In biology, there’s something called a feedback loop. If a feedback loop is positive in any given ecosystem, the survival rate of a particular organism increases. If the feedback loop is negative–it cannot.
Similarly, businesses rely on a positive feedback loop from all elements. The most important of which are its employees. Dr. Albert Amini, founder and president of Arizona Premier Surgery says in his video on creating win-wins.
In this article, we’ll explore ways to tap into your current and potential team member’s source of motivation and how to harness and optimize it to create endless win-win scenarios for them and your business.
“It’s important to create a scenario where employees feel like they’re contributing directly to the brand... and its mission”
#1 Restructure The Interview Process
Showing up with a list of questions geared toward a very specific role isn’t going to work for your business anymore.
The problem with cookie-cutter, premeditated, overly structured questions is that it narrows your focus. It can eliminate an intuitive connection to a potential team member and it keeps you from recognizing that someone interviewing for a sales position may be your next leading exec.
People aren’t interested in the boxes that a job title might put them in. Think of interviews as the most expensive blind date you’ve ever been on. You wouldn’t run down a checklist hoping your date ticks all of your boxes.
Before listing everything you’re looking for, potentially skewing what they’ll choose to share, get to know them. What are their long-term professional goals? What are they hoping to learn at your organization? And then when the moment’s right, hit them with what performance coach, Lou Adler coins as The Most Important Interview Question of All Time.
What single project or task would you consider the most significant accomplishment in your career so far?
Let them go on and on with this opportunity to brag. Discover which parts of the scenario made them feel most valuable. Listen for what their passionate about, good at, and curious for.
You’ve now accessed their motivation–the very powerhouse of what will drive your business to success when applied effectively.
#2 Check-ins, Feedback, and Opportunities
Conducting interviews doesn’t end at the hiring process. Individual check-ins are a critical investment of your time. Regularly check in with your team by conducting one-on-ones. It’s not enough to merely observe employee performance.
Encourage them to open up about where they may feel they aren’t getting the support they need, where they’re excelling, and be inquisitive of their goals and if they’ve changed.
Establish a relationship with your team members so they have a safe place to vent, share concerns, and ideas. All of which will help you become a more effective and productive leader.
“Diversity of thought is the most important form of diversity and that [comes from] authenticity."
#3 Create a Work Culture You Believe In
When you’ve assembled a team that is optimizing their talents and are striving for personal and organizational excellence– the work culture is the next part of the loop to be addressed.
Mission statements are a concise way to express collective values, goals, and beliefs–but that’s just a part of what makes a professional ecosystem thrive. Instead of blanket statements and soldier-like uniformity, the modern business model calls for diversification and authenticity amongst employees.
Stephanie McCarty, CCO of Taylor Morrison believes authenticity is a necessity in corporate America.
Bottom Line
Authentic leadership is a critical first step toward a positive work culture. Aspects of an authentic leader include:
- – Transparency
- – Self-awareness
- – Consistent moral perspective
- – Fair-mindedness
Cultivating these leadership qualities begins with self-reflection, a straight-forward approach to yourself and others, as well as a deep conviction toward honesty and trustworthiness.
The ultimate feedback loop for a successful business includes a driving motivational factor and a wide range of opportunities to grow, create, and contribute. Apply these 3 tips when leading your team to develop an authentic work environment that encourages your team to thrive pulling your business upward with them.
