Page 119 - Anne Bruce - Building A HIgh Morale Workplace (2002)

The High Price of Low Morale 99

their work. Empower
How to Do More
them to make critical with Less
decisions on their When managers are

own. Ask every expected to do more with less, they
employee to take quickly learn how to wisely manage
more responsibility people under adverse conditions.That
for solving problems means helping their employees get
more involved and develop their
and being innovative.
skills, take more responsibility, and
Encourage them to
become more accountable for their
take on self-directed
actions. If you’re going to demand
and intentional learn- more from your employees, you have
er attitudes and to keep their morale high, show that

greater responsibility you appreciate them, and give them
for their own growth the power to take action and make a
and development. significant difference on their own.
• Take time to discuss
with people on a regular basis all of the changes taking

place. Let everyone know that you’re going to be building
a new kind of team and that everyone is in this together. If
the team is to survive and thrive under difficult circum-
stances, then the members will have to do it together.
• If you want to boost morale in tough times, then you must

treat all of your employees like partners. Always
give them the benefit
of the doubt and Pygmalion Effect The
trust that they will phenomenon in which

always act in the expectations about a person
can eventually lead that person to
best interest of the
behave and achieve in ways that con-
team and the organi-
firm those expectations. It’s human
zation, as well as in
nature that people will try to meet
their own best inter- your expectations of them. In short,

ests. As with the high expectations lead to higher per-
Pygmalion Effect, formance—and low expectations lead
expectations will to lower performance. So, you have
influence behavior. to communicate high expectations
and communicate them clearly.