Improve Morale Part 7 – Strategic Thinking Points

By M. Dana Baldwin, Senior Consultant

Strategic Planning Expert

Note:  This article is part of a series taken from Dana Baldwin’s article Improve Morale-Increase Motivation originally published in Compass Points in January 2003.  Although this article was written in 2003, these tips are timeless.

In previous posts we’ve discussed what affects morale.  In the post last week we discussed how to develop motivation by having a strategic plan in place and communicating that plan.  In this post we will be wrapping up the series with some strategic thinking points.

STRATEGIC THINKING POINTS:

1. Discover what your employees think of their management and the company.
2. Learn how talking with employees, mostly listening, can help improve the internal situation in your company.
3. Learn and teach your managers how to delegate more effectively.
4. Clearly explain your expectations to those who will carry out the task. Be sure they truly understand what the goal is and how they are to get there.
5. Know when to jump into your team’s problems, and when to stay out, for the best learning experience for the team.
6. Ask your employees how to eliminate wasted effort and unnecessary costs. They are closest to many of these situations, and often have the best input.
7. Have a good, well-developed strategic plan that you share with the employees and involve them in. With knowledge of the company goals, most employees feel more secure and will contribute more to the success of the company.
8. Communicate regularly with everyone, not just when there are problems. Use effective two-way communications as a trust-building tool. This effort should pay significant dividends over time, but don’t expect instant results. Give it enough time to really become effective.

To learn ways to take your strategic planning to the next level please listen to our webinar:  Why my strategic planning isn’t working.

M. Dana Baldwin is a Senior Consultant with Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc. He can be reached by email at: baldwin@cssp.com

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