An individual contributor in the Human Resources department of a large manufacturing organization was struggling to align her approach with her coworkers and getting frustrated by how projects were getting done. She had high expectations for herself and others and a clear vision for how things should be done. However, she was finding herself unable to deliver, particularly when working on collaborative projects. She received feedback from some of her coworkers that she was coming across as harsh.
The employee needed to broaden her view of others’ values and motivations to be able to work with others effectively. She decided to attend Lead from Within, an open enrollment program from theLEADhub by Verity. This program helps employees understand their own and others’ motivations in the workplace and gives insight into how to leverage this understanding when working with others. It empowers employees to be effective not only when things are going well, but also in tough situations.
In the program, the employee interacted with people who came from different organizations, so she had no preconceived notions about their style and could remain objective. Through multiple activities, she had the opportunity to see the different working styles in action, hear individual perspectives, and understand the full diversity of the underlying values and motivations.
The program helped the employee become more patient and tolerant of others. She now takes time to listen to what her coworkers have to say and seeks to understand how they are approaching an issue. She feels more prepared when she goes into meetings because people with different motivations and values no longer derail her. She has also become more aware of how she comes across to others because she can reflect on her own style from their perspective. The program has set a foundation for her to be more effective in her work.