What are the moments you remember most vividly from your time at work? Chances are, they’re not the times when you were just putting in the hours and going through the motions. They’re the times when something happened that made you sit up and take notice- a project that went above and beyond, a difficult problem that you and your team solved together, or a recognition from your boss that made you feel appreciated.
These moments of elevation are so important because they remind us why we do what we do. They inspire us to be our best selves. And when we have more of them, we’re more engaged, more productive, and more likely to stick around for the long haul.
I was recently reading a book by Chip and Dan Heath called The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact. The New York Times bestselling authors explore why certain brief experiences can jolt us, elevate us and change us–and how we can learn to create such extraordinary moments in our life and work. This powerful book explores four elements that are essential to defining moments: elevation, insight, pride, and connection.
Elevation:
These are the high moments that take us out of our regular routines. They make us feel excited, uplifted, delighted, and driven.
Insight:
These moments offer us a new understanding of ourselves, other people, or the world around us. They give us a sudden realization that changes the way we see things… the ‘aha’ moments!
Pride:
These are the times when we feel like we’re part of something larger than ourselves- when we feel connected to a group or a cause and motivated to contribute. for example, when your boss recognises your hard work in front of the team.
Connection:
These are moments when we feel connected to other people- whether it’s a shared laugh, a team bonding experience, or a deep conversation.
One of the things that stuck out to me while reading was the idea that moments of elevation can have a profound impact on our work lives. We often think of our jobs in terms of the day-to-day grind, but it’s these moments of elevation that make work meaningful and satisfying. And when we have more of them, we’re more likely to stick around at our jobs and be engaged and productive employees.
So how can we create more moments of elevation for our teams? The trick is to take away the accidental nature of these peak experiences and make them intentional. In todays digital era, leaders need to get creative in order to make work feel like something worth staying for. Here are four ideas to get you started:
Elevation: Team Building
Change up the regular routine and surprise your team with a fun team building activity. It’ll be a moment of elevation for everyone and break up the mundane workday. Plus, it’ll be something to bond over and talk about for days to come.
A well planned team day will show your employees that you care about their morale and are willing to invest in their happiness. It’ll be a moment of elevation for the company as a whole.
There are tons of different programs out there that will cater to your company’s needs, so do some research and find one that works best for you. And who knows, maybe this can become a regular thing! moments of elevation in the workplace are essential in order to maintain morale and keep things interesting. So go out there and get planning!
Insight: Create a Aha Moment
We’ve all had moments of clarity or sudden understanding, moments that we later refer to as “aha moments.” In business settings, these moments can be few and far between. But what if there was a way to create more of them? To have more moments of sudden insight and revelation in the workplace?
It turns out, there is. And it starts with understanding what makes an “aha moment” so special. First, let’s look at what an “aha moment” is not. It’s not simply a happy coincidence or a stroke of good luck. Nor is it simply a eureka! moment of intellectual discovery. Instead, an “aha moment” is something that has three specific qualities:
- It is unexpected.
- It is insightful.
- It is meaningful.
There are four steps to creating a aha moment:
- Find the right trigger.
- Set the stage.
- Create the moment of insight itself.
- Deliver the message effectively.
Team building workshops like Find your why or Belbin Team Roles are great platforms for creating moments of insight within teams. This is because they lead to greater understanding, connection, and motivation. And who knows? Maybe even a few “aha moments” along the way.
Pride: Recognition Session
What better way to show your team how much you appreciate their hard work than by hosting a recognition session? This is a great opportunity to not only thank them for their contributions, but also to let them know how proud you are of their accomplishments. Team pride is a powerful tool that can motivate employees to continue doing great work, so make sure to take advantage of it!
This could involve highlighting individual or team accomplishments, sharing customer feedback, or simply taking time to express appreciation for a job well done.
A simple “thank you” can go a long way towards making someone feel valued. But don’t stop there- look for ways to publicly recognize employees who go above and beyond, and make sure everyone on your team knows about. We practice this one weekly in our team huddle where everyone gets the opportunity to do a shout out to another team member who may have impressed them in the previous week. Everyone leaves feeling appreciated and connected.
Connection: CSR Strategy
A strong CSR (corporate social responsibility) plan is essential for any business, but it can also be a great way to build connection in the workplace. After all, what could be more elevating than knowing that your work is making a positive impact on the world?
Involving your team in the development of your CSR strategy will help you identify what matters most to your people. This will help to ensure buy-in from employees and will also provide opportunity to build inter-team connection. When a business’s CSR effort has a positive impact on the surrounding community, its employees are more likely to align with the company’s goals and strive to mirror values of responsibility in their own daily tasks. . CSRs also encourage employees to build more meaningful and closer relationships with one another. Identifying a cause or a way of giving back in consultation with your team will engage, inspire and often bring out passion in your people that you may not have experienced.
Statistics highlight that nearly 60% of employees who are proud of their company’s social responsibility are engaged within their jobs.
There are many different ways to get involved, but a popular choice is through charity team building. This involves working together as a team to complete a service project for a local nonprofit organization. Not only does this provide an opportunity for employees to give back, but it also helps them bond with each other and feel proud of their work.
Creating peak employee experiences should be a key focus for any business leader. Moments of elevation don’t simply happen so its up to leaders to create an environment and culture that allows them to occur.
Not only do these moments have a positive impact on recruitment and retention, but they also contribute to overall business success. And, most importantly, they help to create a positive and thriving company culture. So what are you waiting for? Start elevating your team today!
What are some other ways that you can create moments of elevation for your team? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
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