How to build joy and PRODUCTIVITY FAST. Insider secrets, as easy as child s play. 5 STEPS for great leaders who care to be greater.

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Agnes Morgan
5 years ago
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1 How to build joy and PRODUCTIVITY FAST Insider secrets, as easy as child s play. 5 STEPS for great leaders who care to be greater. 1

2 I ve got a quick question for you... Do you need to increase productivity at work right now? And does any of the following sound familiar? I m a motivated leader who works hard to inspire my people. But our productivity still needs a lot of work. My people attend the best training and professional development but after a while, things go back to the same as before. I ve got no idea where to start to create or renew our culture. We have so many different areas and we re rarely on the same page. I know my people can deliver more and be more productive. 2

3 If you said Yes, to any of the above, block out 15 minutes and read this entire free ebook. Because it s not your fault. Here s the truth: Much of the common sense wisdom that experts share about how to lead or create productive cultures is at best, flawed and, at worst, flat out wrong. As an example, has anyone ever told you that 3

4 The secret to leading people is about defining your style of Leadership. Or learning how to motivate others. Or mastering persuasion tactics. Or being a powerful story-teller. Or focussing on why. Or doing 360s and Employee Engagement Surveys. And of course: Watching TED Talks to get inspired! Enough already! That advice couldn t be MORE WRONG. It s advice from the past and that s where it belongs. You can read more about this in some of my articles that all focus on one thing: The real secret is getting your people to lead themselves through culture. You see, many of these experts who are well-meaning, don t know your job environment or your people and fall into one of two categories. 4

5 They are either: A) Experts who built their leadership wares before the world changed (now) and leadership was buried (now). You can spot them a mile away because they use words like engagement and leadership all the time. B) Experts who are trying to fake it til they make it by sharing tips and tricks that they think are right, but they re not quite sure because they haven t tested them on your people. And it s costing your business money... time... and SUCCESS. And that s why the advice from the past belongs there in the past. Most leaders don t know what they need to do with people TODAY who want to hear leaders speak a simple language to drive joy and productivity. But that s why you re here. 5

You know there s a better way to lead and increase productivity. You can lead more effectively and your people can deliver more too. They just need a way to do it.

6 You know there s a better way to lead and increase productivity. You can lead more effectively and your people can deliver more too. They just need a way to do it. And that way is The Culture Way for successful leaders just like you. Together with your people, you focus on increasing productivity and joy by leading through culture. I m Anita McSweeney and I m going to show you exactly how to do it. 6

7 First, let me make 3 things crystal clear. (Yes, Print This Out). The level of productivity and joy your people experience right now is directly related to: 1. Your ability to lead your people to lead themselves through what I call good talk and good acts. 2. Your ability as a leader to help your people become problem solvers, instead of problem creators. 3. Your ability as a leader to help your people make work a great place to be, where everyone belongs. Now I want you to notice that nowhere did I say you needed to be a transformational leader or do a personality test. That is in the past. Leave it where it belongs. 7

8 It s all about: Just 5 Simple Steps to Lead Productivity through Culture (Forever!) And in this e-book, I ll show you how to engineer ALL of it and it s ever-green, so it can be used forever, and you make it YOUR OWN TO SUIT YOUR WORKPLACE. I ve got a quick story for you... Back when I consulted to a Fortune 100 company, over a 4-year period there were 2186 leaders that I trained and coached (yes I counted every one!) and just over people I designed pre-mobilisation training for. Every leader did 2 days with me or part of my team before they joined a project that generated billions for the oil and gas industry. Our material was all about their role leading people, Environment, Safety and every other facet of the project. 8

9 In addition to this job-related coaching, every leader was expected to complete a Safety Culture Program with the intent to build relationships and keep everyone safe. Let me tell you a bit more about it. It was led by a team of psychologists and it was utter crap according to leaders from all over the world who had come to take part on this mega project. From Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, England, New Zealand, Norway, France, Australia. In fact, one leader told me it was: As enjoyable as eating a mouth-full of uncooked rice. I ll never forget that after working in Singapore for years and eating lots of rice! 9

10 As a consultant, I was also asked to help deliver this same program and as an initial sceptic, quickly realised it was a big, waste of time and money. And this was a huge, successful, global company. And it didn t work. It didn t increase productivity at all. They believed Safety was the way to lead culture and they couldn t be more wrong. And why? People (including leaders) were FORCED to play a role in something that was IMPOSED on them. AND: No one I have ever worked with in Mining, Oil and Gas, Construction, Dredging, Utilities, Retail or Travel have EVER led a conversation naturally with Safety. 10

11 And maybe it s because I ve worked mainly with men, but NO. It s because we don t do it naturally unless we work in Safety. And following the training, leaders never talked naturally about the program because they had nothing to do with its creation and had zero ownership. The program was corporate, foreign and unsuitable. And therein lies the issue with productivity and joy at work. If you want to increase productivity, you must let your people play a part in creating the answer with you. The latest research calls it the IKEA-effect and Duke University has proven that even if you partially build/create something (even from IKEA), you are much more likely to perceive a higher value, worth and use. 11

12 This is exactly what you want to lead with. A culture of productivity that your people build and create with you. Something they value, use and find worthwhile. So here is your first tip to increasing productivity: TIP 1: If they build it, they will come. You want your people to come to the party of productivity at work and with a culture of productivity comes joy and so the cycle continues. In the regular work world, with regular leaders, they go on a course, attend conferences to inspire them, have a coach or even complete university degrees in leadership. All of this is ok, but it s not enough. 12

13 And unless everyone in your business attends the same courses, conference or have the same coach and can speak the same language of leading and culture, it s a waste of time. It s a waste of time and money What s happened along the way, is that we ve developed a habit. A habit of looking to others for inspiration. And with that habit comes a loss of confidence in our ability to lead. So here s the next tip: TIP No. 2: Your people will problem solve, create and innovate daily if you show them a way. 13

14 It s so easy (and human nature) to get caught up in routine ways of thinking and behaving at work. A lot of it can be negative. And if it s unproductive, it s a leader s role to break this cycle for the sake of productivity. Sound hard? It s not. It s just different from the way you have been conditioned to lead in the past. Consultants have made it too complex, without a simple framework for too long. And that s where consultants and leadership gurus make their money. You think you need them to help you. A lot. But you don t. 14

15 It s high time you were able to increase productivity and joy at the same time yourself, with your people. I agree that consultants are great value for short-term advice, because I ve done it for most of my career. But consultants are only of value if they can leave LASTING RESULTS to INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND JOY AT WORK. FOR EVERYONE. 15

16 So the most important way to get this happening is by everyone speaking a common language of a productivity culture at work. So when you ask anyone from the cleaner to the CEO, they all say the same thing about what your culture of productivity means. That s where it all starts. And the more people say it, and the better it feels, the more they believe it. Let me show you how simple it can be: One company used UP: Unity and Productivity and they even said What s Up? when they started a conversation at work. And it all tied in well because: The only way is UP when it comes to productivity. 16

17 But what if people don t have a positive song to sing so to speak? What if they are used to bitching, whinging, complaining and bagging their boss at work? Well that s hurting your productivity. Remember, 70% of people don t enjoy their work. A lot of it becomes a habit. And it can be turned around. But it starts at the top. With you. You need to put that new track on to play and press start. Then your people know that productivity and joy is the focus. And the more people who can sing the song the better. It s what brings you together. And here s your third and easiest tip to remember: TIP 3: Master your message around productivity and joy fast. Ask your people what they want to hear, in their language, and turn this into a simple message about a culture of productivity at work. 17

18 So a QUICK SUMMARY of ACTIONS to take NOW TIP 1: If they build it, they will come. You want your people to come to the party of productivity at work and with productivity comes joy and so the cycle continues. TIP No. 2: Your people will problem-solve, create and innovate daily if you show them a way. You can talk all you like, but unless you provide a tool or a framework, to increase productivity and joy, it won t happen. People are busy (or their minds are)! TIP 3: Master your message around productivity and joy fast. What you say means everything when it comes to what your people focus on, think about, and act upon. Is it simple and in their language, or is it a long set of values or messages no one can remember? 18

19 As a successful and relevant leader today, you must start to SHAPE what your people hear, think, and focus on at work. Because there are SO MANY DISTRACTIONS! 5,000 That s how many advertising images and messages researchers estimate the average person is exposed to in a single 24-hour period. Crazy huh?! Our metropolitan areas have become a psychedelic patchwork of ads for everything from car insurance to chocolate biscuits. And by the time they get to work, their heads are full, not to mention their hectic social and family lives! So you need to help them. Help them come to work to focus on good talk and good acts. 19

20 And what does this have to do with a Culture of Joy and Productivity? Everything! Back when I started work on culture as the answer to productivity, I came across leaders who were sceptics of anything to do with people or behaviours. And why? They had never been asked to focus on culture to drive productivity. 20

21 And that s when I had the light-bulb moment: THERE WAS A HUGE GAP IN THE WORLD! THERE WERE MILLIONS OF ARTICLES AND VIDEOS AND SPEAKERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURE AND PRODUCTIVITY. BUT! THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NOTHING SIMPLE TO HELP LEADERS MAKE IT HAPPEN, WITH THEIR PEOPLE! Why hadn t someone made it easier? 21

22 And then I worked that out too. This important work for leaders had always been given to HR or Safety or Training exactly where it didn t belong. If they d given it to Engineering, it would have been simplified and made into a system a lot earlier! But it took me years and years of working with difficult, head-strong Engineers to work it out: A culture of productivity belongs with you. It belongs with successful leaders. 22

23 So I set about to make it simple, and easy to talk about and to do. And that s why I called it: The Culture Way. It s not my way or your way. It s The Culture Way. It should be a way that you lead your people though culture with a mindset and action. Daily action and effort from everyone. And that culture should always be about two things: 1. Productivity 2. Joy And it should take 5-10 minutes a day. Because it matters the most. 23

24 And the best part about all this: I wasn t struggling to come up with new content ideas...i was doing the exact same thing I d done with leaders for years. I just wanted to turn it into the simplest framework that anyone, anywhere could do. I knew a lot of leaders I d worked with over the years in site offices, on projects and in offices but what about the others? I was concerned about all those leaders out in the sticks as we call it in Australia or on vessels or posted out on remote sites? Living in such a vast country, I knew it had to be something in everyone s reach. I also knew that more that 70% of people don t enjoy their work or their leader - and that means there are thousands of leaders to reach, to give them a framework to turn that around and do it the culture way. 24

25 So next steps for you! If The Culture Way is something easy for you to say and you need to revive, refresh or create your culture of productivity. Use it! Use it now and say it s the new way you want to lead productivity with your people. And how? By following these Next 5 steps and taking your people on a journey. It should take you no longer than 8 weeks if you treat it like a project! And That s What You NEED TO DO. 25

26 You need to SHAPE what your people think about you. And it has to be INSANELY specific. You have to drill down to exactly what your culture of productivity stands for... and sum it up in a few words. Vote on it. Then make it everyone s. So let s get started with the 5 simplest steps you will come across to renew, refresh or create your culture of productivity now! It s as easy as counting to 5 and getting started! 26

27 Your 5 STEPS to INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND JOY Step 1. Activate Someone needs to light the fire and get things warmed p. Yes, it s you! It doesn t have to be a raging bonfire just yet, but you need to get that fire going. Once it s started, it will become the only way to think about culture at work. Is the fire burning bright? is the only question you need to ask. Your culture and the language around it needs to be simple and magnetic. It must speak directly to your people, not just another corporate message or set of values that no one can remember. So start simple and say that a culture of joy and productivity at work will be the focus going forward. That s it! Just start spreading that message! 27

28 Step 2. Engage People don t remember what you say or even what you do, but they always remember how you made them feel. Maya Angelou Today more than ever, people want a personal touch in all areas and this includes work. So think about asking simple, straight questions and make time to share thoughts and opinions. You need to find out what is working and not working right now in your business and what the barriers are to productivity. HINT: Get an external consultant to run a few simple forums to find out what s working and what s not. Your people will NEVER tell you everything and will leave out a lot of the important stuff. The biggest dirty little secret in business is LACK OF CANDOUR. J Welch. 28

29 Step 3. INFORM Once you have found out a few hard truths about what needs to happen from your people to INCREASE JOY AND PRODUCTIVITY FAST, you need to share the results with everyone. Do this face to face as much as possible. No one enjoys those fat, survey documents. So simplify it into a powerpoint that all leaders can deliver to your people. This step is about defining your culture and giving it a name. Yes, it s as important as naming a baby or your pet whichever you prefer! TIP: It should excite you and create a little fire inside you! It needs to be easy to remember and talk about! A culture founded on heart and soul will have a much greater chance of success because success follows passion. A great culture is about creating new and exciting ways to make the business that you re in, the best! 29

30 Step 4: PARTICIPATE Steve Jobs knew that Apple customers love style, creativity and simplicity. He knew that they wanted cutting-edge innovation and ease of use. So what did he give them? All of the above. It s exactly the same with your culture. Knowing what s important to your people means everything. So get out and about and schedule this to occur daily. As a leader you need to be visual and present even after you ve created your culture identity. Don t make the mistake of simply forgetting about it and leaving it to sit stagnant or for others to do. What could be more important than increasing productivity every day? IT STARTS WITH YOUR CULTURE. 30

31 Step 5: Test and Check When you get your culture going and everyone s standing around that great, big bonfire of joy and productivity you ve built together, it s time to check for quality and that the fire isn t going to burn out. What s important to your business as you ve been building your culture and what do you want you people to focus on? Innovations? New designs? Cost Savings? Safe Work Behaviours? Measure these areas as lead indicators to productivity! Celebrate them monthly with your people, so they can see what they ve been creating and their value. Make it fun and everyone will want to play a part! And THAT S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. 31

32 And that s the trick! Just follow the steps and tell your people about your focus on increasing joy and productivity at work. Find out the language they are comfortable with - and use it to create your culture. Because a culture of joy and productivity is what everyone wants today. And your people need a leader who can make that happen. And that makes you highly valuable as a leader. 32

The world needs more leaders who can increase productivity and joy at the same time! Now I know what you re thinking. You need to be a super-hero to do this! Trust me, you don t!

33 The world needs more leaders who can increase productivity and joy at the same time! Now I know what you re thinking. You need to be a super-hero to do this! Trust me, you don t! I have worked with some great but CHALLENGING leaders and people, from over 30 cultures and many industries. Try Construction, Mining, Dredging, Corrections, Utilities and many more! 33

34 And while it s a skill that you can learn, when you have the right person teaching you the skills, you can learn them FAST. And while some people think I m naturally positive and always go to solutions - I can tell you this: Leading a culture of productivity and joy is NOT something everyone is born with! To see what I mean, Watch this 3 min. video to see one Leader s Journey: The Culture Way Then keep reading You re almost there! 34

35 35

So to break it down... 1. Print out the 3 TIPS on Page 17. 2. Print out the 5 STEPS to INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND JOY AT WORK from page 27. 3. Find someone HARD (who won t shy away from pulling you into line) to make you accountable for 1 & 2.

36 So to break it down Print out the 3 TIPS on Page Print out the 5 STEPS to INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND JOY AT WORK from page Find someone HARD (who won t shy away from pulling you into line) to make you accountable for 1 & Practice 1 & 2 daily. Give yourself daily feedback and get hard feedback weekly. 36

37 So, Let Me Wrap This Up The level of productivity and joy you see at work today is dependent on: 1. Your ability to lead your people through good talk and good acts. 2. Your ability as a leader to help your people become problem solvers, instead of problem creators. 3. Your ability as a leader to help your people make work a great place to be, where everyone belongs. I showed you HOW to increase a culture of productivity and joy at the same time through the 5 STEPS. And more! And we covered ALL of that in this free ebook. 37

38 Now it s UP TO YOU to take action on this material. Because education is meaningless without action. Go and use this material now. And if you liked it, here s what I want you to do next: 1. Send me an at anita@thecultureway.com saying, Hi Anita, just read your ebook. Loved it and I m starting now! I will send you a little something I made especially for a leader like you to make it even easier to focus on your own personal productivity. 2. If you need any help along the way, we re available to assist because we love culture - and leaders like you are the answer to a culture of productivity! You can see what we can do to help more right here. 3. Pat yourself on the back. You read a 38 page ebook 38

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