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Exhibit 3–2 Step-by-Step Process for Changing Attitudes in the Workplace

• 1. Assessment of Attitudes
  • (a) Identification—Recognize common workplace attitude problems
  • (b) Environment—Identify challenges in the workplace environment Participants are introduced to common examples of “attitude-challenged” workers. Group activities help identify and role-play how to handle different types of attitude challenges. Focus is to assess the impact of negative attitudes on workers, management, and patients/customers and identify the causes of problems.
• 2. Adjusting Attitudes
  • (a) How listening, coaching, and providing feedback are the tools for attitude change.
  • (b) Role-play to practice how to use coaching and provide feedback with staff
  • (c) Identify payoffs and rewards Participants learn how to use open-ended questions, active listening, and tactful confrontation to address attitude problems in the workplace.
• 3. Common Management Mistakes
  • (a) How to be realistic and patient with attitude change
  • (b) Why scolding employees does little to stop the problem
  • (c) How to stop the culture of complaining and work to positively effect attitude change. Group activities include examples of common management mistakes and exercises to practice more realistic and positive ways to provide employee feedback, facilitate group discussion, and role-play the best methods for confronting negative attitudes.
• 4. Resolving Conflict
  • (a) The need to confront so that negative behaviors will not continue
  • (b) Expectations and coping strategies of employees to stress and management directives
  • (c) Recognizing personal conflict styles of workers and how to deal with them Exercises include ways to analyze communications to identify employee styles, planning the meeting, and working collaboratively to discover win/win solutions.
• 5. How to Work with Problem Behaviors and Attitudes
  • (a) Analyze the cause of the problem
  • (b) Privately confront with a calm, nondefensive professional demeanor In this session, participants role-play with their preferred style for handling difficult employees. Managers and employees exchange roles and must reprimand or confront problem behaviors.
• 6. The Last Resort: Employee Termination and Legal Issues
  • (a) Legal issues of employee terminations
  • (b) Requirements, documentation, and procedure Exercises use case studies to work out remedial and probationary systems and to document fully intervention efforts prior to the need for termination or re-assignment.
• 7. Creating a Positive Work Environment
  • (a) Evoke a positive, collaborative team environment
  • (b) Top motivators include nonmonetary rewards
  • (c) Characteristics of managing motivation in the workplace Exercises include engaging workers into teams, providing recognition awards for employees, and changing the climate by launching career development and advancement initiatives, leadership training, multicultural skills, and other positive incentive programs.

Exhibit 3–3 Facilitating an Attitude Workshop for Employees

Discussion groups are a great way to diagnose and treat attitude problems. Begin by stating the guidelines for the session to alleviate any anxiety and set a positive tone. Create a supportive atmosphere so that participants feel safe to examine their attitudes and beliefs.

The manager’s role should be as facilitator versus guiding a question-and-answer session. One task of the effective facilitator is activating the group’s resources to bring out the “best” of a group. For example, plan activities where people get involved with one another right off the bat (e.g., icebreaker type of exercise). Work with the energy of the group, use humor and laughter, and healthy competition. These interactions build trust and help people feel comfortable to share ideas and consider new options.

The second task of the facilitator is to activate participants’ internal wisdom. Ask questions and then let people discover their own answers. You can assist participants by keeping the dialogue going to sort out their values and priorities, explore beliefs and assumptions, and encourage them to alter their work lives in ways that they choose.

The third task is to facilitate personal reflections by asking questions to help participants test the ideas that are developed against their own experiences. List issues, goals, problems, and solutions that come up in the group dialogue. Write the main ideas on a board, perhaps focusing on negative attitudes and things that may cause them in the workplace. Ask people to expand on these. Give personal examples and ask them how poor attitudes in others can make them feel.

Throughout the process, the facilitator’s goal is to try to foster interpersonal support. By having participants share ideas and experiences, it initiates the process of each person supporting the other. Encourage team building and interpersonal support as part of creating a work atmosphere where negative attitudes are exposed and positive attitudes flourish.

At the end of each session it is important to provide a summary. This shows the participants that you have been actively listening and are prepared to offer a synthesis of the group’s observations and insights. Begin by saying “What I have heard today is…” Offer participants a chance to compare notes with one another for feedback. You might also ask participants to jot down ideas and feelings about the attitude dialogue to bring to the next meeting. Always provide a “take home message” of commitment to change—everyone should leave with at least one clear idea about what they will do next.

Discussions to identify negative workplace attitudes can be very effective. These discussions lead to solutions and group commitment to improved morale.