Building a high performance team

It is amazing how much organization can achieve when leaders and managers learn to adopt simple strategies such as employee participation in decision making which not only help build a motivated workforce, a positive workplace culture and ultimately a high performance organization. I understand that sometimes involving employees in the decision making process can be a bit time consuming and strenuous but I also believe that on the short and long term the result is enormous.
To make the most of this strategy, it is important for managers to create an atmosphere of “openness and honesty” in the workplace and this can be encouraged through
ü Getting to know employees and listening for their problems, ideas and aspirations,
ü Regular meetings where everyone is free to express their opinions on work related issues.
ü Discussions between individuals and groups directly with their managers.
ü Third party channels such as suggestion box, union representatives.
ü Regular communications such as newsletters, website, intra-net
ü Work teams/ joint consultative committees to address specific organizational challenges.

Feedback
It is important to note that all ideas raised by your teams and individuals within the organization cannot be implemented, hence recognize and appreciate their ideas and possibly explain why you may not be able to implement such ideas in specific situations.
Responsive action and feedback on outcomes of ideas should be given from time to time because this would encourage employees to put forward ideas and suggestions in the future and also create a sense of ownership within the organization.

Delegate
Delegation is one way secure leaders encourage employee participation in decision making, this has to do with encouraging your people to take responsibility for doing their jobs without much interference from the manager. The implication of this is that employees gain new skills, experiences and also develop their leadership potentials.
Although all organizations differ in size and vision but on underlying factor still remains that leaders and managers should value their people’s views and opinions and learn to engage the principle of employee participation to improve organization’s performance.