Leadership Development

Build strong ties between your organization & employees with Full Sail Leadership Academy updates and insights from our industry blog.

Encouragement in the Workplace During an Unpredictable Economy

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development, Team Building

6 min read

What can make a person’s palms sweat? Knees knock? Mouth run dry?

There are many answers, of course. But let me press you to be introspective for a moment. What have been some of the most nerve-racking moments in your life?

When facing an imposing obstacle? When you’re down to your last dollar?

When you must honestly, vulnerably express how you feel?

Putting your heart on the line can be terrifying. Maybe that’s why many wedding proposals are so elaborate! Even when you know they will “say yes,” it can still feel unnerving to put your heart in the hands of another.

This dynamic is also at play when you humbly encourage others. You open yourself up and become vulnerable. For a moment, you put yourself at their mercy.

You drop your guard, put your cards on the table, and expose a part of your heart. This puts the other in a position of power – to receive, reject, dismiss, or try to take advantage of your openness.

To encourage is to be vulnerable.

That vulnerability holds the power to galvanize your team so that you can sail through the stormiest seas. It can give your business an edge over the competition.

Encouragement in the workplace is essential. It can be the difference between surviving an unstable economy and closing up shop.

Creating a culture of encouragement in the workplace starts at the top. If you dare to encourage your team vulnerably, you will make an impact that stretches much further than a dollar.

You’ll make the world a better place.

The Current State of Encouragement in the Workplace

The American Psychological Association recently found that nearly 20% of employees feel they are enduring a very or somewhat toxic workplace environment.

What are the repercussions of a toxic workplace culture? According to research done by MIT, a toxic workplace culture is ten times more likely to cause employees to leave.

Don’t overlook the ripple effects of this.

If a parent is discouraged at work, how engaged will they be at home?
If a workplace is toxic, how much energy will a person have to help their neighbors?

There is a silver lining, though, for quality leaders who care about their employees. Jeff Bezos once said, “Your margin is my opportunity.”

Well, their toxicity and discouragement are YOUR opportunity!

Patrick Lencioni hits the nail on the head when he says that “health trumps everything else” in business.

People want to be valued and treated with dignity. Most employees don’t mind working hard. They, like you, want their work to be fulfilling and make a difference in the world.

Cultivating a culture of encouragement in the workplace can accomplish this. And this may be the best part for leaders – it’s free!

What Encouragement in the Workplace is Not

Before we can process how to encourage others at work, we must clarify what encouragement is not.

Encouragement is not:

Flattery
Manipulation
Praising Evaluatively
Cheerleading

If you mistake encouragement for any of these categories, you’ll create either a shallow or skeptical environment.

Flattery, praise, and cheerleading can be shallow when they are superficial in focus. And they allow you to keep your guard up.

“Encouraging” employees for the primary purpose of productivity or change – is manipulative. Of course, there is nothing wrong with encouraging an employee to complete their tasks.

Like people cheering others on at the end of a marathon.

But that’s different from coercive positive affirmation to influence others to make decisions they wouldn’t intrinsically desire.

It’s like a kid who talks their sibling into doing their chores because of “how good they are at taking out the garbage.”

Eventually, people will see through this. When that happens, it will create a culture of skepticism. People deserve better. You can give them better. You must.

Genuine encouragement in the workplace is currently a rare commodity. Lack of encouragement in the workplace is driving good employees away from many companies.

4 Steps to Cultivate a Culture of Encouragement in the Workplace

Several dictionaries offer the following definition for encouragement:

“To inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence. To stimulate by assistance, approval, etc.”

This is more than positive affirmation, though that is included. It’s vulnerably approving who people are and appreciating the skills they bring to the table.

Genuine encouragement is taking the risk to vulnerably express how you feel about your team.

Here are four steps you can take – for free – to cultivate a culture of encouragement in your company.

1: Being an Encouraging Leader Starts by Encouraging Yourself

GiANT Co-Founder Jeremie Kubicek encourages leaders to identify how they talk to themselves.

How do you encourage yourself?

How you encourage you is likely how you will encourage others. Consider the following questions.

How do you talk to yourself when you make a mistake?
What thoughts run through your head when work gets overwhelming?
What do you think when you achieve success?
When you’re ready to quit – what do you say to you?
Why?

Do you find that you beat yourself up? Blame others? Take responsibility, try to learn from mistakes, and move forward.

Knowing how you encourage yourself will help you – and your team – understand how you lead others. And why you lead them that way.

2: Be Honest About How You View Your Employees

You’re not going to be best friends with every employee. You’ll enjoy some more than others. Some will have higher competency, better availability, or greater EQ.

That’s not in question. It’s just reality.

The question you must ask yourself is – how do you view your employees? Do you see them as holistic human beings with a life outside the office?

Do you understand that they may have hopes and fears that have nothing to do with work?

Are you willing to listen to them without judgment to understand where they may come from?

Even if difficult conversations or decisions are needed – you can still do so in an encouraging way. Every person adds value to this world beyond what they produce at work.

Embrace the inherent value of each employee’s humanity – and your heart will open up to offer more substantial encouragement.

3: Invite Feedback From Your Team

“Being boss doesn’t mean you have all the answers, just the brains to recognize the right one when you hear it.”

Just like Jack Kelly did in the Newsies, we all need someone like Katherine Plumber to give it to us straight!

Inviting feedback from your team amplifies encouragement. Asking your employees for their perspective demonstrates how much you value them.

That’s encouraging!

When people are invited to the table, something powerful happens. You gain insight. They feel empowered. Comradery grows. Momentum builds.

One of the critical factors in employee engagement is whether they feel heard. 95% of highly engaged employees report feeling heard, while 55% of the actively disengaged report not feeling heard.

When you hear how your employees would feel encouraged, you’ll find they may desire something other than what you naturally offer.

That’s ok! Having clarifying conversations builds trust and provides an opportunity for everyone to grow – together.

Whether it’s a survey, conversation, retreat – just be intentional. Once you gain the feedback you need to offer meaningful encouragement, the next step is implementing what’s reasonable and achievable.

4: Take Practical Steps to Cultivate a Culture of Encouragement in the Workplace

Begin by reflecting on the previous three steps.

How do you encourage you?
How do you view your employees?
How can you invite feedback?

Learn how you encourage yourself – and how you want to be encouraged. Change starts with the person in the mirror.

Put in the work necessary to view the individuals on your team as holistic human beings.

Determine the forms of feedback you want to pursue and schedule a time to engage in that process.

Once you have this information, then you’ll be able to develop an implementation plan. That requires personalization beyond the scope of this article.

But not beyond the scope of Full Sail Leadership Academy!

Start Your Journey of Leadership with Encouragement Today!

You don’t have to go it alone. We’re here for you. Our workshops provide a tailor-made experience to reveal the information you need and provide the support required to catalyze positive change.

We’ll get your whole team on the sea for a teambuilding experience they’ll never forget!

But first, we start in the classroom. During this time, we ensure everyone understands their role on the vessel, gains shared language and can contribute safely.

Then, we hit the water! Few experiences require unified teamwork more than sailing. The lessons learned on the sea will have a lasting impact on your organization.

Our debriefing time will make sure of it! Once we’re on the land, we’ll process major learning points – not just of sailing, but of your team culture, the strengths you can build from, and areas that may need to be strengthened.

You’ll leave with an actionable plan and have access to our consultants to help you stay on course.

The time is now. This is your opportunity. Together, we can make the world a better place by making your workplace better.

Reach out today!

November 24, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

How to Handle Disrespect in the Workplace in a Healthy and Productive Manner

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development

6 min read

Wildfires consumed massive acreage of Canadian land in the summer of 2023. The smoke from the fires was so pervasive that it spread throughout much of the United States.

Air quality alerts warned folks to stay inside for days at a time. The air was poisonous to breathe. Taking a hike without a respirator was like smoking packs of cigarettes as you went.

Ash covered vehicles and spread throughout cities, creating a post-apocalyptic scene worthy of an Oscar in cinematography.

Source: Instagram/eeppiursinofficial

The smoke consumed everything.

Weddings. Funerals. Vacations. Getting the mail.

It did not matter how lovely, meaningful, or mundane the event – the poisonous, ash-filled air dominated everyone’s attention.

Disrespect has a similar impact on people in the workplace. It dominates. An atmosphere of disrespect clouds everything, regardless of how wonderful it may be.

Ron McMillian says it well in the book Crucial Conversations.

“Respect is like air. As long as it’s present, nobody thinks about it. But if you take it away, it’s all that people can think about. The instant people perceive disrespect in a conversation, the interaction is no longer about the original purpose—it is now about defending dignity.”

Disrespect cannot be ignored.

You must know how to handle disrespect in the workplace, or your business – and the people within it – will be poisoned.

Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace is Poisonous

Did your caregivers tell you how to deal with bullies? Perhaps you were told to “just ignore them.”

That may work in some cases. It may even be necessary. Confronting an abuser requires tremendous courage.

The challenge with ignoring disrespectful or bully-like behavior is that it just kicks the can down the road for someone else to deal with.

Leaders must know how to handle disrespect in the workplace, or they will lose the best workers in that place.

“A new Pew Research Center survey finds that low pay, a lack of opportunities for advancement, and feeling disrespected at work are the top reasons Americans quit their jobs…”

One way workers have learned to cope with a disrespectful atmosphere at work is through quiet quitting. They just disengage.

And it costs trillions.

“The global economy is losing almost $9 trillion, according to analytics firm Gallup, equivalent to as much as 9% of the world’s GDP” due to quiet quitting.

The financial cost is just the tip of the iceberg, though. The toll disrespect takes on a person’s mental health is significant. It impacts their relationships outside of the workplace.

Like the smoke and ash from the fires that started in Canada – disrespect in the workplace creates a toxic cloud that spreads.

And you must do something about it.

Knowing How to Handle Disrespect in the Workplace Can Set You Apart

President Franklin Roosevelt said, “a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”

As a business leader, you may already feel overwhelmed by the task in front of you. You must balance the budget, increase market share, navigate overhead, and more.

It can feel like you are sailing against the wind already – and then the waves crash against your vessel, threatening your crew and voyage.

Now you have to deal with disrespectful employees on top of everything else?

Yes.

Creating a culture of respect is well within your wheelhouse. It doesn’t require an MBA. And it may give your company a competitive edge that no budget can compete with.

Think about it.

What would happen if employees were respected?

If people are jumping ship because of being disrespected, how many quality team members could be retained – or attracted – by a culture of dignity and respect?

You may not have the biggest budget, the best equipment, or a prime location. But if you treat your team respectfully, you will have more to offer than money can buy.

Seven Steps to Handle Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace

The smoke and ash of disrespect won’t dissipate on its own. These seven simple, courageous steps will help clear the smog and get your team sailing on smooth waters again.

1: Determine if the Behavior is Disrespectful

Victims should always get the benefit of the doubt. It requires massive courage to come forward and address bully-like behavior.

Accusations of disrespect and abuse must be addressed with the utmost urgency and integrity.

To handle disrespect in the workplace appropriately, you must ensure that what you are addressing is truly disrespect.

Some people have more sensitive temperaments than others. Everyone makes mistakes. Life outside of work impacts morale.

To cultivate a culture of respect, you must not confuse an employee having a bad day for being disrespectful.

Consider the following. Look at how these values overlap but are still distinct.

Respect
Humility
Compassion
Empathy
Kindness
Excellence

One employee may not have compassion for another’s life circumstances. That does not mean they are being disrespectful.

This is not to excuse or justify any negative behaviors. It’s establishing a level of emotional intelligence that will allow you to address real issues accurately.

2: Recognize That Disrespectful Behavior is About Them, Not You

No one needs to earn respect. Every human being is worthy of dignity and respect.

Employees who act disrespectfully in the workplace reveal more about their character than those they disrespect.

Take a step back and recognize that as personal as the attack may feel, it’s ultimately not about the one being disrespected.

Something inside the aggressor is causing them to act out in disrespectful ways. That’s on them.

3: Turn the Other Cheek

This is one of the most common and misunderstood sayings of Jesus.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

Turning the other cheek is not enabling abusers nor silencing the abused. It’s empowering people to live up to the level of health and maturity they have attained.

Counselors Henry Could and John Townsand address this in their book “How People Grow.”

They rightly say that if we retaliate whenever someone wrongs us, we consign ourselves to the emotional maturity of the least mature person around us.

We can do better. We can even respectfully address disrespectful behavior.

4: Address Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace Head On

Believing the best about others is essential in cultivating a healthy workplace. You can address disrespectful behavior in a respectful and caring way. Here’s how.

Clarify that disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated.
Ask open-ended questions
Acknowledge their life outside of work
Get below the waterline
Offer support needed to address any deeper issues

It’s only respectful to believe the best about people and call them up to a higher standard of character.

5: Document Incidents of Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace

Skilled leaders will do the work necessary to differentiate between a disrespectful event and a pattern. An employee who behaves disrespectfully because they are having a lousy day requires a different approach than one who demonstrates a disrespectful disposition.

Documenting the incidents will help clarify the approach – and consequences – required.

6: Care for the One(s) Being Disrespected

No victim shaming allowed. Acknowledge that, just like the smoke from the Canadian wildfires made it hard for people to breathe, disrespectful behavior in the workplace makes it hard to perform.

And may have had negative repercussions on their life outside of the workplace.

Don’t be afraid to apologize. Empathize. Even if you were not the offender. You can still acknowledge that you understand how the victim(s) may feel and that you care about that.

In some cases, that may be enough.

When it’s not, offer the support needed to empower people to repair any mental health damage that may have been caused.

7: Encourage Reconciliation

Forgiveness is a gift to the forgiver. It releases them from the retraumatizing burden of falsely believing they must act as their offenders’ judge, jury, and executioner.

The old saying rings true:

“Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

Forgiveness is not sweeping offenses under the rug. That’s dismissal.

To forgive someone, you must first name and condemn the offense – and then release the offender.

Now, that does not mean that the offender should be fully trusted. Trust must be earned. But forgiveness can be granted freely.

Make the World a Better Place by Making Your Workplace Better

The opportunity before you, leader, is astounding. You can make the world a better place by making your workplace better.

If you address disrespectful behavior in the workplace:

Productivity will increase
Top talent will be attracted
Emotional health will improve
The world will become a better place

No one should live with an impending sense of dread, filled with anxiety, because they anticipate spending their day in a disrespectful work environment.

Implementing the seven steps discussed here will blow away the smoke and ash caused by disrespectful behavior in the workplace. It will allow your team to see clearly, breathe deeply, and work productively.

We’re here to help you put this into motion. Our team building workshops will uncover issues and equip you to resolve them.

We’ll train your team in the classroom, get you out on the water, and dedicate time to providing you with an actionable plan to guide you toward the progress you desire.

Reach out today for a free consultation!

October 3, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

The Paradigm Shift That Creates Leadership Strategies for Positive Conflict Management

Leadership Development

6 min read

“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”

Smoke and mirrors, threats and fears – CONFLICT.

Even the slightest scent of conflict causes many to bolt out of the situation as if a 500-pound gorilla were threatening them.

Conflict is uncomfortable for most people. It’s a natural signal that something is wrong and must be addressed.

But is conflict actually a threat? And if so, what does it threaten?

What if the conflict was like the Wizard of Oz pulling levers behind a curtain, creating a mirage that exploits our fear?

What if the conflict wasn’t a threat but an opportunity for multifarious growth?

The reality is that conflict cannot be avoided. Not within your organization. Not between team members. Nor in their lives outside of the office.

Embracing conflict as a growth opportunity is the paradigm shift that creates leadership strategies for positive conflict management.

Organizational Leadership is Conflict Resolution

Leadership expert Brian Williamson gives words to what many leaders feel:

“Leading people with unresolved issues is difficult and costly. Leaders, you are in the business of conflict resolution.”

No way around it. You can only go through it, and the cost of not addressing conflict is astounding.

Phillipe Patry’s research with Global Mindful Solutions uncovered these astonishing stats:

$359 billion in paid hours – 2.8 hours per week per employee devoted to conflict
Absenteeism – Employees take time off from work to avoid conflict as well as use sick time to address health issues caused by conflict
High Turnover – 485,800 people resign annually due to unresolved conflict
Loss of Productivity – Managers invest 42% of their time dealing with, not resolving, conflict
Opportunity Costs – How much ingenuity and efficiency are squelched by unresolved conflict?
Risk of Lawsuits – If bullying and harassment are dismissed or minimized, legal action can be taken
Lack of Motivation – many employees disengage from their work due to unresolved conflict

Ok. So maybe there really is a 500-pound gorilla threatening your company! But it’s not conflict. It’s conflict avoidance.

Solve the Problem of Conflict Avoidance with this Equation…

MV2+I2

This simple formula is ripe with possibilities to help you customize leadership strategies for positive conflict management.

M represents the mission of the organization. V2 represents the Vision and Values of the team. I2 represents the ideas and issues that are present in the conflict.

Within this framework, you can address the problem without attacking the person. MV2 + I2 reinforces the aspirational culture of the company and not any one person’s preferences.

This formula guides you to keep the conversation focused on solutions. That’s why ideas and issues are combined.

Handle Conflict as a Leader by Focusing on Your Mission, Vision, and Values

Attack the problem by prioritizing your organization’s mission, vision, and values. Conflict assumes a level of disagreement.

For people to be on your team, they have already agreed to pursue the mission, embrace the vision, and abide by the values.

Each of those is an objective corporate agreement. Not subjective preferences or personal priorities. Anything that threatens any one of those must be addressed for the good of the organization.

Further, letting the conflict be framed within the boundaries of your organization’s priorities allows those in conflict to recognize that they are a part of something bigger than themselves.

When conflict can step outside this formula, you risk lowering morale, fostering negativity, and hindering productivity.

Navigate Conflict With Understanding

Solutions must be pursued. Otherwise, conflict only festers. Like water in your shoes that makes your socks wet – acknowledging the issue only gets you so far.

What ideas are being brought to the table? Where is the disagreement?

What issues are people at odds over? Personal? Professional? Corporate?

Now, don’t think that if the issues are personal, they should be handled outside the workplace.

As Brian Williamson stated – unresolved issues are costly. And not just for your company. But for the community. For the next generation.

Leaders are in the business of positive conflict management – for a far greater purpose than a successful business.

Helping people neither fight nor flee conflict, but engaging without aggression can flood the world with hope and healing.

Conflict is not a 500-pound gorilla. It’s a golden opportunity.

Conflict Reveals What Our Hearts Hide From Us

Part of what makes us human is our desires. We want something out of life that’s more than functional productivity.

We often don’t realize, though, what desires drive us. They are hidden deep in our hearts. So familiar that they’ve become white noise in the background of our day-to-day decision-making.

Conflict pushes these desires to the surface. Take a risk to be vulnerable for a few sentences.

Why do some feel nervous when someone else gets more attention?

Why do some feel threatened when they get attention?

How much praise do you need to receive to feel accepted?

Whose disappointment threatens your self-concept the most?

In a busy world where a bazillion notifications consistently disrupt introspection, conflict can reveal motivations that have long been concealed.

Until desires are threatened, we may not even know how deep their grip is on our psyche. Award-winning novelist Louise Penny captures this reality with remarkable insight. Her character, Ruth Zardo, pens the poem:

“Mother died long ago

She’s not finished with me yet.”

An employee who never felt the approval of their parents might have a hair trigger when criticized. The criticism may be fair, constructive, and loving. But it won’t matter until the hurts are healed.

Conflict can expose deeply buried issues. Handling conflict as a leader can present an otherwise allusive opportunity for healing.

Handling Conflict as a Leader is a Sacred Opportunity

Can you see the opportunity that conflict presents? I raced with a sailing team with the highest turnover of all the boats in the fleet.

The toxicity on board was palpable. The conflict between the owner and first mate was our nastiest headwind.

They argued over tactics and maneuvers. The first mate took the criticism and questions about his judgment personally.

The mission and vision of winning the race were quickly lost as the toxicity spread to the rest of the crew, which was berated over small mistakes.

Who in their right mind would choose to remain in a dysfunctional environment? Few would.

Hence the turnover both on this ship and in so many workplaces. And marriages. And neighborhoods.

Self-aware and self-respecting people don’t allow themselves to be continually treated in harmful ways.

What if a leader was able to address obvious dysfunction like this?

An atmosphere of tension and fear would dissipate.

Triggering issues may be revealed, and the damage of past trauma could dare to be healed.

Profits, efficiency, and ingenuity would increase. Employee turnover and quiet quitting would decrease.

How much health could be infused into families? And how might that impact neighborhoods? Communities? Schools? Future generations?

Would you dare to dream this big with me?

At Full Sail Leadership Academy, our mission is to make the world a better place by improving workplaces.

We aren’t going to settle for bigger profit margins and increased productivity. We sail further. To brighter horizons for everyone, we have the privilege of influencing.

Seize the Opportunity and Set Sail with Us!

Do you want a guide to help you navigate the choppy waters of conflict? One sure way to spark healthy conflict is by getting your team on the water sailing with us.

Our workshops are designed to put MV2+I2 to work! Your team will be equipped to be interdependent as they pursue a common mission to ensure smooth sailing.

Personalities, opinions, and preferences all take a back seat to the goal of successfully sailing through the course.

When your entire team must each contribute meaningfully and cohesively, issues hiding under the waterline are forced to the surface.

Communication. Respect. Confidence. Appreciation.

Tension in the workplace is challenging to address. But when you’re out of the workplace and on the water, intentionally building chemistry and exposing gaps, the golden opportunity of conflict is handed to you on a silver platter.

Our process ensures this.

Before we hit the water, we sit in the classroom. During this time, you’ll be equipped with all the knowledge you need for a successful and enjoyable sailing experience.

Then we shove off from shore and put the knowledge to work. While sailing, you and your team will have many lessons that spring to life.

That’s why we debrief and offer a personalized, actionable plan to guide you to harness your strengths and address the gaps you want to prioritize.

Handling conflict as a leader doesn’t have to be exhausting drudgery. With Full Sail’s expert guidance, you’ll be given leadership strategies for positive conflict management.

You can seize the opportunity conflict provides and make the world a better place by making your workplace better.

Reach out today!

June 21, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

How to Improve Your Workplace: 4 Ways to Get Below the Waterline and Cultivate a Healthy Work Environment

Leadership Development, Team Building

6 min read

Disaster struck in the dead of night. The nine-member crew of Team Vestas Wind spent the night in life rafts instead of their $6 million yacht.

Only seven weeks into a nine-month race to sail around the world, Team Vestas Wind ran aground on the reefs of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.

Thankfully, no one was injured.

How could this happen? Yachts of this caliber have so much navigational equipment that the backup gear has backups.

The GPS Chart Plotter was tuned out to the most macro level. The sailors only saw what was, in essence, on the surface.

Had the GPS been tuned to see what was below the waterline, tragedy would have been avoided.

It’s one thing to get knocked out of a race by something you couldn’t have predicted. It’s another to sabotage yourself by not paying attention to critical information.

This is true in sailing, business, and life. Little is more important than seeing what’s below the waterline.

Turbulence From Below the Waterline Impacting Your Workplace

Did you know that companies lose an estimated 34% of an employee’s salary on them being disengaged?

Across the business landscape of America, that adds up to a whopping $500 billion annually!

Worker productivity has decreased at a breakneck pace.

Sociologists termed 2021 the year of the great resignation. Record numbers of employees left their companies. The turnover of skilled employees can cost 150% of the employee’s salary.

Clearly, these are issues leaders can’t afford to ignore. What is happening beneath the surface to cause such consternation in the modern workforce?

Some attribute this crisis to laziness. Or flakiness. They assert that the current workforce doesn’t share the work ethic or loyalty that companies had grown to expect.

But Ashley Stahl with Forbes looks at this differently. She counters these assumptions by demonstrating how Gen Z is pursuing a different, healthier way of life.

Stahl highlights several stark contrasts, with two rising to the surface:

Work-life balance: Baby Boomers tended to prioritize their careers over other aspects of their lives. Gen Z wants the flexibility to pursue their passions as well as work.
Value Alignment: Gen Z tends to be more concerned about working for companies that align with their convictions. Many are even willing to sacrifice compensation for this. Boomers typically prioritized paychecks and career advancement.

Can you see how these issues may impact company loyalty, work ethic, and engagement?

But wait, there’s more!

Researchers Stacy J. Rogers and Dee C. May found a positive and negative correlation between marital and job satisfaction.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Leaders in the workplace must pay attention to this information. If you don’t, you’ll end up like Team Vestas Wind. You’ll run your ship aground and need to be rescued.

How to Improve Your Workplace: 4 Steps to Help You Get Below the Waterline

Learning how to improve your workplace and cultivate a healthy environment for all is a crucial skill. Not only can it save your company from a serious decline, but it can also help you build a better team and a more engaged workforce. If you’re looking for a way to cultivate a healthy workplace environment and get below the waterline, here are four ways you can get started:

1: Improve Your Workplace by Making Business Personal

The people on your payroll are complex, integrated, whole human beings. They have relationships and ambitions beyond their coworkers and job descriptions.

Honor this.

Extra hours and added pressure at work have a ripple effect that stretches into the community and impacts future generations.

That’s one of the reasons Gen Z prioritizes a work-life balance. Or, as Jeff Bezos describes it, work-life harmony.

How can you honor your employees’ lives outside of the workplace?

Ask about their family, friends, hobbies, and more
Craft compensation packages accordingly
- Generous PTO
- Include mental health in “sick days”
- Family leave, including elder care
- Sponsor volunteering in the community
- Match retirement contributions, student loan payments, and philanthropic donations
Host corporate gatherings that are family-friendly
Sponsor intramural leagues
Care about your employees beyond their productivity

Taking steps like these will demonstrate to your team that you care about what’s happening beneath the surface.

2: Create a Workplace that is Safe Emotionally, Psychologically, and Physically

In a famous parable that’s comforting to many, Jesus teaches that he would leave 99 sheep who are safe and accounted for so that he can find the one who has wandered away.

Doesn’t this seem a bit reckless, though? Leaving 99 sheep in a vulnerable position to find one?

Perhaps. But sheep are relational, communal animals. They are impacted by how the shepherd treats other sheep.

One sheep being rescued will make the 99 others feel secure.

This is the kind of influence your leadership has. The way you treat the one impacts the 99. If you’re harsh with an underperforming person, everyone else will be put on notice.

What do you think the impact could be if you applied the “Golden Rule” to an underperforming employee? What if you treated them as you would want a leader to treat you?

Author and business leader Michal Hyatt offers this profound insight: “Sometimes when a team needs a breakthrough, they just need a break.”

No one wants to devote their waking hours to underperforming while being disengaged. When you see these “presenting issues,” that ought to alert you to reconfigure the Chart Plotter to look deeper.

When you see your employees as whole, complex, integrated human beings and have created a safe workplace by treating them as you want to be treated, that will open the door for transformational conversations.

3: Listen to Your Employees Without Judgement to Improve Your Workplace

The Gottman Institute identifies stonewalling as one of the four most toxic issues in communication.

The Gottman Institute

Dr. Ed Tronick demonstrated our deep, innate need for emotional connection in the powerful “Still Face” experiment.

He asked caregivers to engage with an infant in typical social interaction, then suddenly become unresponsive and maintain a “still face” for some time.

The infants became visibly distressed and emotionally dysregulated when their caregivers became unresponsive.

Your team needs to know that you care. If your door – or emotions – are closed, you will most likely exacerbate some of the stressors affecting your employees.

Emotionally engaged listening can be one of your greatest tools as a leader.

Former Navy SEAL Thom Shea teaches that “listening without judgment” is the key starting point to effective, authentic communication.

Listening without judgment is complex because we all bring bias to conversations. As a result, we tend to jump to coaching or offering solutions rather than listening for clarity and understanding.

Authentic communication requires integrity, transparency, and vulnerability that typically do not exist in day-to-day communication.

When this transparency and vulnerability exists, true transformation can occur in the hearts and minds of leaders and team members.

Without transparency and vulnerability, communication is mainly transactional. We communicate to discuss roles, responsibilities, and procedures rather than heart and mind issues.

It allows teams to meet each other where they are and still allows for growth opportunities when we set aside judgment.

And this will allow you to get below the waterline and see what’s actually going on. Most people won’t risk vulnerability unless they feel safe, heard, and understood.

Leaders can’t address the deep issues impacting behavior, performance, and chemistry without knowing what’s beneath the waterline.

Compassion can be the difference maker to keep people engaged and stay on the job longer.

4: Engage Workplace Conflict as a Collaborator

With these critical components in place, you will be well-positioned to leverage the inevitable conflicts in your workplace for what they actually are: growth opportunities.

Personally.

Professionally.

Corporately.

Communally.

As a leader, your influence stretches further than you’ll ever see. Addressing conflict at work can – and will – infuse health and peace into entire communities.

Think about it. What if you could help a conflict-averse husband and father learn how to engage fully with his family?

What if you could help an overly assertive yet relationally unaware intern gain emotional intelligence? How might that boost her career aspirations?

When you engage with your employees as people – integrated, complex, and whole – they will grow to see you as an ally.

Conflict often pushes latent issues to the surface. Don’t neglect this golden opportunity to collaborate with your team for their growth in a multitude of ways.

Workshops to Help You See Beneath the Waterline

Full Sail Leadership Academy has workshops expressly designed to help you see beneath the waterline. Both literally and metaphorically!

Our goal is to get you on the water – and beyond.

We start with classroom instruction, so you’ll gain the understanding needed to spend a day sailing as a team.

We’ll get you out on the water, working together, but we won’t leave you out to sea!

You’ll receive a personalized, post-sailing action plan. We’ll work with you to create measurable goals that your team can achieve over the next 12 months.

With this plan in your hands, your team will have a shared understanding of the issues below the waterline that your company must address.

Can you imagine what a force for good your company could be if everyone was sailing in the same direction?

We can. That’s why we’re here. It’s our mission to make the world a better place by making better workplaces.

Reach out today! We will be honored to guide you to get below the waterline and cultivate a healthy workplace.

May 22, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

4 Ways Skilled Leaders Face Fear in the Workplace and Conquer Comfort Zones

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development

7 min read

How would you feel if you knew a spider was within 10 feet of where you are? It’s more likely no more than three feet away, but still.

If that potential messes with your pulse, you may be among the 15 % of people who are arachnophobic. That is, clinically afraid of spiders.

Fear is fascinating. It mobilizes some and paralyzes others. But no one escapes it. Some even profit from it.

Horror is the most profitable and among the most popular genres of movies.

How many candidates are elected to office due to the fears they promise to protect people from?

How many businesses are stunted because of fear? What about yours?

Fear cannot be escaped or avoided. It must be overcome. Learning how to identify, confront, and triumph over fear in your workplace will empower you to flourish.

Move out of the Comfort Zone into the Growth Zone

No one likes change. Except for a baby with a dirty diaper! And not even them, sometimes.

Our comfort zones pretend to provide safety. But it’s an illusion. Human beings are not designed to live within comfort zones. We flourish in the growth zone.

A ship in the harbor is safe. But that’s not what it is designed for. Neither were you, your employees, or your company.

The truth is comfort can kill.

A body that’s always comfortable doesn’t exercise, stretch, or exert itself – it malfunctions in extreme ways. The CDC reports that $117 billion is spent on annual healthcare costs related to low physical activity.

Researchers at Yale recently unlocked one key to learning: being uncomfortable. Brains that are comfortable essentially shut down their learning centers.

Allowing a culture of comfort to take root is exceptionally dangerous. And expensive.

How Much Are You Paying Your Team to Stay in its Comfort Zone?

Mary Ellen Cagnassola with Money.com reports, “32% of full- and part-time employees said they are engaged with their work, while 18% are actively disengaged.”

A recent Gallup estimated that employee disengagement costs $1,800 for every $10,000 spent on an employee. If these stats ring true for your business, then you’re paying one more “employee” to do nothing for every ten employees on your payroll.

The Washington Post recently reported that in the first quarter of 2022, worker productivity plummeted to the lowest rate since 1947.

Could fear be keeping your employees from engaging with their work?

Fear of failure.

Fear of conflict.

Fear of embarrassment.

Can you imagine the difference engaged, confident, courageous employees could make in your workplace?

Embrace These 4 Steps to Face Fear in the Workplace and Conquer Comfort Zones

Ready to move into the growth zone? Let’s dive in! Here are four steps to help you and your team overcome fear in the workplace:

1. Cultivate a Culture of Safety in Your Company

If you want to eliminate fear from the factors of employee disengagement, you will need to take a paradoxical step.

You must cultivate a culture of emotional and psychological safety among your team.

Safety is essential for overcoming fear. It’s why the best sailors practice the basics over and over again so that they remain safe and can overcome fear. Psychologists observe this in children and see the impact throughout life.

Children who feel emotionally secure and have learned they can trust their caregivers are more willing to face their fears and take risks.

Social scientists see the same dynamic in the workplace. McKinsey and Company found that:

“When employees feel comfortable asking for help, sharing suggestions informally, or challenging the status quo without fear of negative social consequences, organizations are more likely to innovate quickly, unlock the benefits of diversity, and adapt well to change.”

Cultivating a safe workplace environment is about more than techniques. You have to personally care about your employees.

One of the most critical and overlooked components of a healthy workplace is vulnerability, specifically from the leader.

When leaders take the risk of nurturing a safe, healthy workplace culture – because they sincerely desire to see their team thrive – employees will be far more engaged and willing to face their fears.

2. Identify Fears in the Workplace

What a person is afraid of is important. Why they are afraid of it matters even more.

Consider an employee who is afraid of failing. One person may fear losing their job. Another may fear embarrassment. Some people are scared to stand out for any reason – success or failure.

If you don’t know why someone is afraid, you may prescribe the wrong solution.

How can you identify what people are afraid of and why they are afraid of it? The solution is simple. But simple doesn’t mean easy.

You need to make yourself available to listen to your employees.

Vulnerability and trust create a safe place for honesty. These are the essential building blocks for a healthy workplace that encourages people to face their fears so all can flourish.

3. Directly Confront Fears in the Workplace

Should you throw people into the deep end of whatever they fear? Have everyone take one step at a time? Organize a company-wide trust fall?

You may be the only one who can answer this question. But you can’t do it alone. You must collaborate with the employees who will be directly impacted.

Taking risks and facing fears has a ripple effect throughout your organization. Beyond productivity. Beyond your workplace, even.

It impacts interpersonal relationships, families, neighborhoods, and communities.

Confront Fear in the Workplace by Exposing False Narratives

Some people may be shackled by unfounded fear. Consider the person who thinks that if they fail, they’ll be fired.

What if that’s just not true? What if people are bound up and weighed down by a multitude of false narratives that keep them from facing their fears?

You can expose some lies, replace them with truth, and inspire change.

Take Baby Steps to Confront Fear in the Workplace

Most of us need to walk before we can crawl. Do not despise the days of small beginnings.

One person’s fears may seem insignificant to another. That’s ok. Most of our fears develop, evolve, and sometimes dissolve.

The same person who may have been afraid to ride a bike as a child can grow up to love riding motorcycles.

It all starts with taking a single step of facing fears.

Dive into the Deep End to Face Workplace Fears

Immersion therapy is what some people require. Due to how they are wired or their personal experiences shaped them, they must first jump in feet-first to face their fears.

What could this look like for an employee in your workplace?

Those are the questions you must collaborate on with your team to cultivate a sense of trust and safety that will empower people.

4. Celebrate Triumphing Over Fear in the Workplace

Celebrate! How much of your company’s budget is dedicated to celebrating “wins”? What wins are recognized?

The old business proverb rings true, “what gets celebrated gets repeated.”

Life is about more than achievement. The human beings whom you employ matter beyond their productivity.

Honoring people’s courageous steps to overcome fear is not a frivolous use of company resources. It encourages people, improves chemistry, and inspires others.

And it’s expedient. If over 10% of an employee’s salary is wasted on disengagement, imagine what could happen if you prioritized celebrating in ways that increased engagement?

Unless you’re afraid to celebrate 😉

Now, don’t mistake triumphing over fear for “success.” Someone may face their fears and fail, and that’s OK!

You may reinforce some people’s fear if you only recognize the successful attempts. Courage is more valuable than success.

When you nurture emotional safety in your workplace, built on a foundation of mutual trust, your team will have the courage to identify, confront, and triumph over their fears.

We can help you get there.

Triumph Over Fear Through Leading by Example

It starts with you.

Your team must see that you are willing to get out of your comfort zone.

My comfort zone was crossed at 23 degrees 48′ N and -64 degrees West. That’s roughly 350 miles north of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.

And 600 miles south of our destination in Bermuda.

I was in the middle of the ocean with four other sailors. Sailing across expanded miles of the ocean takes great mental, emotional, and sailing skills. At times, the number of hours yet to be crossed looms larger than the biggest swells on the sea. I was in the middle of the ocean with four other sailors.

Skilled leaders will learn to recognize when team members are trapped in their comfort zones and work with the team member to gradually overcome the barriers that hold them back.

The process of confronting fear is more important than the particulars. Personalization is paramount. Each person should be given the respect of charting their course.

When you care about your employees, know what they fear, and understand why, you can work collaboratively with them to chart a course for them to confront their fears.

When you honor and believe in your employees, you can encourage them to take the risks necessary to maximize their potential.

Address Fears Outside of the Workplace with Full Sail Leadership Academy Workshops

We offer workshops that get teams out on the water. Our workshops address a variety of fears people have.

Growing in confidence and overcoming fear in one area of our lives has a massive impact on the rest. When a team of coworkers shares this experience – the benefits are astounding.

At Full Sail, we are resolutely committed to making the world better by making better workplaces.

Our workshops have been expertly crafted to maximize your investment. We’ll spend time on the water, but we won’t leave you out to sea!

We incorporate a personalized, post-sailing action plan with accountable improvement goals over 12 months.

Reach out today! We will be honored to guide you in creating a healthier, more courageous workplace.

May 10, 2023/by Tim Dittloff