Randy Grieser's Blog, page 7

Why Workplace Values are Important

Excerpt from The Culture Question

For a vehicle to do its job, it needs both an engine for power and a steering system so it can be guided. An organization is no different: its purpose is the engine that propels it forward, and its values are the steering system by which it is guided.

Purpose defines why you do what you do, and values define how you act in service of that purpose. Values are a key component of a healthy workplace culture because they clarify how your organization and its staf...

Nothing is Permanent Except Change

Mr. Hawkins, my fourth-grade elementary teacher, is the first person I remember who would use the phrase, “Nothing is permanent except change.” While this statement may indeed be true, change is still hard and often frustrating. For organizations, change frequently causes stress and increased conflict, typically resulting in decreased employee engagement and productivity. One might wish to simply avoid change, but Mr. Hawkins’ sentiment that I first heard in 1984 is still true today in 2019.

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Take a Break – It’s Good for Business

I’m writing this blog on my return flight from Orlando. I was on a week-long vacation in which my family and I visited my parents and siblings, sat by the pool, read, and yes, for one last time (I hope), went to Disney World.

Over the years, I have learned that vacations are crucial to my ability to lead our organization. For one, I return to work energized, excited, and focused – ready to get back to work and tackle projects and goals. But most importantly, slowing down and just being allows...

The Connection Between Trust and Caring Leadership

“If only my staff trusted me more.” I regularly hear this statement from managers who lament the lack of trust in their relationships with staff. They know that without trust, they won’t be able to get the results they hope for. Although most managers I meet do realize that trust is important, they struggle with how to develop it.

After conducting a 20-question survey for our new book, The Culture Question, my co-authors and I made an important discovery about how to develop trust. The resear...

How Should a Leader Respond to Bullying?

My 15-year-old daughter recently changed schools, just four weeks into the academic year – not an ideal time to make a change! But, after weeks of tears brought on by bullying behaviour targeted at her, it became clear that leaving was the best option.

I’m used to working with issues of bullying and disrespect in workplace settings. At ACHIEVE, we are often called upon as consultants to intervene in these situations. I have seen up close how bullying behaviour impacts those who are targeted i...

Is Enough of Employees Work Meaningful?

In our new book, The Culture Question, my co-authors and I define “meaningful work” as “work that is purposeful and brings satisfaction to employees by drawing on both their abilities and their interests. Meaningful work occurs when purpose aligns with an employee’s interests and abilities”

Let’s be honest. We all have some tasks that are “not meaningful” – those that we consider boring or inconsequential. However, when we feel that the majority of our work lacks meaning, we risk becoming dis...

Purpose: Where To Start

Organizations can articulate purpose on many levels, from the value of individual tasks and roles, to the significance of entire departments, to the overarching purpose of the organization as a whole. When we understand the purpose of something, we can choose to engage with it more deeply and freely or disengage with clarity about why we don’t want to participate.

One way to understand purpose is to think about it as the why behind our actions. Many of us who have had young children in our li...

Cannabis in the Workplace: What’s the Deal Anyway?

I’m sure that, like me, you have seen many articles and training advertisements about the need to educate yourself and prepare for the legalization of marijuana (for my international readers, I am based in Canada and “weed” became legal here on October 17, 2018). Frankly, the “noise” around legalization has been so loud that I’m just glad the date has come and gone.

After being asked, “What are you doing at ACHIEVE and CTRI to prepare for the legalization of cannabis?” one too many times, I’v...

On Innovation & Failing 49% of the Time

During my childhood, my siblings and I never had a shortage of things to do. We had a garage full of tools and we lived right next to a small wooded area, both of which provided us with ample opportunities to experiment and explore. One spring, we spent days building a raft that we hoped to use in our small pond. When it was completed, we were extremely proud. In that moment, we felt it was by far one of our greatest accomplishments yet.

Sadly, when we pushed the raft out into the pond, it sa...

“Moving Up” The Ladder

We are currently in the midst of hiring for a new position within our organization. I’ve already written about the importance of hiring people for the right fit – both for culture and aptitude – but lately I’ve been thinking about a different aspect of sustaining a culture of employee engagement, which is hiring employees who will be content in the position they were hired for.

When someone says they’re looking for opportunities to “move up” during the interview process, I don’t usually view...