I have had the good fortune of traveling the country delivering workshops on leadership, team building and improving communication. Over the years, I have spoken to thousands of businesspeople and heard the stories of “depressing” places to work. But is it the facility or the work itself that is so gloomy? Maybe it’s the attitude of leadership being repeated by the followers.

Morale, whether good or bad, stems from top leadership. This responsibility lies with the head of the organizational unit whether that be a CEO, supervisor for a workgroup, or the independent owner of a business. Parents have a tendency to say “no” to children way more often than affirming what is positive. This kind of authoritative approach sets the tone for everyone in the building.

I can walk around a company, visit a few different areas, and after speaking with half a dozen employees, I have a good gauge of that organization’s team spirit. There are some easy indicators when morale is bad: people’s breathing is shallow, their movement is slow, eyes are down and they seldom smile. Sometimes there are signs, literal signs, reminding people what is acceptable or not. A workforce will resent this sort of in-your-face effort to control.

But there are cues signaling effective environments as well. Team members will take initiative to begin a task without being asked and even go the extra mile in their daily work and with customer service. Employees will have a sense of ownership that can only come from empowerment. The growth of an organization is dependent on the growth of its people.

Morale is usually a pretty good barometer of production too. Bad morale is contagious. It affects not only the staff but the customers as well. People want a professional and respectful relationship with a business owner. In the age of “quiet quitting” or doing the bare minimum, an entrepreneur needs to understand the mentality of his or her workers.

It is the team leader who brings about the esprit de corps. That individual is the glue for group cohesion. It is the unit integrity we spoke of in the first section. He initiates what the connection will be from member to member and individual to group. But that begins with respect between manager and subordinate.

What every group needs is synergy; that is to say a sense of how each individual works within the organization and a readiness to help one another in a time of need. Understanding how separate players add to the overall dynamic of the whole is paramount for success. It is an issue of trust.

And yet, I have seen, heard of, or met hundreds of so-called leaders who will pit one employee against another. They believe to throw a bone between two dogs will prove who is more aggressive and therefore the better worker. They point to the old adage that the “cream rises to the top.” But I have long been opposed to using clichés as business plans.

This simply points back to bad leadership. Sometimes, the person in power is very aware of how deficient their own people skills are. There is probably a fair amount of self-loathing as well. Or it could be a person who learned from a predecessor and simply doesn’t know a better management model. They more than likely do not fully appreciate their own position and how what they say and do influences others.

But there are a few easy shifts to make when it comes to changing morale, should a leader wish to do so. I say “easy” because they are straightforward; changing oneself, however, is usually an internal struggle.

First, learn to trust. In short, drop the paranoia or concern others will take an upper hand of your authority if you show a little vulnerability. Most respond favorably to openness and transparency. Of course, if one does take advantage of an improved work area by slacking off, it may be less of a managerial issue on your part and a personnel issue on part of the corporation. That guy just may not be a good team player and needs to go.

Second, use positive language. A negative word will spread like wildfire. Though one may think himself a realist, he needs to realize the verbal hills he builds and holes he digs. A true pragmatist will try to find the good or silver lining in every scenario. Rarely is a situation a calamity without a solution.

Also, smile more. A sincere grin is the universal sign of happiness and that everything is alright. Most people do not like their smile. Get over it! It’s less about what you think of any crooked or yellowing teeth and more about the subtle message you send to others.

Finally, pour some good thoughts into your own mind. It’s easy to find the negative in the world if we have been conditioned all our lives to look for it. We can train ourselves by looking for the positive as well as becoming positive by reading books or listening to personal development programs. Attending church or spending meaningful spiritual time can be huge for our own attitudes. And of course, stop hanging out with negative people and taking in a constant stream of sour-grapes information.

Like a rudder turns a large ship, a little fine tuning here and there on part of a business owner can lead to a better work environment as well as overall production. For someone with a lagging business or relationship, think of it as a “Plan B” to what has not worked in the past.

Image at top courtesy of fauxels / pexels