What Are YOUR Non-Negotiables?

What are your non-negotiables?

When I was a single-unit retail leader I would have regular meetings with my team, and ask a simple question: "What are our non-negotiables?"

Most people would look around at each other, with pondering looks, but not speak up right away.

"What behaviors are important to us? What behaviors will not be tolerated?"

THIS would open up the floor to passionate dialogue and many times my team would know the behaviors they didn't want, but had a more difficult time speaking to what they DID want. We would take notes on a large whiteboard, and eventually, work our way down to five or so non-negotiables - Who We Are as a Team.

By doing this together, we created an agreement of standards and everybody felt important and heard.

We were one, unified team.

When someone failed to adhere to the non-negotiables, it was much easier to talk about it, because we were all part of the creation, and therefore, understanding of their importance.

Your employees matter - their voices matter. Be the type of leader who hears them.