Be the Change you want to see at Work!

I heard David Novak, CEO of Yum! Brands speak a while back at a Senior Leader Offsite. We all got copies of the book “Taking People with You: The Only way to Make Big Things Happen”, a book he authored. Unlike many people in the audience, I was already a hug fan of Yum! Brands — a company that employs millions of people around the world, and brings affordable and delicious foods to even more people- seems like a win/win to me! I heard grumblings about “exporting obesity” and “unhealthy food” from some in the audience- these are issues, but I see them as primarily elitist concerns. I would say that for anyone who has ever had challenges in affording a meal and could scrape together some change for a Taco Bell bean burrito, you would be as grateful as I am for what they bring. I also worked in fast food as a teen and I learned a lot from the experience- so again, thank you to Yum! Brands!

What I really loved about David Novak’s book (and talk) was his emphasis on lifting up the people around you. We live in a world that is unkind in the extreme. So many people go through their lives without seeing examples of people extending a hand to help them up- which is actually incredibly short sighted, because we will all- every single one of us- have a time in our lives when it is our turn to need help. Now may be a good time to start paying it forward.

Most of us spend the majority of our adult lives at work. This can be a Lord of the Flies sort of experience, or it can be an opportunity to make the lives better for the people we see every single day. You may be thinking that you work with some pretty bad people, and it isn’t possible to create a positive culture of help and compassion, to which I would say two things:

1. If it is really that bad, you should be actively looking for alternate employment. I have never met anyone who didn’t have options of where they can work — so look for a place that is more uplifting! You owe it to yourself.
2. What are you doing to make it a better place? It is amazing how a smile, a word of kindness, and an offer to help can thaw the most negative of people. Are there genuinely bad people who will take advantage of your kindness? Certainly. But are most people actually likely to respond positively to a friendly face? Definitely. Be the change you want to see- and maybe you can be the catalyst for a new era of positivity.

Actually planning out how you can help make your workplace more supportive will not only make it a better place for others, but it will also help you to grow in leadership. There are so many ways to do this, like:

• Be a little kinder than usual. Say “please” and “thank you”. Speak to people you wouldn’t normally talk to. Ask people how they are doing and really listen to the answer. Slow it down just a little, and build relationships at work.
• Work a little harder. Be the first to take on the extra assignment or to go the extra mile to help a colleague who is overwhelmed. Servant leadership is the most effective kind- which is what David Novak is really advocating. Make “how can I help” your mantra.
• Be slow to anger, and give people the benefit of the doubt. If someone is acting politically or inappropriately, perhaps a candid- but kind- conversation is in order to let them know how their actions are impacting you. This can be tricky depending on the workplace- but ultimately if these sorts of discussions aren’t working at your place of employment, see point 1 above and get that resume dusted off!
• Be honest in assessing your own behavior. Have you contributed to your workplace perhaps being less than a great place for others? Are you in the “in crowd” and making others feel like they don’t belong? Do you withhold information to make yourself more powerful? Do you suck up to the boss and treat the secretary shabbily? Do you take credit for other people’s work? If so, today is the day to examine your conscience and start being the person you should be. If you think you are better than your colleagues, you could potentially be the office jerk — so knock it off!

We all have the ability to be leaders in our workplace, and the best way to do that is to help others shine! Resolve to find something to showcase in someone else’s work and be their cheerleader. This world doesn’t have to be “dog eat dog”, instead we can lift each other up and lessen the burden for others!