What Business Owners Need to Know to Achieve Extraordinary Business Success
Copyright (c) 2007 Stan the Mann
If you are a business owner with employees, you need to promote the most effective workplace interaction. Unless you do, you will have needless struggles within your organization. Your bottom line will suffer.
Last issue discussed how achieving extraordinary business results involves understanding the key distinctions between three types of workplace interaction, competition, operation, and collaboration.
The Benefits of Collaboration. If you have highly collaborative interactions in your workplace, you will enjoy the following benefits:
Your people have more positive productive relationships and make more effective decisions. Successful outcomes are more likely because accountability is shared. Work satisfaction increases because people feel more involved and included. Workers are willing to give more because they trust their colleagues. Better communication results from information being shared more freely. Workers remain motivated and progress continues in the leader's absence. The whole environment is more energized.
Guiding Principles. Embrace these guiding principles to create a collaborative mindset in your organization:
• Open and honest relationships, where everyone can be a winner.
• Everyone is a valued contributor.
• Everyone owns the results generated in the business.
• Everyone is encouraged to contribute their viewpoint -- numerous perspectives are better than one.
• Constructive conflict is embraced as an opportunity to expand the possibilities.
• The group can produce outcomes superior to individual efforts.
• Difference of opinion is welcomed. It increases creativity. • A safe atmosphere that encourages trust where people will contribute fully.
How Collaborative Is Your Workplace? One of the ways to tell whether your workplace is collaborative is by listening to the language your people use and the stories they tell.
Quiz. Identify whether each of these phrases are examples of competition, cooperation, or collaboration (answers are at the end of this article)
1) "My opinion has to be heard."
2) "Let's hear everybody's ideas on this and use the best ones."
3) "You owe me one."
4) "I'll support you on this if you do this for me."
5) "It's not what I can do, is what we can do."
6) "Remember to CYA (cover your a...)."
UnCollaborative Workplace Characteristics: • People work in closed, separated spaces.
• People tell stories about their personal accomplishments.
• Rewards are given for individual contributions, made from the top.
• Mistakes are handled by blaming and punishment.
• People handle problems in a reactive manner.
• People try to hide mistakes.
• Conflicts are either avoided or handled aggressively.
• There is a subtle "caste system" where certain groups are undervalued.
• Business goals are short-term.
• There are no clear guidelines for workplace interactions.
• Getting things done quickly is highly important.
• Being right is very important.
Collaborative Workplace Characteristics:
• People work in open spaces that invite informal interaction.
• People tell stories about group accomplishments.
• Rewards are given for group achievements.
• Decisions are made on the basis of group or shared leadership.
• Mistakes are handled as a learning opportunity.
• People handle problems thoughtfully.
• Mistakes are evaluated and may be celebrated for the daring and courage involved.
• Conflicts are handled in an open, respectful way.
• Everyone is included and valued.
• Business goals are long term.
• There are clear guidelines for workplace interactions.
• Getting things done well is highly important.
• Workplace relationships are very important.
Use these suggestions and guidelines to make your workplace environment more collaborative and you will enjoy a less stressful and more productive workplace.
Best wishes, ~Stan
Answers to the quiz given above: Competitive remarks are numbers 1, 6. Cooperative remarks are numbers 3, 4. Collaborative remarks are numbers 2, 5.
About the Author
Stan Mann, C.P.C. supports business owners, top executives and commission salespeople to substantially grow their business and have a balanced life. He is a Certified Professional Coach. For additional articles and resources please visit http://www.stanmann.com
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