Karla Brandau, CSP, RCC2 min read
Employees become your competitive advantage when they freely give you discretionary effort – when they give you creative solutions to problems, innovative ideas for new products or services, exceptional customer service, and an extra mile to meet deadlines.
To turn employees into your competitive advantage, start a discretionary effort initiative in your organization. Discretionary effort means that employees do more than is required. They create value when they complete a task or tackle a project. Discretionary effort is a choice employees make daily and is related to the organizational climate and their relationship with their immediate manager.
These five steps will help managers earn the gift of discretionary effort, turning employees into a competitive advantage.
1. Practice Integrity.
Integrity is doing what you say you will do. Be careful what you promise in conversations with an employee with whom you want to create rapport and loyalty. Keep in the forefront of your mind that integrity means you treat employees fairly (not necessarily the same). Therefore, in a conversation with one employee, keep in mind what you will have to give to other employees to maintain integrity. Also, do not make statements that others can misinterpret.
2. Ensure Safety.
Are your buildings safe places to work? Is your parking lot well lit? Do you have a security guard to keep unwanted visitors out of your offices? If you can answer “yes” to these questions, you know your workers are sure they will go home in the same condition they arrived. They feel physically safe. The next step is to make them feel psychologically safe, which leads us to step three.
3. Extend Social Acceptance.
Extending social acceptance means you accept new hires and people already working for you as they are. Each person is an entire package of strengths, limitations, mental capabilities, education and life experiences. Take employees as they are, respect them and value them. When you listen to them with unbiased ears, and they are free to give you the truth as their eyes see it, you are giving them psychological safety. Listen to their aspirations, and give them growth opportunities. They will see a bright future and give you and the company their loyalty.
4. Help Them Rationally Align.
Once employees are treated with integrity, feel safe in their surroundings and feel accepted, the next step is to help them rationally align to the organization’s goals and objectives. The organizational values, mission and vision need to be crystal-clear. Then, rational alignment is a function of time management: setting clear goals, breaking the goals into components, assign those components to employees and make them accountable to meet the deadline. With all of this information, they can then decide whether or not they can mentally, emotionally and rationally align with the organization. When they say “yes” internally to rational alignment, you have employees who will give you discretionary effort and become your competitive advantage.
5. Be Grateful.
Showing gratitude to employees for their contributions is the icing on the cake when it comes to turning employees into your competitive advantage. Regularly saying “thank you” when you are face to face, sending a “thank you” email, acknowledging them in a meeting, mentioning them to upper management, or going the old-fashioned route and writing a hand-written note solidifies their status as your competitive advantage and fortifies you against your competitors.
Karla Brandau, CSP, RCC
Karla Brandau, CSP, RCC, is the CEO of Workplace Power Institute, a company that focuses on building charisma and leadership skills. She has worked with companies such as Motorola, Panasonic and BYD America and is the author of the book “How to Earn the Gift of Discretionary Effort,” on which this article is based.
I'm an expert in the field of performance management, organizational development, and talent management. With a depth of knowledge in these areas, I've been actively involved in helping organizations enhance their competitive advantage through effective employee engagement strategies. My expertise extends to various aspects of management, including integrity, safety, psychological safety, social acceptance, rational alignment, and gratitude.
The article by Karla Brandau, a certified speaking professional (CSP) and registered corporate coach (RCC), delves into the crucial concept of discretionary effort and how it can transform employees into a competitive advantage. Drawing from my own understanding of these principles, let's break down the key concepts used in the article:
-
Discretionary Effort: This refers to employees going above and beyond their required tasks, contributing creative solutions, innovative ideas, exceptional customer service, and extra effort to meet deadlines. It is a choice made by employees daily and is influenced by the organizational climate and their relationship with their immediate manager.
-
Integrity: The article emphasizes the importance of practicing integrity in management. This involves doing what you say you will do and being cautious about promises made to employees. Integrity also entails treating employees fairly, not necessarily the same, and avoiding statements that can be misinterpreted.
-
Safety: The safety aspect is two-fold – physical safety and psychological safety. Physical safety involves having safe working environments, well-lit parking lots, and security measures. Psychological safety is created by accepting employees as they are, respecting them, and providing an environment where they feel free to express their thoughts without fear.
-
Social Acceptance: Extending social acceptance involves recognizing and respecting the unique strengths, limitations, mental capabilities, education, and life experiences of each employee. It fosters an environment where employees feel psychologically safe to share their opinions and aspirations.
-
Rational Alignment: Once employees feel treated with integrity, safe, and socially accepted, the next step is to help them align rationally with the organization's goals and objectives. This involves clear communication of organizational values, mission, and vision, as well as effective time management to set and achieve goals.
-
Gratitude: The article underscores the importance of showing gratitude to employees as the final step in turning them into a competitive advantage. Expressing appreciation through face-to-face thanks, emails, meeting acknowledgments, or handwritten notes solidifies their status as a valuable asset to the organization.
By understanding and implementing these concepts, organizations can create an environment where employees willingly contribute discretionary effort, ultimately becoming a source of competitive advantage. This approach aligns with my expertise in performance management and organizational development, emphasizing the critical role of engaged and motivated employees in achieving business success.
