Last month you may remember that we discussed how getting everyone at work on board with your ONE Thing can lead to big success. Now we’re going to expand the conversation to look more closely at “me culture” in the office and the negative impact it can have on the whole company.
The Signs and Effects of a Me Culture in the Office
For workers, the office environment has a huge bearing on happiness and productivity. If there’s an every man for themselves mentality, it can create a stressful environment where employees don’t feel like they are supported. “Me culture” can also create riffs among employees that have a ripple effect throughout the office. A study conducted by University of New Hampshire professor Paul Harvey concluded that me-centric, entitled workers:
- Are more likely to get into workplace conflicts
- Have problems accepting negative feedback
- Are less likely to enjoy their job
- Have unrealistic expectations
- Are more likely to put blame on others if something doesn’t go right
- Are more likely to take credit for something they haven’t done
Even more concerning is that “me” managers are considered to be less effective at leading teams and bringing people together.
4 Tips for Going from Me to We
If you want the most positive, highly productive work environment a “we culture” has to be embraced by everyone from the owner down to contract freelancers. Getting individuals with their own interests to work together towards a common goal can be done with the right communication and encouragement.
Balance the Me/We Paradigm – Managers and supervisors must play a balancing act between creating a “we environment” and still recognizing the part each individual plays. Most people want to be part of a team, but no one wants to feel like they’re part of an assembly line. One way of accomplishing this balance is to praise the team as a group and provide feedback to individuals in one-on-one meetings.
Approach Each Person’s Role in Terms of How it Contributes to the Team – When assigning tasks and defining job roles, address how the work contributes to the end goal that everyone is contributing to individually. Stress how that role impacts the work of others and the success of the company.
Be Clear About the Culture When Hiring – It’s all about setting expectations up front. When hiring for a new position be very vocal about the team environment within the company.
Put Emphasis on the Benefit for Your Customers – When the focus is on the people who are benefiting from the company’s products and services rather than the people who are making them it can help bring the office together. Everyone is working toward improving the lives of customers, not just furthering their career.
Going from me to we is all about understanding that the end result matters most, not who did what and who gets credit. By placing success on what the team as a whole does, workers will be more inclined to think with a team mentality and be supportive of other members.
Get the “we culture” off to a positive start by sharing The ONE Thing concepts with others on your team!
Original Source: http://www.the1thing.com/small-business-advice/turn-a-culture-of-me-into-a-culture-of-we/