Page 235 - Build a Culture of Employee Engagement with the Principles
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206 Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work
Since that time, whenever I am interviewing anyone to join our
team, I begin with this document and let the person know that if
there is anything on it that he or she cannot fully support, then this
isn’t going to be a good fit. Remember, culture drives behavior and
behavior reinforces culture. When hiring, your first concern should
be to find people who are going to actively support and contrib-
ute to your organization’s culture. Incorporate discussions about
respect and your corporate culture into your interviewing and
orientation processes, and if you need to have any “Danny Conver-
sations,” do them today.
Respectful Ending
As important as it is to begin relationships with respect, it is just
as important to end them with respect. After ten years with her
company, a friend was laid off via a group e-mail. Another friend
was fired during a team meeting because her boss wanted to
“send a message” to the rest of the employees; of course, the
message they got was that it was time to find a new job. I have
always tried to make my good-byes as respectful as possible
and encourage you to do the same in your organization. Other
employees are watching, and how you handle people leaving can
have an enormous impact on their respect for you and the orga-
nization, as well as their level of engagement.
In saying good-bye to you, I’d like to thank you for purchasing
this book and taking the time to read it. I created the RESPECT
Model to help leaders foster a culture of respect in their organiza-
tion and, in so doing, increase the engagement of their employees.