Discover the difference between Whale Done! (catching people doing things right) and \'GOTcha\' (catching people doing things wrong).
Whales- and people!- perform better when you accentuate the positive and redirect the negative.
Instead of focussing your energy, as most of us do, on what goes wrong- redirect that energy towards a positive outcome in both work and family relationships.
Tried to capture some points about the power of positive relationships and people doing things right in order to develop productive work and home environment. Please find attached the ppt on Whale Done and I have emphasised points on the Trainer Note.
Ken has stated that the Whale Done! Approach to building Positive Relationships is based on the three principles:Building Trust – Trust is the foundation of the entire philosophy. Accentuate the Positive – Focusing our efforts on catching people doing things right, rather than what they do wrong.Redirect if needed – (more here)
Trust is the first principle – Hard to get, but very easy to lose!“Trust develops over time, can be dashed in an instant, and repairs very slowly.” Ron Zemke, former Senior Editor of Training magazineTrust Builders Shows concern for me Open and honest (Mark Twain “Tell the truth and you don’t have to remember anything”) Respects my opinion Competent Interested in my development and growth Admit what you don’t know (nothing makes them believe what you say than when you admit what you don’t know – Diana Booher) Circulates among the troops (Lincoln) / MBWA / “Spend more time in the trenches with your people” Criticizes in private Open door policy (of course, this only works if you have an open mind!) Treats everyone fairly – doesn’t show favoritism Does what’s right Keeps confidences Empowers peopleReliable – does what they say they will do Delivers on promises (under-promise and over-deliver)
Activator is something that stimulates the behavior or performance that you want. With people, an Activator can be set of instructions, a training experience-or even a boss yelling at them. The most common Activators are goals.”All good performance starts with clear goals. If managers don’t sit down with their people and develop smart, workable goals that are clear on both sides, their people are left without any idea of what they’re expected to do or what good performance looks like. So the A in the ABC- whatever triggers the performance is important. After you motivate the performance you want by setting clear goals, you have to observe the behavior that follows. That's what B stands for. With a killer whale, that behavior might be jumping into the air, giving a trainer a ride around the pool, splashing the audience with his tail, or taking a bow. With people at work, it might be talking effectively with customers, achieving a sales quota, or getting a report on time. With kids, it might be cleaning their room or doing their homework. Observing the behavior that occurs after initial activation is a step that is often missed by managers-even when they get the performance they want. The third step is managing performance: the C or Consequence- what happens after you get the behavior you were looking for.
The fourth reaction people can get to their performance is a Positive Response. The trainers at Sea World might give the whales a bucket of fish, rub their bellies, or give them toys or playtime. At work, the response might be giving praise or providing a learning opportunity, or even a promotion. With kids you praise them, reinforce with a hug, let them watch TV, or give them a treat or a special privilege. When a good performance is followed by something positive, naturally people want to continue that behavior. The intention of Redirection is to set up a Positive Response.
the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey addresses the importance of building trust. He uses the metaphor of a bank account to describe the amount of trust that has been built up in a relationship.Positive interactions = depositsNegative interactions = withdraws. Remember this equation! especially with Kids & Spouses
Focus on the behavior, not the person. Avoid blaming, instead focus on the solution to the behavior or problem. Tell them how their behavior negatively effects the team, the organization, etc.Assume some of the blame yourself. This allows the person receiving criticism to save face, makes them less defensive or less likely to make excuses.Was it my fault or the team members?What could I have done to make it better? Did I not give them enough training or the right resources to be successful?Check for understanding. Just because a person nods their head does not mean they understand. How can we check for understanding?Remember the emotional bank accounts – finish on a high note!Start w/a positive (something they are doing right), give them some constructive feedback on how they can improve, and then end w/a positive. (the sandwich approach)
Recognition is most meaningful when it is given soon after the desired performance. Positive reinforcement is most effective in shaping desired behavior when it is frequent – make it part of your weekly planning. Focus on their strengths, not their weaknesses.Praise progress, not just the end result. Be specific – avoid generalizations.Share positive feelings - be sincere. Has to be heartfelt. Insincere praise is worse than none at all. Most people will tell you that they do not need praise, that they don’t need the kudos to do a good job. Everyone likes a little recognition, a simple Whale Done or Thank You can do wonders. We don’t do this enough!
If we each play a part in adopting the Whale Done Approach, the we will not only impact ourselves and our department, but we could really make a positive impact on the entire organization. So What? Now What?I love this program – It’s message is simple, yet very powerful.We all know from our own experiences that these principles work.When we can work in a positive, trusting environment, when we receive praise and recognition for a job well done, and are redirected in a manner that maintains our confidence and self-esteem, we can do some pretty amazing things together!
Your goal as a manager is performance improvement, it’s vitally important you start using the WHALE DONE Response. We focus our attention on poor performance rather than on good performance. In the process, we reinforce the very behavior we don’t want. Wake up and say something positive when everything is going well!