Week of January 27-Leadership Thought of the Week

Here's a great quote on perspective and opportunity for the week ahead. From Winston Churchill, "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity ; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

We continue our reflections on 10 Ways to Build a Positive Working Environment....

6. Give Credit and Take Responsibility 

Always give credit for success to your staff, and take responsibility when things don't go well. As the boss it's your job to make sure your staff is well trained, capable and competent. If for some reason they fail to perform their job in the expected manner, it's your responsibility to insure that they receive further direction and training so they will perform up to standards.

This can be a tough one sometimes.  To swallow one's pride and take the blame when it really wasn't your fault can be challenging but it is also the mark of a mature leader. So doing takes the emphasis away from spending time on the often futile practice of trying to figure out who caused it to go wrong and shift attention toward next steps. 

Reflect on ways to give credit to your team....

Week of January 21-Leadership Thought of the Week

In remembrance of one of America's greatest examples of how to be a peaceful leader while persisting in the face of unimaginable challenges, I share with you a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  This quote seems fitting for this week's discussion point as well.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness.  Only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."


Check out more great quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther_king_jr.html


We continue our study of Ten Ways to Create a Positive Work Environment....

5. Give Recognition and Appreciation 

Whenever you can, 'catch people being good' and make sure they and others know about it. Give recognition and appreciation to everyone at every opportunity. For example: "Susan, I appreciate your organizational skills and the way you organized your team today to deliver quality care." "James, thank you for staying overtime yesterday. I really appreciate your positive, can-do attitude."

When verbalizing appreciation try to make it as personal as possible. Rather than just saying something vague like "good job", be specific about the personal quality or skill your team member brought to the task. Recognizing excellent job performance and attitude, and showing appreciation for these things will go a long way towards making your staff members feel that they are a valued and respected part of the team.

What are some ways that you have given recognition/appreciation to your team members in the past?  How did your team members respond?  Finally, research for one new way to give recognition/appreciation that you haven't done before and share about it in the comments section.

Have a happy week!