"Why Not Us?”
 
This question posed by world champion Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson on Sunday evening nicely sums up what Work Unit Climate means to me. 
 
In January, we started our themed blogging series with Work Unit Climate, one of 12 interacting dimensions of the Burke Litwin Model of Organizational Performance and Change. Work Unit Climate relates to how employees think, feel and what they expect. It shapes employee motivation and performance in important ways. What ‘why not us?’ question could you pose to your team to impact their performance: …to be best in your industry? …to delight your customer beyond expectations? …to collaborate in ways you haven’t before?

Your retweets and shares of each blog across various social platforms tell us that our first theme was well-received. Thank you for getting the word out on leading change successfully.  

This month, we will focus on the Individual & Organizational Performance dimension to support you in the performance appraisal period. How do you demonstrate that your individual efforts this past year align with corporate results? As leaders, how should you gauge or even coach your team members' achievements against corporate benchmarks? Read our weekly blogs in February to learn more. We start with this month's first blog post below.

We invite you to enjoy our updated website, streamlined with a cleaner look and feel and better search capabilities on your mobile devices and desktop.     
 

If you are in the Dallas / Fort Worth area, visit us in our newly opened Southwest office on Travis Street. We'd love to show you around.

                     
 

Facing difficulties writing your yearly self-review - a necessary duty for most employees? How do we use a flawed even subjective performance system to our advantage? Karen offers tips to help set up your review for a year-long success. Download our template matrix to write the self-review with your manager in mind, even build a mutually beneficial work relationship with your reviewer!    more

How are interrelationships in your work environment? Are the impressions holistic and conducive for growth and learning; or are communications contentious? What about the leadership (or even collective) expectations - positive or competitive? No one should work it alone. We can all be better together.
 

In January, four writers offer recommendations to nurture constructive relations among members of your team, between your team and your clients, between teams, and also throughout the organization. Check out the reflection questions in each blog to help you exercise the writers' recommendations at work!

“But you can build a future out of anything. A scrap, a flicker. The desire to go forward, slowly, one foot at a time. You can build an airy city out of ruins.”

“Before you abuse, criticize and accuse, walk a mile in my shoes.”

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”