Candy hearts are a popular Valentine’s Day treat. They have all sorts of romantic messages written on them, like “BE MINE” or “I LUV YOU.” But they also have more team-oriented messages…think “GO TEAM” and “PUSH THRU.”
Sadly, some teams aren’t familiar with candy heart connections. They aren’t driven by love or understanding. Workplace environments like these devolve into political maneuvering and silo defending. People judge one another. Guilt reigns.
But it doesn’t have to.
Let’s take a look at what wisdom candy heart messages can offer when it comes to fostering a positive environment with your bank or credit union leadership training.
“BE YOU”
You don’t enjoy every type of work. Neither does your coworker. And neither of you are good at every type of work. And you know what…that’s totally fine!
The truth is: people are not “jacks of all trades.” They are masters of a few key areas that give them energy and life. Patrick Lencioni’s Working Genius model speaks to this truth. Every worker has two areas of genius and two areas of frustration. Your genius areas give you joy, while your frustration areas drain you.
When you learn that each team member has ingrained reasons for how they work, it increases understanding. No one must work like another employee. People can stop judging one another, and you can stop feeling guilty about disliking certain tasks. Start with a Working Genius Productivity Assessment to launch this important journey in your bank or credit union leadership training.
“LOVE LETTER”
Clarity wins. Confusion loses. And a confusing environment spurs negativity. It’s as simple as that.
Imagine reading a poorly written love letter. It’s trying to get a heartfelt message across, but the meaning is lost in all the monkey-wrenched sentences and unusual turns of phrase. Your meaning is getting lost in your communication too.
Every piece of communication is important. Double check your communication and ensure nothing is vague. Semantics can be a dangerous thing if your words leave open too many possible meanings. And if everyone takes their own message from your communication…good luck getting the team traveling in one direction.
Also, overcommunicate. It sounds annoying (and maybe it is), but you’d rather have slightly annoyed people who know what’s happening than blindsided people who get disgruntled afterwards.
“DREAM BIG”
A culture without dreams is a dead culture. And as a leader, your job is to dreamcast – to throw your vision outward for the whole staff to see. Every bank and credit union leadership training program should emphasize how every leader is the Chief Vision Officer (CVO).
And you can’t be “too busy” for your CVO role. It’s too important.
That’s because dreaming small has effects anyone can spot from a mile away. Team members lack energy and passion. People collect a paycheck instead of investing in their work. A lack of purpose eventually leads to boredom, fatigue, frustration and turnover.
So, dream big. Clearly and consistently broadcast a worthy vision. Tie it to the types of work each person loves doing.
And don’t just go through the motions. It’s time to fall in love with leadership again! Book a free consultation with On The Mark Strategies for bank or credit union leadership training that helps you restore harmony at your institution.
