The Glue That Keeps High-Performance Teams Together
Culture is not the ping-pong table.Culture is not the Keurig.Culture is not the ability to hang out with the people on your team after work.
Somehow, this is what many people think.
Culture is “Do you believe what I believe?”Culture is the alignment of core values.Culture is how we treat each other when it gets hard.
This is the glue that makes great teams excel.
No team can withstand the barometric pressure at the altitude of high-performance without having the trust and support of good culture.People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad managers.
2 Minute Action
Who is someone you haven’t connected with deeply in a while?Who is someone that maybe is on the outskirts of your team and is waiting to be included?Take 2 minutes to say “hi,” today. Ask them about something they are interested in. Make sure you don’t walk away without them knowing you care about them.That’s culture.Recognizing others and making people around you know that you value them.
You Think You're Output Is High, But This Will Change Your Mind
I was talking to an old friend recently, who was explaining all of the things they did inside his organization.I run this . . .I manage that . . .I monitor these . . .He went on and on about all of his responsibilities. This list was impressive.After he had talked for a while, he noticed that I hadn't said anything back.He asked: "So, I should be getting paid more, right?"Ugh. Tough question to ask a friend who genuinely wants to help.Instead of rolling over and responding with an easy "of course," I redirected his attention."It's obvious that you've got a lot going on, but do you know how much value your work has to the business?"I said.He replied, "what do you mean?"I recast it, "I mean do you know how many clients, happy customers, or how much money your work outputs for the business? I don't know what your metrics are, but do you know how you're being graded?"Silence.
Moral of the story:
Before you go off on a rant or claiming that you're busy all the time and can't get a break and work without recognition, give yourself a quick reality check.What are your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)?What are your sales goals?What are the axes on which your boss will grade your performance in your annual review?If you can't point to clear data, don't expect to move the needle on your projects or get a pay raise.
2 Minute Action:
If you work for an organization in which you want to rise, ask your supervisor how you're being graded and (in VERY specific terms) what you need to do to get to the next level.If you're working on your own projects and want to increase your output, you need to define what metrics are important at the stage you're in.Take 2 minutes to get the first draft down.
Feel Guilty: It Helps . . .
I crashed today.I have been overworking, for sure.Long days and few days off.I'm used to 60-80 hour weeks, but it can grind you when it's physical work or after too many weeks in a row.I took today off and I'm taking off tomorrow, too.The trick isn't just identifying burnout when it's happening, it's also giving yourself permission to take the time off.
Wanna make sure you kill your motivation?
Feel guilty.The trouble is that people like you, who care, are going to feel it no matter what.The trick isn't NOT feeling guilty, that's just going to create problems down the road.The trick is to feel guilty and THEN notice and regulate.
2 Minute Action:
Take 2 minutes and meditate today.Take 2 minutes and block off a day on your calendar that's just for you.You're the only one who knows your limits and what you need to perform at your best.