A new paradigm: it starts by listening deeply.

• Author: Dee, Kevin M.
• Position: HR Matters

Traditionally the New Year is a time of reflection and opportunity--a time to make personal resolutions to better ourselves as human beings, partners, and coworkers. However, some people just want to change their partners and co-workers instead of themselves and will put great effort into the attempt with little or no effect. In the spirit of looking forward and creating positive change in the world, let's talk about how we can bring about change where everyone wins, where we unlock the amazing potential of every employee to rise to their best game and deliver the results in our companies that truly mean success. If this sounds too good to be true, it's not. In fact, there is compelling evidence that if you are not creating a paradigm shift to a more engaged workplace, you are behind the power curve.

Evolve or Die

General Electric (GE), under Jack Welch, was famous for rating managers ruthlessly. If you ranked low, you were summarily fired. This "Rank and Yank" system was brutal and annual reviews were dreaded. In 2015 GE abandoned the annual review process entirely. They and many other major corporations realized that performance management is a moving target, not just an annual set of goals. Most organizations have gone to an ongoing coaching model where frequent continuing support is offered to all employees in order to allow everyone to work up to their potential. GE even has an app for it.

Our workplaces must evolve or die; it's really a simple choice. If your workplace is not stepping up to embrace a healthy engaged workforce, then the painful reality is that it is dying through talent loss and unhappy mediocrity or becoming the place where innovation, results, and competition go to die. There is only one positive choice for companies in today's world: It's either get on the bus and become a workplace that empowers everyone or get left behind. So how can you make informed choices on creating a great workplace?

Questions and Conversations

It starts by listening deeply--listening to every employee's point of view, issues, concerns, and successes. Groups of related workers and cross departmental workers need time to talk to each other in order to find solutions and innovate. Do you have standing quality improvement groups in your workplace? Are they tasked to look for ways to make a process, service, or product better? Are the recommendations that come from these teams listened to? Implemented? Do your teams understand the need to view...