Unlocking the potential of all employees in the workplace depends on the encouragement they receive, the quality of communication and organization at work, and a sense of security and appreciation of their work and effort.
The effect of encouragement
Success is a result of great managers who act as mentors, believe in their employees and treat each team member as a high-potential contributor. This unlocks excellence. An experiment in an elementary school in San Francisco, USA, proved that students referred to their class teacher at the beginning of the year as high potential children actually showed it over two years, even though the names on the list were actually selected at random. By providing the right framework, employees become problem-solvers, allowing the business to grow.
Emotional intelligence
Problems requiring management intervention often involve obstacles that hinder employee performance. An excellent manager develops emotional intelligence and related personality skills, such as clear communication, resilience and patience, as well as the crucial traits of humility and curiosity. These emotional competencies prove to be twice as important to job performance as IQ or expertise.
Clear communication involves recognition and requires honest feedback. Emotionally intelligent leaders build trust, which makes difficult conversations easier.
Psychological safety
Psychological safety in the workplace involves more than making people feel safe enough to express their opinions and make mistakes without being judged or penalized. It involves a sense of belonging and showing employees that their leaders value and understand them. To achieve psychological safety, managers must care about and trust the well-being and potential of each employee.
The power of potential
Tom D’Eri’s book “The Power of Potential: How a Nontraditional Workforce Can Lead You to Run Your Business Better” talks about how diversity can be a key to success. The author set up a car wash in Florida, USA, with his father, where over 80% of employees have been diagnosed with autism. Their family knows what it’s like to live with a neurodiverse person, as the author’s brother has autism. Worried about autistic people having a hard time finding jobs, father and son D’Eri started the business and quickly grew with two more locations in Florida. Their success is evidenced by high turnover and an employee retention rate five times higher than their competitors.
The reason for this lies in their unique workforce, which through hyperfocus and execution of their clearly communicated tasks, satisfies the needs of their customers. They are chosen both by people who also know autism intimately and by people who insist on the highest quality of service.
Organization clear to all
Neurotypical employees thrive in a culture of clarity, but can function without it. Employees with autism need more structure. They have repetitive behaviors and get deeper when learning new information, nitpicking details, and noticing inconsistencies. Training and transparent processes must be relied upon to improve employee performance, customer service, and workplace safety. Small changes in communication and training organization in a work environment can have a significant beneficial impact on everyone. They can contribute to a more inclusive corporate culture.
