| Inspiring Workplaces |
ISSUE 923 - June 1, 2022 |
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We Are All in This Together |
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We just finished the "Battle of Alberta!" in my province and no, I'm not talking about politics, but of course, the NHL hockey playoffs. There's an interesting phenomenon related to how fans communicate about "their" team, that I think applies rather
well to the workplace. When someone's team wins a game, avid sports fans of that team tend to say, "We won!"
Ah...but when their team loses, they tend to say, "They lost."
The language you use in the workplace reflects and shapes your culture. Words matter - even simple pronouns. Leaders who use "we" more than "I" are more inclusive and less egocentric. And a study from the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, cited in a Harvard Business Review article by David Burkus, found that people who use "we" more often tend to be considered higher-status and have more of an "others orientation."
Now, before I'm accused of dragging the puck, let me skate back to my initial goal centered on using "we" vs. "they" in our workplace language. Do employees on your team sometimes take credit for the wins but then blame-storm others for the losses? Do you give credit where credit is due? Do you share your workplace victories with everyone on your team and give everyone their proper due? And do you take a "we're all in this together"
approach when setbacks happen?
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Mike's Fun at Work Tip |
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Tomorrow is official "Leave the Office Early Day" which reminds me of a ritual one of my clients holds June 1 - September 30 called "Fishbowl Fridays." Everyone's name goes into a fishbowl and each week they draw the name of someone who gets released one hour early from the "office fishbowl." If a person can't leave early, then they can defer their early
release. So, I guess this isn't so much a fun at work tip as much as it is a fun way to get out of work? :)
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Deep Thought of the Week |
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“Is it still considered procrastination if I have no intention of ever doing it?”
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Funny Business |
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Some accidentally funny newspaper headlines courtesy of my friend Lori Power:
- Forecasters Call for Weather on Monday
- Breathing Oxygen Linked To Staying Alive
- Alton Attorney Accidentally Sues Himself
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Wanted: Audiences in Need of Inspiration! Respond to this email to find out how Michael can help your team score some goals! “Michael presented to our staff for a full day and he kept them enthused the entire time and provided so much positive energy and so many
relevant ideas!” Grant Hood, Senior Administrative Officer, Inuvik
Inspiring Workplaces YouTube Channel: I had an interesting conversation with Richard Blank the CEO of a call center in Costa Rica around culture, communication, and engagement. (36 minutes)
Every Other Wednesday
The team is back today talking all things culture. Book your free seat here: Every Other Wednesday
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