By Gale Mote / Guest Column
I am sure you all know the mantra from Gallup Corporation that employees don’t quit their organizations, they leave their direct managers.
While this is true, my experience in working with teams speaks another truth – employees don’t leave their companies, they leave coworkers who are difficult to work with.
Since there are more coworkers than managers, I believe this is as often overlooked and underestimated factor in what employees want and need in today’s workplaces.
Leaders can take three very important steps to ensure that team members actually have colleagues they enjoy working with and can get things done collaboratively rather than in spite of one another.
1. Clearly define the core values of the organization. How do we behave? Outline in specific terms how employees are expected to treat one another. Be certain these descriptions are stated in behavioral, observable terms. This is the foundation of organizational culture along with purpose – why we exist.
Hire, train, develop, coach and celebrate these values. When necessary, end the employment relationship with those who cannot and will not get it.
The best way to get a group of people who can work well together is to ensure their personal values align with the organizational values. When their beliefs are consistent with the persons working beside them, it is easier to feel a sense of belonging. This is my family – we are all in this together. When you love the people you work with, there are usually no limits to what you will do to make things happen for the good of all.
2. Create an environment that demonstrates a healthy respect for diversity and inclusion. Teams are exceptional when they have high levels of diversity: experience, education, gender, race, cultures, age, personalities, strengths and more. Diverse teams are better able to see and understand a problem from multiple perspectives, generate innovative solutions and build commitment.
However, this requires an inclusive environment where team members feel welcomed, valued and respected. To tap into the richness of the different backgrounds, leaders must create a space where all members are heard, considered and understood. This means establishing norms for engaging in healthy, productive conflict.
It also requires a continuous investment in building trust – connecting team members as people, developing empathy and encouraging vulnerability. Make relationship building a priority and model it yourself. Include “getting to know you” activities as part of team meetings. Schedule time for the team members to interact with one another outside of their normal working environment.
Help team members to look for what is right with what is different. Be grateful for personality styles and work preferences that are different from your own. Celebrate the people who love what you loathe, and learn to adapt and flex your communication and work approach when you are with others whose brains are hardwired differently. For example, allow more time for those team members who need time to process before making a decision. Give them the information they need, in advance, so they may participate more openly.
3. Ensure peer-to-peer accountability. Encourage coworkers to go directly to their peers with issues or concerns. Discourage tattle-tales, gossip and stirring the pot, as all of these behaviors destroy trust. If a team member comes to you complaining about a coworker’s performance or behavior, encourage them to talk to the person directly, approaching them with love, dignity and positive intent.
Teach your team how to engage in healthy accountability conversations. Provide them the skills training they need to build their confidence, ask the right questions, listen attentively with empathy and look for win-win outcomes.
When coworkers share the same values, capitalize on one another’s differences and show tremendous loyalty to one another, they want to keep working together. There is a bond that is unbreakable – even under the most adverse conditions.   •
Gale Mote is a trainer, organizational development catalyst and coach in Cedar Rapids. Contact her at galemote@galemoteassociates.com.Â
