Summary: The end of the third quarter is a time when preparations begin for a phenomenal 4th quarter. One secret weapon for the prevention of poor leadership is a book club at your office. Simple, cost-effective, and able to engage all employees, here’s why this method works like a charm. Book Clubs Create Conversation They may not tell you when there’s a problem on the team, but get them talking about a scenario in a book and you’ll likely learn a lot. It’s easier to talk about the characters in a book than to talk about themselves. Book Clubs Model Accountability If you have regular meetings and reading to be done by the next meeting, you are creating an environment of accountability. The whole group is expecting others to have read the material and this creates peer pressure. This example and behavior can then be applied to other projects. Book Clubs Spark Creativity Using a scenario in a book, to which employees are not emotionally attached (like they are to their jobs) leaders can ask “How would you apply that same type of solution to our office?” Book Clubs Breed Innovation Asking employees to think of different ways to present the information from a chapter, for example, will cause them to think differently. Learning how to think differently is a skill that can then be applied to solving problems in your workplace. Book Clubs Make Efficient Use of Your Time Do you schedule regular meetings of the entire team or a sub-group now? Likely you see them one on one to share structured feedback or criticism. Use this time to meet with them as a team. It provides all the results I’ve mentioned and also gives the team a chance to bond, communicate with those they may not work with daily, and see you in a way that is not directed at what they might not be doing or need to improve. Book Clubs can create teambuilding. The book can relate to work and allow you to use examples for communication, work flow, team work, or a number of issues. Most often, regardless of the book you use, the regularly scheduled meetings and creativity that comes as a result will elevate your team’s results. Is this an idea you’re considering? Look for Make Difficult People Disappear to kick it off. This book will give you and the team benefits AND skills you can use immediately in addition to the benefits of getting the team together. I’m Monica Wofford, and that’s your Monday Moment. Have a great Monday, an even better week and of course, stay contagious!
