In this issue I will be introducing you to the first of the 10 critical energy sources I mentioned last month.
To quickly review where I left off, I had begun talking about “Batteries Not Included; The Energized Approach for Achieving a Safe, Healthy and Productive Workplace”. This approach is one that I use to help organizations get the most out of their programs and create a work environment that is positive and “energized”. When energy is present and focused in the right direction, anything is possible.
I developed a process that focuses on the 10 energy sources that can make or break your programs and have a dramatic impact on the work environment. They include:
Commitment: Is the company in this for the long haul?
Communication: Is a system set up to communicate the process on an ongoing basis?
Consistency: Are the messages being delivered consistent with the reality of the environment?
Accountability: Who is responsible, what are they responsible for and how will they be held accountable?
Flexibility: Is the process capable of adapting as things change and new information becomes available?
Creativity: Has an effort been made to keep this from looking like the “same old thing”?
Respect: Is the process being implemented in a way that is respectful of the participants?
Inclusion: Are the people who will be impacted by the process invited to help create it?
Recognition: How will the company recognize/acknowledge contributions to the process?
Fun: Was an effort made towards making the process enjoyable for the participants?
I encourage companies to audit their energy levels just like they would audit any other aspect of their organization. On a scale of 0 to 5 (with 0 being the absence of energy or negative energy and 5 being a strong presence of positive energy), where does the company stand in each of the 10 critical energy sources. Once one or more of the energy sources have been identified as absent or in need of improvement, the company can begin strategizing ways to re-energize the company to insure greater success.
Let’s start with the first energy source, Commitment. There is no way that a company can be successful in the absence of commitment … it is often utilized more in terms of the business aspects rather than to safety. For commitment to be effective, it needs to look the same across all aspects of the business.
I ask companies to think about safety as a product that is being sold to the employees rather than just a necessary evil that needs to be done to remain compliant or to keep comp costs down. Think of it this way…..imagine that you were conducting an employee safety training class and not only was participation by the employees completely voluntary, but your salary was dependent upon 100% participation. The question is, would you do anything differently if this was the case? The answer is “absolutely”. In this scenario you have to consider that you are trying to sell something to a customer that may or may not be interested. In this instance your success will be based not only on the product itself, but also how you package, market and deliver it. What you are telling the employees is that the safety department wants their business and is willing to work hard to get it. Employees deserve nothing less and the energy this approach generates dramatically improves the companies ROI related to training.
When auditing your company’s commitment to a program or initiative, keep the following in mind:
1) Employees can tell what is important to a company….they see the line shut down when there is a quality problem or the plant cleaned up when a big customer comes in for a visit. These are demonstrations of commitment.
2) You are not implementing programs so that the employees will thank you, you are implementing programs because it is the right thing to do. Don’t be expecting “thank-you’s” if you haven’t demonstrated a great deal of commitment. Thanks will come when the employees truly believe you are committed.
3) Duration demonstrates commitment better than intensity…go for length of time and not for a big celebration kick-off that fizzles quickly.
4) Commitment is rarely about getting it right the first time…it is about staying the course, tweaking and fixing things until they are right. Successful companies already do this for external customers. The trick is using this same approach with the customers of your programs….your employees.
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