, post Covid, a World Health Organisation (WHO) study published in April 2022 states that “global prevalence of mental health disorders increased by a massive 25% across the board”. Young people and women being the worst hit.

    Suffering from Regular Sickness

    If you are catching colds constantly, or don’t seem to be able to shake off a cold, ask yourself “Why this might be so?” If you have employees that seem to be constantly sick, have a closer look at what they are doing? Are they constantly working under pressure and stress, or very long hours just to keep up? Are they happy and fulfilled in what they are doing? How do you encourage and lead them? Do you give positive feedback on a regular basis or are you quick to criticise and highlight all the things that they are doing wrong?

    There is a direct relationship to living a happy fulfilled life and health. Chronic stress, whatever the source will compromise the immune system, making the individual more susceptible to illness, therefore that cycle of illness-exhaustion-unhappiness repeating over and over. This obviously increases sickness and absenteeism within a department, putting stress on those that are working, and the company as a whole.

    Tired all the Time

    A feeling of being tired all the time, having no energy and the desire to sleep is fatigue, a bone-deep weariness that no nap or weekend lie-in seems to cure. Toxic jobs and a / or a toxic work environment or relationship can create a cycle that drains us. When feeling overwhelmed we tend to lack focus and concentration and therefore require longer working hours to achieve the same result. This in turn leads to a downward spiral and results in time off to recuperate.

    Appetite Changes

    Appetite is closely linked to your brain. Under acute stress, your fight-or-flight response releases adrenaline, telling your body to suppress digestion to focus on saving you from the perceived danger. Under long-term stress the body’s adrenal glands release and build up cortisol, a hormone which can increase hunger. When your job is causing long-term emotional distress, you may turn to food for comfort or completely lose your appetite.  

    Sugary foods and caffeine-based drinks are often the type of food craved when under stress because the body and brain are burning masses of energy just to sustain an even keel. Sugary foods, often known as comfort foods, as with caffeine-based drinks, give that quick energy boost to get you through the next task. Doing this occasionally will not cause too much harm, but when locked into this cycle the downside is a sugar low, and over time that low gets lower and the energy boost lower also, feeding a craving for more and more sugar, but resulting in less and less energy.

    What is Your Responsibility in Staying Healthy?

    As an Employee:

    Address the toxic boss – Go straight to the horse’s mouth and lead an open conversation about how you are feeling and why. Calling your boss “toxic” certainly will not win you any brownie points but, pointing out that his or her leadership approach is inappropriate to lead and encourage to be at your best and most productive, just might. If it doesn’t you know where you stand.

    Reframe your negative thinking – One of the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy, is that how you think can change how you feel. Perhaps changing jobs is not an option for you. Therefore, reframing the situation might just work. Using mindfulness to manage unhelpful churning thoughts about how a recent presentation went, what you should have said in a particular situation, instead of what you did say, or what a colleague said to you, can be very useful in stopping these unhelpful thoughts that create dissatisfaction and drain energy while they are at it!

    Create personal boundaries – Create boundaries for how many hours you work each day. Don’t be overly pedantic about this in being sure to observe the exact start and finish times, but generally stay within the parameters. Take breaks for lunch and get away from your work-station, computer or regular place of actual work, so that you can enjoy your break without interruption. Educate others around your boundaries so that they too can organise themselves.

    Be clear on goals – Clarify anything that is not clear before embarking on the task. Fumbling through tasks that are not clear in the hope that you might get it right uses up much unnecessary energy through generating feelings of lack of confidence and circulating self-talk, while also running round trying to find information from others who are themselves not clear on what they are responsible for and therefore don’t have what you need.

    Leave – On recognising that you are in the “wrong” job for you, see these things as a warning that you need to get a new job. Long hours, absence of autonomy, uncertain scheduling, poor management and economic insecurity of a job are all factors that contribute to a toxic workplace environment that employees need to leave behind, not just cope with. If you have tried to solve the issue with your direct boss, perhaps HR as well, and nothing has changed you need to fix the underlying problem, not continue to deal with the symptoms in the hope that something will change.

    As a Leader:

    Listen to your employees – If they are providing feedback about you or the way in which the department is functioning, whether positive or otherwise, listen. Take it as positive and constructive, understand what is relevant and address it.

    Give regular positive feedback – Positive feedback is one of the most important tools you have in your management toolbox. Be sure to give to all your employees regular, positive feedback and make negative feedback constructive to motivate the person to change.

    Address conflict in the team – Avoid pushing conflict under the carpet. Bring it out into the open with relevant parties and get commitment to change. Conflict in the workplace causes those not involved to either discuss it in the corridor, thus becoming involved and adding fuel to the fire, or to withdraw. Both strategies are unhelpful to maintaining a productive environment and healthy teamwork.

    Dare to ask employees how they are doing – Asking this question will build trust and an open environment to discuss things that might be causing difficulty and therefore stress. When asking this question be sure to listen to the answer! Not listening may make the matter worse.

    Follow up – Show your interest in your employees by following up on conversations and changes as a result of those conversations. This shows respect to your employees and shows that you really care.

    In summary – a toxic work environment is caused by many factors. Living with it is not necessary and therefore be prepared to address it one way or another with the relevant parties. If you are a manager and leader, have close contact with your employees to know what aspects of the job might be causing too much stress and loss of productivity and then to proactively do something about it before complaining and unhappiness contribute to making a toxic work environment.

  • The Importance Of Recognition When Leading Others

    A MESSAGE FROM THE NA’VI PEOPLE OF PANDORA

    In my personal experience it is common to both use and hear the term “recognition” in the work environment, especially when referring to motivation of others. What does it mean to give recognition, and how does that differ from giving appreciation, or appreciating someone or something?

    An explanation of the word “recognition” – to recognise someone in the work environment means, ”the act of publicly acknowledging your employees for what they do.” In other words, recognising someone for what they do in their job role and the value they bring in that role. On the other hand, employee appreciation is about who you are and how colleagues, irrelevant of role, naturally recognize each other and make the workplace feel more inclusive and human. This might also be extended into knowing you as being a valuable part of the team. Since the advent of hybrid working, It is not always remembered that humans need other humans, and that being part of a group or team is one of the main reasons why we like to go to work. In other words, the appreciation that we receive from others that feeds into our feelings of belonging.

    The Oxford dictionary defines recognition as “The act of recognising; acknowledging especially” and defines appreciation as “The pleasure that you have when you enjoy the good qualities of somebody or something.”

    In the film Avatar – the greeting that the Na’vi people, living on Pandora on meeting each other was “I see you.” This greeting was not just about literally seeing someone, but really seeing them in a holistic manner – the physical presence, mental and emotional aspects as well as the person inside, the very soul of a person. What a beautiful phrase of appreciation and recognition to truly “see” someone.

    Employee recognition combined with appreciation is one of the most important factors in driving workplace engagement, productivity, performance and employee retention. At its core, employee recognition is another word for feedback, usually associated with feedback focused on an employee’s strengths and what they’re doing well, a technique that encourages more of the same. It is also an expression of appreciation and gratitude.  Living and working in an environment of gratitude when inclusive within the entire organisation makes the operation more fun, meaningful, a place where people want to “belong” and be associated, as well as an environment that is productive and employees enjoy performing at their best.

    In the work environment we mostly link recognition as being positive and connected to what an individual is doing right and has done well, however recognition can also be negative. The power of giving recognition for good performance publicly enhances the positive impact on the individual to do more of the same. Negative recognition, sadly all too often is given inappropriately and perhaps even publicly, lacking a constructive and positive approach, especially when the manager and leader has limited emotional intelligence and fails to understand that negative recognition whether given publicly or not amplifies the negative impact on that person and rather than enhancing performance actually leads to the opposite – a de-motivated, deflated and often highly embarrassed individual who has now lost face amongst his or her colleagues, thus threatening the secure and important ties of “belonging”. An individual having been berated openly and unconstructively is unlikely to be your best performing employee certainly in the short term and likely for much longer, if indeed they stay in your employ.

    What can we learn from Avatar, the film and the Na’vi people of Pandora? How does “I see you” translate into performance, to build excellence, increase productivity as well as employee retention. The latter being one of the biggest challenges organisations face today. Perhaps, truly “seeing” someone, a colleague or team member, you not only recognise them for what they do, but also appreciate and value them for who they are?

  • The New Hybrid – 7 Tips to Make it Work

    Nothing to do with a car! This term “hybrid” is commonly brandished around to refer to combining working hours or days from home or some other remote location, as well as from an office. How this looks now or will look in the near future is quite clear for some companies, for others it is still in discussion. From talking with clients, it seems that the most common reasons for employees not wishing to return to working full time in the office are:

    • For the last 18 months, work has been from home. Therefore, why is it necessary to go back to working at the office?
    • Productivity has stayed the same or even increased when working from home.
    • In those 18 months when there was no choice, I was trusted to do my job.

    However, not all employees want to stay working from home and have some other points that offer a positive side for returning to the office:

    • When working from home, the lack of clarity around working hours and always expected to “be available” due to unclear work boundaries.
    • Lack of social contact with fellow team members and impromptu get-togethers.
    • Difficulty balancing limited space at home with family members and work demands.
    • Diminished team spirit.

    Arguments from employers, even though they understand the obvious benefits of paying less office rent and associated expenses, are similar in many ways, with a few additions:

    • Teamwork suffers when we are not in the same space.
    • Company culture is negatively affected when working remotely.
    • Communication is not as open as it was before.
    • Productivity is suffering when working remotely.
    • Quality offered to clients in terms of phone line, accessibility etc is variable.
    • Lack of ad hoc learning from peers and managers when working from home.

    This last point is supported by a recent survey and resulting report conducted by “Poly Evolution of the Workplace” which polled 2,003 UK hybrid workers and found that

    “Nearly half (46 per cent) said they were worried that working remotely could impact their career development and progression, while 54 per cent said they were concerned they would miss out on ad hoc learning and development opportunities, including learning from peers and seniors, while working from home.”

    The same report also found that “Almost half (48 per cent) said remote working had made them less confident in their ability to communicate effectively, and 45 per cent felt they had “lost the art of small talk” as part of their job, thus supporting the feeling and observation that communication is less open when working remotely.

    What is the Answer?

    Enter the new hybrid. Finding a balance that allows both employee and employer to meet their needs in terms of performance while feeling secure, trusted and appreciated, is the key. What it looks like is going to vary from one person to the next, depending on position and areas of responsibility. Points such as can there be different approaches for different people to meet individual needs, or will this be classed as discrimination if one appears to have more favourable working practices than another? In a five-day week what should the balance of hours be between home and office?

    Clearly hybrid working is not effective for all positions and in some cases not possible, for example a chef, waiter or carer, who are either in their work environment working or off work and therefore out of the “office” environment. Should these people be compensated in some way for travel costs which other team members do not have?

    The New Hybrid - 7 Tips to Make it WorkIf trust is the main issue that organisations are facing when wanting to change employees full time working at home to either a hybrid solution or complete reversal of the current situation to 100% office-based roles, perhaps open communication is the best way to address this question to explore the needs of all concerned and find the solution that works through a win-win approach. Consider some or all of the following tips to formulating an acceptable approach to a hybrid working style for those that wish to remain working from home:

    1) Empathetic Listening

    In such situations, effective listening plays a massive role.Truly hearing what the other party is saying and recognising and responding to the words as well as the underlying emotions demonstrates a willingness to listen and to hear before proposing a ready-prepared solution that might not meet the needs of your employee who has made massive changes to their life to accommodate the change in circumstances due to “force majeure.” This same force majeure on the employer’s side also needs recognising, because without rapid changes in response to the pandemic, may not have survived and still be doing business today.

    2) Explore Options

    Rather than arriving at a meeting with employees with a fait accompli, taking time to explore options that could and would work is far more motivating than presenting a ready-made solution. Giving the other person/s the feeling that you want to work with their needs to find a solution not only motivates, but builds openness and trust in you as well as in the solution moving forward. In order to explore options through negotiation, both parties to keep in mind what you would like to achieve as well as identifying a minimum to which you are prepared to go in terms of compromise.

    3) Make A Proposal

    The proposal does not have to come from the employer only, the employee can also put their proposal on the table for consideration. The outcome needs to suit the business and both parties within the business. Perhaps the employee has thought of something that the employer has not considered that is a fine working solution for both parties.

    4) Agree a Way Forward

    Keep the conversation focused to the goals of agreeing the way forward and achieving a hybrid working structure that meets the needs of both parties, assuming hybrid is what you want. Once all facts and details have been discussed guide the conversation appropriately to achieve an agreement which is then documented in line with HR procedures. If agreeing on a trial approach for a certain time period, document this as well as the date and time for any follow up discussion. Be sure to schedule that follow up and show commitment to having the discussion.

    5) Monitor Performance

    Going forward in the new regime, the direct manager to monitor performance of each employee following a format that has been agreed between parties. Be ready to help with any difficulties and challenges and show a willingness to make it work. Key to making it work is to provide training and development for managers and leaders in how to effectively manage and inspire remote teams.

    6) Help Employees Plan Personal and Working Time

    For team members who are struggling with the feeling or expectation that they should be available all the time need help in understanding how to plan, in order to integrate their personal and working lives. Ngozi Weller, co-founder of Aurora Wellness stressed that “Managers should give guidance to employees on blocking time in diaries for lunch and other personal time, focused time to get work done, their definite start and end times and more.”

    “Employees need to protect themselves from the risk of burnout by planning for their personal wellbeing as a regular part of the work-day,” said Weller. “This could look different for each of us, but the principle of good work hygiene is the same.”

    7) Train Managers to Manage Employee Wellbeing

    Managing a team that is working remotely requires development of communication skills, especially listening. Relying on technology such as Zoom and Teams to host meetings is part of our daily lives in the hybrid model.However, as these platforms are limited from the point of view of picking up on non-verbal signals, there is a necessity to heighten the ability to “see” and to notice when things might be going right for some team members, and to be confident to lead and hold conversations around wellbeing. Gary Cookson, director of Epic HR said that “Managers should be able to pick up on subtle signals around communication, working hours and outputs. Training should also equip them to have appropriate conversations around wellbeing.”

    “Success in a hybrid work environment requires employers to move beyond viewing remote or hybrid environments as a temporary or short-term strategy and to treat it as an opportunity.”

    – George Penn, VP at Gartner

    References

    HOWLETT, E (2021)  Half of workers concerned hybrid working could lead to discrimination, report finds [People management.co.uk]

    POLY (2021) Poly Evolution of the Workplace Report Highlights Need for Work Equity and Total Meeting Equality for Hybrid Workers [Poly.com]

     
    WANT TO MAXIMAISE THE POWER OF HYBRID WORKING? SEE OUR WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE E-LEARNING COURSES!