Avoid Group Think: If you don’t have a naysayer on your team it’s time to go out and find one.

There’s always at least one member of your team who refuses to go along with the rest. While your natural inclination may be to stifle him or her or even eliminate them from the team, the fact is, every successful team needs at least one deviant.

In a Harvard Business Review interview titled “Why Teams Don’t Work,” Harvard Professor, J. Richard Hackman debunks many long-held beliefs about the wisdom of teams.

On the subject of the value of having naysayers on a team, he provides convincing evidence that to be successful, every team needs someone who is willing to ask the tough questions. “In our research, we’ve looked at teams that produced something original and those that were merely average, where nothing really sparkled. It turned out that the teams with deviants outperformed teams without them. In many cases, deviant thinking is the source of great innovation.”

Hackman also points out that the person who questions the status quo does so at their own peril.

I know that from personal experience. When I was a supervisor and would raise a question or voice a concern in a management meeting as to whether we were making the best decision, I noticed two distinct reactions: anger on the part of those who were invested in “This Is The Way to Go ” and gratitude from those who were thinking the same thing I was, but didn’t want to be the one to articulate it.

This week, hug the deviant in your group.

Make it a great week.

Barbara Burke

(Look for the next Monday Aha!on 10/10/11.)

It’s time to deal with the elephant in the room — morale-killing gossip

While much of what we chatter about with each other at work is harmless, negative gossip, if left unchecked can have deadly consequences. Chronic gossip kills morale, reduces productivity and contributes to workplace stress (and that’s just for starters….)

According to a Randstad Study, gossip was ranked as the number one pet peeve of the 1540 employees surveyed. What I found interesting was that the vast majority (41%) did nothing about it. Only 8% said they talked with their boss about it.

My own Toxic Toxic Surveys revealed that employees lose faith in supervisors who see gossip but don’t do anything about it.

It’s not possible to eliminate gossip entirely.  Some gossip is benign and plays an important role in keeping co-workers informed and connected.

Managers and supervisors who recognize  destructive gossip as problem can take steps now to dramatically reduce it.

6 Tips for Addressing Gossip
in Your Workplace

1. Include the issue in your code of conduct.
Spreading malicious gossip and rumors, as well as engaging in behavior that creates discord and threatens harmony, may be included in your list of unacceptable activities subject to discipline.

2. Raise awareness.
Provide training on what exactly gossip is and the negative impact it can have on your workplace. Often when employees understand precisely what gossip is and how harmful it can be, they will refrain from participating in it and discourage others from doing so.

3. Don’t engage in gossip yourself.
You can talk all you want about the evils of gossip, but if you don’t model the behavior yourself, you are finished before you start.

4. Keep the issue front of mind.
If you decide to create a campaign against toxic talk, don’t let it become yet another
“flavor of the month.” Once you gain the momentum for change, make sure it continues to be part of your conversation with employees.

5. Coach the offenders.
Chances are you have a few employees who take great pleasure in stirring the pot. Have a private conversation with these individuals and make them aware of the consequences of their behavior and that it will not be tolerated. If the behavior continues, take disciplinary action.

6. Keep information flowing.
One of the root causes of rumors and speculative gossip about the future of the company is due to a lack of information. The best way to thwart rumors is to keep employees in the loop.

If you have a serious or growing problem with gossip where you work and you decide to address it, you can bet that there will plenty of employees who will step up to help find solutions. In fact, you’ll hear many of them say “it’s about time.”

Make it a great week.
(Look for the next Monday Aha! on September 26.)

Barbara Burke

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www.barbaraburke.com