We are not superheroes, so all of us have experienced seasonal and other cycles of energy, just like our employees do. The danger is that we ignore our employees’ and our own lack of energy for too long. Don’t let your financial performance be the thing that wakes you up!
I think the finest example of company-wide dedication to energy, happiness and motivation is Disney.
I do not think I have ever heard of visitors complaining about lack-luster Disney employees. They “bring it” every day.
What is it that makes every employee at Disney parks pleasant all the time? What makes them perform their duties with a smile, even if they endlessly have to pick up after spoilt children and thoughtless parents? Their demeanor does not display grudges or judgment of others for their poor standards.
Their performance epitomizes the passion they feel for the vision of Disney.
The Disney creed is to live the passion of their founder’s vision every day.
Do your employees know what your vision is for your company’s contribution to the world? Do you know what drives each one of your employees to come to work for your company? If sluggishness has crept into your team, now is the time to find out.
Here is a start:
- Ask questions about each employee’s understanding of the purpose of your company
- Ask questions to reveal their pride and dedication in supporting this mission
- Ask questions that have people recognizing their current energy levels and will move to them to visualize how they see their performance in the future. This can start boosting interest and enthusiasm.
- Ask about their satisfaction with the current state of the business and what they would do to improve it.
- Ask each team member what he or she can commit to doing to make a difference. This helps individuals see that they can make a difference.
- Enlist their help and commitment is the last step in the sequence.
- Repeat often to build momentum.
Do not forget to end your meetings with sharing your own optimism and hopefulness. Your honesty about your own energy fluctuations and what you will be doing about it will start the process of honest feedback and flow of new ideas.
If your energy is low and you need a boost, this free report on Six Things for CEO’s Do To Work Less and Have More Fun might help you start doing something tangible about it.