Page 27 - Anne Bruce - Building A HIgh Morale Workplace (2002)

Business on Planet Earth, No Longer as We Know It 7

• Pride and confidence
Questions to
• Challenge and Sustain Morale
excitement How do managers start down the

• Love and support road to sustain morale? They ask
questions like these:
Try using this emotion-
• What matters most to you about
al needs checklist as a way
the outcome of this situation?
of staying in tune with • How are you feeling about this?
employees and making • Help me understand. Can you tell

sure that their inner most me more?”
needs and desires are • What concerns you most?”
being met. In addition, you • How would you handle this?”
can use this list to match

jobs and assignments with individuals according to their
strongest emotional need. By doing so, you can expect greater
enthusiasm and commitment. In other words, this is a guaran-
teed morale booster!

Step 3. Generate a Spirit of Gratitude
It’s all summed up in two little words: thank you! If you want to
be a manager who creates high morale, then instill the spirit of

gratitude on a daily basis and set the example. A pat
on the back, a short thank-
you note, an e-mail of What Do They
appreciation, or a jubilant Need?
voice mail from you can Ask your employees to

do wonders to charge up review the list of emotional needs
and select the areas most important
an employee. As a leader
to satisfying those needs.Then discuss
in your organization, it’s
with each employee ways in which
your responsibility to
they can tie their specific needs to
spread the spirit of grati- the specific tasks and functions

tude. When you do, watch required of them on the job.When
the level of motivation, your employees are meeting their
morale, and pride rise sig- emotional needs and those needs are
nificantly. in alignment with their talents and job
responsibilities, you have an unbeat-
Here’s a suggestion.
able formula for success!
Ask for volunteers with a