Visible Morale
Shawnee Love •
May 13, 2014
Morale is important because there is a direct correlation between happy people and happy customers, i.e., the lifeblood of any business. Poor morale is often a symptom of organizations in distress and a major reason we get calls.
Interestingly, a simple walk through of an organization can tell me a lot about the morale.
- Are people smiling and welcoming?
- Do they look up when a stranger comes through or keep their heads low and faces turned away?
- Is there the buzz of voices?
- Even in environments which you would expect to be quiet, is the silence calm and focused or tense and uncomfortable?
- Do people interact from time to time?
As I walk through, I ask myself, “is what I am observing, what I would expect for this organization“?
I once walked into a store where there was pure silence. During the time I was there, no one spoke, barely anyone looked up, not a sound occurred despite the fact that there were 2 associates in the store. No one said hello, no one rustled an article of clothing, no one moved. I felt like I had broken up a drug deal when I walked in, and I breathed a deep breath when I left the store and its oppressive silence.
In those few minutes, I learned a lot about the morale in that store. A sunny Saturday afternoon and you would expect it to be busy, but I bet sales were almost non-existent during that shift. I wonder if the store manager ever connected the dots.
Unfortunately, we often forget to tune into what our senses can tell us about our own teams. Just like a fish doesn’t know it swims in water, we often don’t realize we are working in a depressed or even sick environment.
I challenge all managers to pay attention to what is happening in your team this week. Reflect on how you would feel about it if you were a visitor rather than the boss. Then, come back next week for a discussion about morale building.