How many times did your teacher say that to you at school? Or perhaps it was a university professor’s favourite line? And I’m sure we’ve all read “Must be able to demonstrate initiative” in pretty much every job advertisement since then.
Of course, we all know that thinking for ourselves and being proactive is important. But “showing initiative” can mean so much more…
https://www.mindtools.com/blog/2016/02/26/break-the-rules-sometimes/
It’s a manager’s dream to work with a happy, engaged and motivated team. But happiness is so subjective, and people’s motivations are so varied, that building a happy team is more down to luck than design, right?
And even if you do your best to create a positive environment, you can’t control outside issues that people may bring into the workplace that impact their morale and productivity.
There is a wealth of advice available on how to build a happy team, and we have numerous resources devoted to the issue, which you can explore here. But we were sure that you had your own proven strategies, too. So, we asked our friends and readers on social media, “What are your top tips for building a happy, engaged team?”
Here is a selection of the many responses we received:
https://www.mindtools.com/blog/2016/03/15/secret-of-a-happy-team/
You probably know the feeling all too well: You arrive at the office with a clear plan for the day and then, in what feels like just a moment, you find yourself on your way back home. Nine or 10 hours have passed but you’ve accomplished only a few of your priorities. And, most likely, you can’t even remember exactly what you did all day. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Research shows that people spend almost 47% of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they’re doing. In other words, many of us operate on autopilot.
Add to this that we have entered what many people are calling the “attention economy.” In the attention economy, the ability to maintain focus and concentration is every bit as important as technical or management skills. And because leaders need to absorb and synthesize a growing flood of information in order to make good decisions, they’re hit particularly hard by this emerging trend.
The good news is you can train your brain to focus better by incorporating mindfulness exercises throughout your day. Based on our experience with thousands of leaders in over 250 organizations, here are some guidelines for becoming a more focused and mindful leader.
No one likes a toxic coworker. Even the most difficult people themselves would probably be the first to agree.
Which raises a question: If you were “toxic,” would you even know it? Is it possible that you are the one wreaking havoc on your team, making everyone else less productive and more miserable?
Of course not, you say. Because that’s what we all say…
The first step is to understand that productivity means optimizing your entire life, not just work. A well-designed personal life supports your efforts at work, and being strategic about when and how you work is what lets you have a rich personal life. So figure out ways for them to complement each other. Wharton professor Stew Friedman has developed the concept of the four-way win, a framework that asks us to consider how one activity can, ideally, influence us positively in multiple areas: our personal life, professional life, community or civic relationships, and health (mental, physical, and spiritual). Read more.
Sometimes you have too much on your plate or you’re just not interested in taking on a project you’ve been asked to work on. You might not have a choice in the matter, but if you do, how do you turn down the opportunity in a way that won’t label you as “not a team player”? First, assess the request. Determine how interesting a new project is, and whether it’s actually feasible for you to help. Think about whether priorities can be shuffled, or whether a colleague could step in to assist you on other projects. If you realize you have neither the desire nor the bandwidth to help, be honest and upfront about your reasons. Say something like, “I wouldn’t be able to do a good a job on your project and my other work would suffer.” Ask whether there are small ways you can be helpful, but don’t leave your counterpart with false hope that your no could eventually turn into a yes. Finally, practice saying no out loud — eventually it will become easier.
Adapted from “How to Say No to Taking on More Work,” by Rebecca Knight
It’s important for managers to be a resource to those they lead. But it’s easy for teams to take advantage of this. Over time, they can develop “manager dependency.”
So how can you train team members to take more responsibility for their own tasks, instead of running to you for “hand-holding” through every step? In this article, we’ll examine how to decrease manager dependency, and how to get the members of your team to “stand on their own two feet.”
Encouraging initiative in your team might seem difficult, but making some changes to your workplace culture can have positive effects that extend far beyond individuals. When people think and act for themselves, it can help teams and organizations to rediscover their spark.
In this article, we’ll explore the importance of fostering initiative in your team, and we’ll look at how you can achieve it.