LEADERSHIP
The Road Not Traveled
“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be,” said former first lady Rosalyn Carter.
Here’s a real-life example. Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of a successful beverage company called hint. (If you haven’t had it, give it a try. It’s delicious.)
When she told her team that she wanted to add sunscreen to their product line, she was met with skepticism. The team would eventually go on to enter a new market, expand their skill-sets and launch a great new product.
Kara has 5 tips for taking your team out of their comfort zone.
- Start small – it takes time to get employees feeling comfortable outside of their comfort zone. Start small and slowly push them to explore new ideas and strategies.
- Have clear goals – set a clear and simple target. Help your team visualize the end results
- Give them a mission – your team needs to feel a sense of purpose. Share what excites you about your company to your employees. They need to see your passion.
- Be supportive – if your pushing your team out of their comfort zone, they’re gonna need support and encouragement. Make sure you’re regularly checking in.
- Accept occasional failure – it’s called stepping out of your comfort zone for a reason…it’s not natural. There will be failures along the way. You need to articulate to your team that failure is not the end of the world.
MANAGEMENT
3 Day Weekends on the Regular
Before the 20th century, the work week was six days long. Fast forward to 2018, studies are being conducted to see if a four-day work week could lead to more productivity and happiness.
An eight-week trial conducted in New Zealand earlier this year found that overall a four-day week increased teamwork and work engagement while decreasing workers’ stress.
Critics of the four-day week claimed that some employees had to break out of the schedule in order to keep up with the workload. It also leads to others having to pick up the slack of their co-workers on the new schedule.
Other studies argue that employees will ultimately procrastinate less because they know they have less time during the week.
So, while opinions are mixed, studies will continue to happen and before you know it, you may see companies promoting four-day work weeks.
CULTURE
Opt Outside
Have you ever given your employees some time (on the clock) to spend the day outdoors? Might seem counterproductive, right?
Forbes recently gathered corporate thought leaders to examine the relationship between sustainability engagement and employee engagement.
What’d they find out?
90% of employees who take part in their company’s sustainability work said it improved job satisfaction and their feelings toward the company. These factors combined lead to a higher retention rate and boosted productivity.
How can you implement something like this?
- Plan a company volunteer day: partner up with a local non-profit in need of volunteers.
- Encourage employees to give back: if your team is remote, consider giving employees a half-day Friday each month to volunteer with a local organization.
- Reward top employees with a volunteer trip: organizations like Have Fun Do Good will plan multi-day volunteer experiences for your team.
Read more tips here.
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