Lead from the Front
Show your team what you want them to do – lead by example! I remember a manager of mine years ago asking the team to all stand up for the meeting, to ‘get active, show some energy’. Slight problem: he had a beer belly. The irony was clear to everyone except him.
Don’t ask your people to do something you’re not already doing yourself. ‘Write more professional emials’ doesn’t cut it if you misspelled ’emails’. Some of the best training sessions I’ve delivered have involved the CEO of the company, because – even though it can be uncomfortable to begin with for junior staff members – it shows that the CEO wants to learn the same lessons as their team (plus it creates some strong accountability for implementing what was learnt).
Show them you’re prepared to get your hands dirty*.
Have Fun with It
Let your guard down and show some personality. Just letting your ego and self-perception anxieties go makes the whole process of bringing change to your team much easier and – brace yourself – enjoyable (there, I’ve said it). And as soon as you start puncturing the social tensions by acknowledging the day-to-day issues, you can actually have a laugh about it all. Those are special moments. Share a personal story. Then listen to theirs – it’s not about you.
Just Do Something New
Add some variety – any change is worth it. You could try:
- Bringing in some tasty pastries for everyone.
- Having a meeting chaired by the most junior person.
- Taking everyone out for lunch or to a bar.
- Letting everyone finish early.
The goal is to get everyone to relax and open up.
* (literally, if you’re in agriculture).
Want to learn how to improve your team’s communication skills and speaking confidence?
Book a free discovery call with me: https://calendly.com/jon-torrens/discovery-call. It’ll be short, relaxed and to-the-point. You may even enjoy it.