You’ve swept up the confetti and boxed away the Christmas lights. Your employees cashed their bonus checks and thanked heaven that they still had jobs. Even the flu bug that decimated your company has seemingly passed. Yes, it’s a new year. Looking back, you can’t help but smile. Finally, your team rallied around a common cause. Only now do you realize just how much you accomplished.
For years, your employees had been absorbing heavier workloads. Many quietly seethed as your company ran lean-and-mean while sitting on its cash. But then the long-predicted changes slammed into your industry. And the disruption threw your customers and competitors into survival mode. Fortunately, your planning and investments paid off. And your employees battled through the exhaustion and doubt, spurring each other on to your best year.
Look towards 2013, they’re starting to face an unsettling truth: Your business isn’t going back to what it was. A breakneck pace and heightened expectations is the new normal. And they have to go through this all over again. In one form or another, your employees are now asking the same question:
“What now?”
It’s January – and the holiday high has passed. When that happens, your employees will ponder the usual questions: “Is this all there is?” “Why are we doing this?” “Is this worth it?” A year ago, you preached about “purpose” and how shooting for “big hairy audacious goals” ultimately transforms lives and industries. But the potency of such ideals wears off over time. Your employees lose sight of any ‘why’ beyond paying their bills. Eventually, they start dismissing you as another con artist handing out Kool Aid. Before you lose your momentum and relevance, you must answer the “what now” question for your employees in three areas:
Their Roles: “So how is this year going to be different than last year?” That’s what your top performers are asking. What’s more, your best people are wondering, “How can I make a bigger contribution in 2013?” and “Is this job leading anywhere (besides an early grave)?” In their minds, 2012 was the year of flying blind and doing more with less. They did their part and now they want you to do yours. And they’re looking for more resources, control, and possibilities, not just additional hours, tasks, and expectations.
You can throw out more dollars and longer titles. But they’re short-term fixes for people who are generally out for themselves. Sooner or later, those employees will ditch you to chase the next shiny thing. You want to focus your energies on the true believers, instead. And that means making time to learn what drives those people. Fact is, carrots like autonomy, opportunity, access, flexibility, training, and recognition have different meanings to different people. And the value they attach to such incentives changes over time. So don’t take your loyalists for granted. Learn each person’s language and personalize rewards and enticements. For them, “what now” means receiving what they were lacking last year. That’s one way to get more out of them this year.
The Mission: So what’s your next great dream? And what will it mean to your employees when they achieve it? You may be focused on solvency, but your employees are seeking a new challenge or a purpose. Right now, they’re asking themselves, “What am I really accomplishing with this job?” and “Will the sacrifices be worth it?”
Fact is, a new year isn’t a fresh start. 2012 left many of your employees stretched and fatigued. In other words, the wear-and-tear from last year is starting to show. And that could mean lower performance this year. Fact is, you need to rebuild your team’s resilience and commitment. And one way to do that is to shoot for something meaningful in 2013. Your job is to win back your talent’s hearts. Share a vision that challenges, engages, and unifies them. Craft a realistic plan and publicize your progress. When they finally realize this goal – and see its impact – provide a reward proportionate to the achievement. That’s what it takes to answer “what now.” Without a vision of something lasting and larger than themselves, your performers will eventually lose their camaraderie, flatline, or just move on.
Your Leadership: Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Don’t kid yourself: Your employees are evaluating you. They’re focused on what your company is, not what it can be. They’re looking for progress and making judgments based off their perceptions. And that’s where so many leaders get it wrong: They can’t view their organization from the bottom up.
You won’t want to hear this, but your employees are tired of the double standards. Here’s reality: Your leaders can’t deliver an upbeat message within a culture of backbiting and fear. They can’t call for an industry revolution, while shaming and silencing those who disagree with them. And they can’t betray people in their personal lives and expect their employees to trust them on the job. Your ability to lead is based on who you are as much as what you say. Leaders can babble on endlessly about culture and leadership, but it’ll never take root if their people see their aspirations as self-serving posturing. So take a long, hard look at yourself. And assess how closely your perception aligns with your employees’ experience. Then, humbly drop the pretenses and clean up your act. Your example will reinforce your message, raise morale, and inspire far more action that anything you’ll ever say.
For 2013, your employees’ biggest challenge will be finding reasons to come back. Make it easy on them. Show them how tomorrow will be better for them. Constantly emphasize the great feats they’re achieving – and how they’re making a difference to others. Provide a purpose that touches them personally and directs their energies. Open up and accept alternative views…because those who speak up are often the ones who truly care about your organization.
Your employees may be asking “what now,” but they’re really wondering if there’s an end in sight…and if it is attainable and worth the effort. Answer that and the rest will eventually take care of itself. When you do that, you’ll face a far easier question to answer:
Are we there yet?
