Nice Tips, But….

You must be thinking, “Wow, Ruth and Nicole I thought you guys were management consultants and doing amazing things with efficiency and process improvement – and for the past three weeks all you’ve given us are three measly office tips. Worse yet, today’s blog title is the Squish Method. Honestly?”

Well, yes. Sort of. But you have to start somewhere. You cannot create a huge culture shift, without changing a few small things first.

Are you tired of waiting for others? Are you tired of trying to be the office cheerleader? Are you tired of people acting in a way that is “NOT OK”, and they keep getting away with it?

Read on, the Squish Method is for you.

Three Keystones to Change Success: The Squish Method

The Squish Method: Communicate, Role Model, and give Feedback, from the top,down, across and then right back up again creating the “squish point” where magic, and change really happen. Click to Tweet

1. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate.

Head Honcho: Keep talking about what you are trying to achieve. Show some metrics. Detail your expectations. Celebrate your successes. Don’t stop talking (well, you know what I mean) and communicating.

Everyone Else: Seek to understand everything you need to be succesful. Ask questions. Talk to others. Lead the way. Be the change (yeah, I said it).

2. Role Model, Role Model, Role Model.

Head Honcho: Practice what you preach. If you don’t make it to meetings on time, use the word BUT all the time, and then “Risk Slap” (a wrist slap for taking a risk) (Click to Tweet) your team – it is just going to roll downhill, and your big culture shift will disappear and you will just go back to where you started.

Everyone Else: Just try. Honestly. Will it kill you?

3. Feedback, Feedback, Feedback.

Head Honcho: Reward your top performers. Encourage your fence-sitters and provide polite, timely, and specific feedback to your folks who refuse to get on the bus. And, even more ASK for feedback. Ask everyone about their opinion, what they think is working and not working, and continually flex and adjust to get the message right.

Everyone Else: Ever coached your boss on something? After a particularly negative, unproductive meeting where your boss was cantankerous – try asking this: “How do you think that went?”. Just try it. Tell me about it later. It’s a magical moment for everyone involved.

Let me know what happens, I’d love to know. Email us at info@whiteboardconsulting.ca/staging or tweet us @whiteboardcons using #betterfastercheaper.

Until Next Time,
Nicole