Asleep on Their Feet

Ready for a scary metaphor? A recent poll by the Gallup Organization says that as many as 72 percent of US workers are so disengaged that they are essentially “sleepwalking throughout their day.” That’s nearly three in four workers. Yikes!

I’m still emotionally scarred from watching Night of the Living Dead. Do we really have to see reruns every day at work?

What you’ve got are people operating under an unspoken agreement that it’s okay to approach their work, and even the act of walking across the room, like an underpaid extra in a zombie flick. How do you fix this problem? By creating healthier agreements.

Replace “My job isn’t what I dreamed it would be when I was seven, so I get to drag my feet around the office” with “I’m lucky to have a job in a tough economy. Time to whistle while I work!”

Replace “If I have a problem, I get to whine” with “Step up and create solutions and suggest plans for implementation.”

Replace, “Poor me. Management would never listen to me” with “BOY, do I have an idea and I’m committed to making it heard so everyone can benefit.”

Replace, accepting gossip and passive aggressive behavior as “normal” and “call it tight” the second you see someone demonstrating it.

It’s not a matter of writing things down and getting a signature. It’s a matter of creating and modeling a positive attitude yourself and encouraging others to do the same so the unwritten agreements that are always present become drivers for success.

One of the best ways to get that train moving is to CELEBRATE.

Celebrate success at every stage. Celebrate it all. Everything that goes right…celebrate, celebrate, celebrate!

That formula works better than a double espresso for putting the spring back in every step.

Do you have a question about how to handle a situation or a relationship in the workplace? Ask Roxanne!

One Response to “Asleep on Their Feet”

  1. Jeffrey Martin says:

    I just wanted to share with you that although I use your post and really love the information that you put out I will not be able to distribute the information to my team anymore. My company has an intranet which only allows us to show certain sites. Youtube was my mens of sharing information and there is no youtube link for your new format. Please add the Youtube link back to your blog. I have recommended your book to over 20 people in different industries and I love your work.

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