Making a Difference!

Aug 28, 2019

By Carol McGlogan

When companies claim that their “people make the difference,” it’s not just a slogan… it’s reality.

People who want to make a difference are a source of inspiration for me. What I admire most about these people is their self-motivation and willingness to positively impact those around them, and their drive to explore new processes and outcomes.

When I speak to peak performers and listen to their stories, they often reflect on their experiences with these core drivers for organizational culture:

• supporting an innovative mindset

• empowerment

• recognition

• focus

How do we embed these drivers into our organizations in order to make a difference so we can attract and keep valuable employees who strive to make things better every day?

Supporting an innovative mindset

The exploration and acceptance of new ideas to business ultimately drives innovation and differentiation. An innovative mindset will evolve naturally as we begin welcoming new faces with fresh perspectives on how to enhance business approaches. Our industry is on the verge of transition: 10,000 employees from within EFC’s member organizations are currently over the age of 55 and may retire from our industry within the next 10 years. This is an opportunity for all of us to embrace this impending change and to help foster an environment in which we can all make a difference.

Empowerment

We must allow our people to be accountable for their ideas, while also providing them with the freedom to make change and supporting them with the tools and education they need to handle the evolving business landscape. This is empowerment.

Recognition

When things go well, milestones are reached, processes are transformed, and customers are delighted. We need to recognize accomplishments and pay tribute to the people who make it happen. Creating an environment that fosters positive energy, celebrates examples of good work, and offers simple appreciation will keep the performance train going.

Focus

Finally, when it comes to developing a culture of peak performance in an organization, the sum of the activities must be focused on organizational objectives that are clear and understood by all employees. The trick is to provide focus while allowing for innovative thought.

Focus comes from within us as well. Many of you might recognize times in your career when you demonstrated peak vs. nominal productivity and contribution. I have seen the most productive employees lose their mojo when their environment no longer encourages and supports the innovations they present, resulting in demotivation and a lack of focus.

It’s important to learn from these peaks and valleys and to have the desire to refocus so you can keep achieving the peaks that you pride yourself on, and that people expect from you.

I started this article with an admiration of people who want to make a difference. This inspiration comes from people I work with every day. From the first day I joined EFC, I experienced a staff with a “can do” attitude and a real desire to make a difference for our membership. Since then, we have added new team members who have fresh perspectives on how we can add more value and be even more productive.

We are very lucky to have this team serve our industry, and I will do my best to embrace the innovative mindset, empowerment, recognition and focus that are required to keep this performance train going.

Carol McGlogan is President & CEO, Electro-Federation Canada.