3 Helpful Tips to Be a Peacemaker
An invaluable topic for business leaders everywhere, being able to foster a working environment that is both productive to management and motivating for its workers can become quite a daunting challenge at times. Yet, the two go hand-in-hand as workplace motivation is a qualitative measure that directly correlates with worker output. So how can we as leaders help take our organization to its maximum level by getting the maximum level of effort and trust from our employees? The answer lies in establishing an environment of goodwill first and foremost.
Be a Peacemaker – What is Goodwill in the Workplace?
Simply put, goodwill in the workplace comes down to being cooperative towards the attitudes and feelings of others. This includes all levels of professional relationships and interactions in the workplace, from employee to employee and manager to employee and vice versa. While maintaining goodwill, kindness, and happiness in our organization may seem difficult as inevitably all employees are judged by the performance of their work, it is not impossible. All this means is being able to create an atmosphere where workers can feel content with the feedback they receive, whether praiseful or critical, knowing it comes from a genuine place in helping that employee build a stronger career, not tear them down.
As business leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure that our employees have a sufficient level of job satisfaction in our organizations, regardless of their position and role. These things should not be overlooked in favor of customer satisfaction and sales goals. Although both are vitally important in keeping any business running, at the end of the day, it is our employees who are responsible for these things, and having unhappy workers typically results in having unhappy customers and low sales.
After all, every single one of us has the same 24 hours in our day, and when it comes to choosing a workplace where we plan on spending 40+ hours of our week, intrinsic values tend to matter more than a paycheck. Therefore, the key to boosting productivity in the workplace is by boosting confidence through goodwill!
Listed below are three tips that I personally advise business leaders to use in spreading these concepts among their organizations:
Tip No. 1 – Identify Your Introverts & Extroverts (and How to Approach Them)
There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to managing other people. As leaders of our own organizations, it is our responsibility to tweak our methods when it comes to certain personalities. While it is important to stay upbeat with extroverts, it is also just as important to tone it down a notch when speaking with more introverted members of your organization. When it comes to catering to people’s personalities, the one thing you don’t want to do is make employees feel like they’re in an environment where they have to be someone they’re not to succeed. Similarly, a workplace scenario where employees feel that they cannot express themselves at all is also a big turn-off when it comes to motivation.
We all have our personalities, but as a leader of our own enterprise it’s part of our job to adapt – doesn’t matter how extroverted or introverted we are, we have to match our employees’ mindset and their point of view when it comes down to taking their performance into account. This isn’t anything new in the business world either, salespeople do this all the time by leveling their client’s mood and energy such as showing more enthusiasm when they show interest in a product, speaking more softly when asked to clarify, and knowing when to stop their pitch when the sale has been made.
Tip No. 2 – Adhere to the Philosophy of the 5 Hats
The five hats are a method I made myself to ensure that we as people are getting the right amount of work-life balance in our days. As you will see, they all revolve around the major things that we all need to lead a fulfilled existence and are things that we as employers and leaders should not deter our diligent workers from.
- Hat #1: Spending Time With Family
- Hat #2: Establishing Meaningful Friendships
- Hat #3: Creating a Fulfilling Business Path
- Hat #4: Building Valuable Connections
- Hat #5: Establishing Hobbies, Interests, & Adventures
No matter how extroverted or introverted a person may be, the five hats are undeniable things that we all need to feel fulfilled in our lives, both professional and personal. Taking the five hats into consideration can help spread goodwill throughout your organization by making sure that employees are aware that you know that they do indeed have lives outside the office. Overall, it is comforting for employees to know that they can manage both their work and any extracurriculars while having a certain degree of control over their schedule.
Tip No. 3 – Foster Through Example
The best way to foster an environment of goodwill is through our own actions. Let it be known the well-being of your workers is of equal, if not greater, importance than getting the job done. While many companies stick to a customer-centered mission statement, let yours include the satisfaction of clients along with a focus on catering to an environment where employees can be their best selves. A great way to do this is by participating in a non-profit that aligns with the mission and goal of your organization. Giving back to the community as a group and posting volunteer pics on social media is a surefire way to build a company centered on goodwill, kindness, and the pursuit of happiness.