Your mood and your verbal and nonverbal behavior have a powerful impact on your colleagues. Caroline Webb says in her book How to Have a Good Day that things we actively avoid put us in “defensive” mode. The positive items that we seek out put us in “discovery” mode.
Studies in neuroscience discovered how our defensive reactions are managed by the fast thinking portion of our brain – the one that is responsible for fight or flight responses. The discovery mode is managed by our slower, more thinking brain which is more deliberate. So what are the behaviors that boost team performance, according to the management.about.com website?
1) Adjust your attitude before the workday starts
One leader used to sit in her car in the parking lot for 10-minutes every morning. She was preparing her attitude for the day. That’s exactly it.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Push out the stress of the early morning commute. Focus on the positive impact you are about to have on your team during the day.
2) Remain firmly in the moment throughout the day
Even when you face an irate customer, you can perceive it as an opportunity to turn things around. When you provide feedback to an employee, it is your chance to apply coaching skills. Your day is filled with many small victories.
3) Make people feel empowered
Help people to have control. Don’t be micromanager – managers like this kill any feelings of autonomy. Display your trust in your team members.
4) Group mistakes must be opportunities to learn and bond
How we respond to mistakes impacts group behaviors in the future. Sure, you are not excited when your team makes a mistake. Effective managers help individuals and groups look for the lessons to be learned.
Book: WEBB, Caroline: How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life (Crown Business, 368 pages, year 2016)
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