Page 166 - Anne Bruce - Building A HIgh Morale Workplace (2002)

146 Building a High Morale Workplace

• Never sacrifice human connection for productivity.
• Honor every relationship.
• Be a real person to those who need you, get involved with

their lives.
• Focus on what is most meaningful to others and meet
those human needs as best you can.
• Understand that much can be said with few words.

• Have a mission, because when the mission is clear, like it
is at St. Jude’s—“to find cures for children with cata-
strophic illnesses through research and treatment”—you
will draw the right people to the organization.
• In the midst of extreme intensity and sadness, always

point to the many miracles of survival that surround you.
• Remember that everything good that you do on the job
goes beyond the walls of where you work.
• Understand that even dying patients have hope and it is
your job to help sustain that hope.

• Look to the future and share your hope and belief in mir-
acles.

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 9

❏ The Chinese have two distinct characters for the word “cri-

sis.” One means danger and the other opportunity.
❏ The odds are good that one day you will be confronted
with a workplace crisis. Being prepared ahead of time will

be the key to responding successfully.
❏ The workplace isn’t the target for terror. The real targets

are employee morale, joy, and optimism.
❏ People are the backbone of every organization.

❏ Employees look to their leaders for guidance when tragedy
strikes.

❏ Winning back employee morale takes the confidence to
lead during emotional times.

❏ Crisis debriefing can be a powerful and effective resource