Creating Positivity: An Interview with Jon Gordon
TwoTen Magazine caught up with Jon Gordon at the World Leader’s Conference in West Palm Beach, FL. Jon is an accomplished writer, speaker, and consultant for Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, schools, universities and nonprofit organizations. Read the following interview for tips on bringing positivity into the office...
TwoTen
What are the keys to casting a positive vision that your team will want to follow?
Jon Gordon
A great vision is simple, clear, bold and compelling. It’s something everyone on your team can remember, recite and rally behind. It’s important for your team to know where you are going, but it’s even more important to know why you want to go there. Your vision must also have a powerful purpose behind it. When you have a purpose that drives you towards your vision, your team will work harder, longer and more powerfully.
TwoTen
How do you keep the vision in the forefront of the minds of the team members?
Jon Gordon
As a leader you must share the vision all the time. Doug Conant, the former CEO of Campbell’s Soup, said sharing the vision was the most important part of his job, and he did it every day. Share the vision in conversations, meetings, emails, signage, etc. Start every meeting with the vision, and ask, “How are we doing?” Then, most importantly, know that it can’t just exist on a piece of paper. It must come alive in the hearts and minds of everyone on your team. Each person on your team must not only know the vision but also identify what it means to them and how they can contribute to it each day.
TwoTen
Describe some ways to keep energy and enthusiasm up in an organization.
Jon Gordon
Culture drives behavior, behavior drives habits and habits create our future. If we want our team to be energized, we must create a positive culture that fuels them and their performance. Too many organizations create cultures that drain people rather than fuel them. To do this I often share 4 C’s with audiences:
First, focus on being Contagious, in a positive way. If you share positive energy, your team will feel it and respond to it. Smiles, kind words and positive emotions are contagious.
Second, make sure you Communicate with your team. Communication builds trust, and trust enhances teamwork and performance.
Third, it’s also essential to Coach your team by encouraging, mentoring and developing them. When you develop your team and make them better, they will be more excited about working with you.
Fourth, it’s all about Caring. When people know you care about them, they are more engaged. It sounds simple, but it requires effort and focus to remember what matters most.
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