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Monday, December 12, 2022

Lean Tips Edition #197 (#3166 - #3180)

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook.


Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:

Lean Tip #3166 – Notice the Small Things

At the end of the workday, make a list of three things that went right. Even if it was a challenging day, anyone can find three positives, such as finishing an important email, booking a meeting or committing to taking a lunch break. Put this in a prominent place at your desk where you’ll see it when you arrive the next day. Be thankful for small wins and use the moment to start the day with momentum.

Lean Tip #3167 – Compliment a Colleague

It’s easy to get wrapped up in our routine and challenges we face. But even when you’re busy – and especially when you’re busy – pausing to notice the accomplishments of a colleague and thank them will lighten your load. When you pay attention to catch your co-workers doing something right, you’re less likely to negatively stew over your problems. The positivity will be reflected back on your mood and productivity.

Lean Tip #3168 – Be Grateful for the Person, Not Just Their Output

Cultivating a positive and engaging environment begins with expressing gratitude beyond what people do at your company.

In short, workers should be appreciated for more than accomplishing their day-to-day responsibilities. Instead, focus on expressing gratitude for their unique insights, skills, contributions, and also for their personality.

Expressing gratitude for someone’s “soft” skills like their contagious positive attitude and sense of humor, or keen ability to think critically, is a great way to ensure gratitude is sincere and genuine.

Lean Tip #3169 – Spread Positivity

One thing that is unique and powerful about gratitude is that it’s CONTAGIOUS. Establishing it as a culture is how leaders can bring positivity to the workplace and foster a culture of gratitude. Gratitude shouldn’t have a time limit; it should be treated as a mindset. It’s critical to incorporate this mindset into your daily conversations if you want to inspire others to do the same.

Lean Tip #3170 – Make Time for your Team

Don’t underestimate the value of giving coworkers your undivided attention. Work environments can be fast-paced and stressful. By spending quality time with a coworker and giving them your undivided attention, you demonstrate their importance to you and your team. It also creates the opportunity to show your appreciation for their recent contributions. Quality time has become even more valuable in a virtual work environment, and making a point to designate time with your team will make them feel appreciated.

Lean Tip #3171 – Start Meetings with Gratitude

Instead of starting a meeting with introductions or project updates, ask people to share something they are grateful for. This not only helps people get to know each other, they will also become more present and less stressed. It’s almost impossible to stay flustered or worried when you authentically express gratitude for something. It actually shifts our biology, lowering blood pressure and releasing dopamine and oxytocin.

Lean Tip #3172 – Engage in Acts of Appreciation

We live in a culture where it’s common to point out problems but rare to highlight the positive. When was the last time you expressed gratitude to your colleagues for a job well done or the gifts and talents they bring to the team? How often do you comment on the positive qualities of your family members or neighbors without adding a “but” or request at the end?

All of us hunger to be seen and heard, so take time to tell someone what you value about him or her. If we express our gratitude to another person, she or he gets a positive boost.

Lean Tip #3173 – Be There to Help When They Need It

I believe that being there to help someone when they need you is a good way to show gratitude. You should obviously thank them at the moment, but don’t forget about them later if they need your help with something. This gesture shows them that you are appreciative and dependable, which means you both will grow mutual trust.

Lean Tio #3174 – Be There to Help When They Need It

I believe that being there to help someone when they need you is a good way to show gratitude. You should obviously thank them at the moment, but don’t forget about them later if they need your help with something. This gesture shows them that you are appreciative and dependable, which means you both will grow mutual trust.

Lean Tip #3175 – Spark Innovation

The best ideas are cultivated in an open, collaborative and meaningful exchange. Create a workplace environment that makes sharing new ideas not only accepted, but also encouraged and supported. Showing employees that their opinions and ideas are valued instills courage and confidence that opens doors to creative thinking, expressing new ideas and exploring curiosities.

Lean Tip #3176 – Embrace and Inspire Employee Autonomy

No one likes to be micromanaged at work. It's ineffective, inefficient, and does little to inspire trust in your company culture.

You hired them, so you should trust your employees to manage their responsibilities effectively!

Embracing your team's autonomy allows them to make the sometimes difficult, but incredibly rewarding, leap from being held accountable to their responsibilities to embracing accountability as they begin to take on and own their initiatives.

Lean Tip #3177 – Promote a Team Atmosphere

Don’t think of the other employees at your company as simply groups of other people you work with, but as integral members of your team.

This shift in mentality from people (or siloed groups of people) working toward individual goals to a unified team, all pulling in one direction, can make an enormous difference in the results of your work.

Lean Tip #3178 – Stay True to Your Core Values

Core values are much more than a list of bullet points on a company's About Us page. Core values are a company’s North Star. They’re informed by an organization’s mission and goals and are the principals at the heart of an organization.

Your values determine what is important and meaningful to you. They align with your purpose, and speak loudly and passionately to others—and to yourself—about who you are and what you're called to do in this world.

If you want your organizational culture to stick, you need to develop genuine core values and stay true to them.

Lean Tip #3179 – Make Transparency A Priority

Employee satisfaction is greatly affected by the ability to trust senior management. Build trust with employees and cultivate a reputation as a trustworthy employer by increasing transparency across the company. Prioritize top-down communication by keeping employees informed about the business through company-wide emails and timely updates during town hall meetings.

Establish an open-door policy by making members of the C-suite more accessible through office hours and small group discussions. In a hybrid or remote workplace, you can over-communicate your thought process with employees, set up daily check-ins and offer open virtual meeting hours.

Lean Tip #3180 – Encourage Each of Your Employees to be Their Authentic Selves.

Everyone has their own unique personality, hobbies, sense of style and passion. No one wants to be a robot or a number. Obviously, there should be some guardrails, but the more you allow your employees to freely express themselves, the happier and more productive they will be.


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