|
Love Particles
Leading the Tribes: My next best-selling book is in the pipline. Discover why transactional managers will soon become extinct...
Tina Turner may have asked the right question when she implored “What’s love got to do with it?” in her 1984 pop hit. Some of you may need to google the song – shaking my head with the big-eyed emoji. The question she poses gets very interesting when we apply it to business. What does love have to do with business? Can we or should we love each other at work? Be honest
with yourself because this question is a litmus test for where you stand on the scale between transactional management and tribal leader. Do you really attempt to love the people you supervise or work with? Transactional managers exist for the transaction of work for pay. Tribal leaders, on the other hand, seek to enhance a sense of belonging that is rooted in love for the individual and the organization. Recently, while I was teaching a class on the virtues of positive safety, a seasoned manager suddenly made a loud sigh and slammed his fist on the table. It disturbed everyone in the room and of course he had our attention. When I asked if he was ok, he made a profound statement. He declared, “He has been conditioned over his entire career to emphasize the negative or the exception in business”. He further stated, “He
had just made the realization that he has had business backwards all along”. Kaboom! He was just hit with the love particle. I made a commitment to myself several years ago that I would live my life like a proton. My mission in life is to spread my positive charge to everyone I meet, with every encounter, and with every opportunity to speak or teach others. Of course we know there are many electrons (negative charge) and even some neutrons with no charge at all. Being positive is a choice. We choose our particle.
The virtues of positive leadership are not just superfluous opinion. I have learned to apply the love particle to many unusual and maybe even unexpected aspects of business. For example, I have helped large organizations reduce injury rates by as much as 90% simply by placing emphasis on what people do properly as a guide to gain more positive behavior. The love particle also improves productivity, quality, and even customer service. I dare say
that it is a magic particle in the world of business and so few supervisors and managers know how to use it. The love particle makes money! Consider the fact that for every negative action someone takes in the workplace, there may be twenty positive acts that go ignored. Where do we place our focus as supervisors and managers? The negative is far more common. I have encountered very few leaders that truly focus on the positive while viewing the negative as an opportunity to improve. The love particle is the tool to help struggling managers and supervisors make the
transition. In business, during moments of high stress, we revert to our particle. We cannot help it since our charge is our charge. Electrons focus on the negatives. Neutrons freeze, become paralyzed, and often withdraw. Protons look at opportunities for both the individual and the organization to grow and improve. A large and beloved client recently experienced a major procedural and potentially significant financial setback. It could negatively impact both stock price and shareholder value. It is time to deploy as many love particles as possible throughout the organization. But wait! The typical response is to find fault and blame. To make excuses. Hide the truth. Find someone to sacrifice on the altar of accountability. Alas, more
often than not, the electrons of the organization prevail and a terrible situation only becomes worse. I am hoping they make the right choice.
Continue Reading (Discover How to be a Proton)...
________________
Leading the Tribes Training - Book my 1-day class at your location for managers and supervisors.
Leading the Tribes Keynote Speech - Book my 1-hour speech for your event.
Call (903) 295-7400 Today!
____________
Need a Keynote Speaker?
"John Grubbs' keynote message is powerful! John is able to clearly convey his knowledge and foresight on the generational changes that affect ALL of us. I had many A-ha moments with his vivid examples. We continue to talk about what his message taught us to this day. You will have to reach for a tissue to wipe tears of emotion and laughter. John's message is memorable and inspirational!"
Maria Gallegos
Texas Chemical Council
Call John Grubbs (903) 295-7400
|
