I'm Important, You're Important, We're All Important
20 Down-to-Earth Ideas for Building Self-Worth in Your Workplace
by Tom Terez
Self-worth and human dignity can't be measured like ROI or turnover, but they sure
as heck can be increased. Here are 20 ways to make it happen in your workplace:
1. Those hallway hellos really do matter. Make them count.
2. Someone somewhere in your organization has the answer to that problem you've been
struggling with. Turn off your computer, and surf the sea of knowledge that surrounds
you.
3. We're obsessed with knowledge, skills, and abilities. Shouldn't we also tap into
our deep interests?
4. Internal competition always produces at least one loser, which is one too many.
Especially when we're the loser.
5. The fancy award dinners and wall plaques aren't essential. This is: thank you.
6. Let's have a month when everyone is named employee of the month.
7. Co-creation may be the most time-intensive, frustrating, exhausting, and surest
way to foster true empowerment and a deep sense of worth.
8. People are moved by compelling missions -- not by run-on mission statements.
9. Plenty of organizations have complaint departments, complaint forms, and complaint-resolution
personnel. Will someone please create a compliment department?
10. Who should have easy access to all customer input? Easy answer: everyone.
11. Employee attitude surveys are an exercise in tree-killing unless they're used
to generate rich dialogue and focused action. Save a tree: Just say no to employee
surveys that are destined for a dusty shelf.
12. Okay, it's a cliché, but it's so true: Respect takes years to nurture, but
it can be destroyed in seconds.
13. Can you cite one example of a performance evaluation that truly informs, inspires,
and energizes?
14. Few people expect high pay. Everyone expects fair pay.
15. For years, we've used terms like boss, subordinate, my people, your people, and
upper-level. Should we be surprised that some employees feel like second-class workplace
citizens?
16. Space matters. If some people are jammed into tiny cubicles while others get
cavernous offices, what kind of message is being sent?
17. Gray matter matters. Intelligence and worth both get a workout when people have
regular opportunities to learn.
18. You know that colleague of yours who drives you crazy? The one you do your best
to ignore? Try to pick out this person's one redeeming quality -- and make the most
of it.
19. If your workplace is a Dilbertesque universe, engage in random acts of positive
change management. Focus on the one positive thing you can do instead of the 100
things you can't do.
20. If you're unwilling to do a thing about it, stop off at the local office-supply
store, buy some resumé paper, and get busy. A better situation awaits -- but
only if you seek it out and seize it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Terez is a speaker, workshop leader, and author of 22 Keys to Creating a Meaningful
Workplace. His Web site, http://BetterWorkplaceNow.com,
is filled with tools for building a great work environment. Write to Tom@BetterWorkplaceNow.com
or call 614-571-9529.
Copyright 2002 by Tom Terez Workplace Solutions Inc.