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Friday, 30 July 2010

INDEPENDENT INDUSTRY ARTICLE

Creating A Culture

I have minimal staff turnover…
I have a team that is highly motivated…
I have staff willing to contribute…
I have children and families that enjoy attending my centre…
I love what I do…

If I was to tell you there is one secret to achieving all of the above and it was absolutely FREE by simply calling me then we would be flooded with calls!

Unfortunately there is no secret or exact science to building a successful culture in your business, however through my experience in running Expect A Star and working with a large volume of centres nationally I have begun to understand (after much trial and error) how to influence, develop and maintain a positive team environment. For those of you reading this article that may already be enjoying the spoils of a strong team environment and culture - congratulations, but for the remainder it is time make a start.

It is important to be aware that when creating a positive culture you need to ‘be the change’ by playing a lead role in the process, whilst at the same time display a level of trust in your team. For creating a culture is not about you dictating to staff about what is expected, rather more about your staff understanding how their behaviour and attitude defines their place of work.

The initial steps to creating your culture should be in line with the following elements – Goals, Boundaries and Feedback:

Goals – Identify your goals for your centre over the next 3, 6 or 12 months. At your next team meetingshare these goals and gather input from staff.
Boundaries – After the goals have been agreed upon, you need to set some parameters or boundaries to achieve these goals. This will start to set the expectations on behaviour.
Feedback – Inform your team that you will be providing feedback collectively as well as individually as you work towards the agreed goals. Also make staff aware that feedback is welcome at any time.

By completing this simple process of goal setting, identifying boundaries and receiving feedback you have effectively:

Allowed the staff to ‘have a voice’
Opened the channels of communication
Allowed the team to take ownership of centre goals
Clarified the feedback process and created an environment where feedback is encouraged
Made you accessible to the team – a key component in the building of trust
Made your staff accountable to both you as well as their team members in the instance where boundaries may have been crossed

A range of other tools can be utilised to contribute positively to workplace culture including incentives, additional support or special recognition awards, but at this point it is important for you to assess whether these are absolutely necessary.

The process of creating a culture can start to take shape in a short space of time, so it is important to ensure that the culture you desire is the one that is actually being created. Common mistakes to avoid include failing to deliver on promises, not providing feedback, shifting boundaries, and not taking the time to recognise special contributions. Is this the type of culture you are seeking?

As your centre culture starts to embed you will be pleasantly surprised by the level of accountability displayed by staff in the pursuit of goals, leadership qualities displayed from team members and newfound potential for future success.

When the culture is finally embedded I can assure you that the morale, motivation, energy, enjoyment and job satisfaction will improve, resulting in a positive experience for everyone involved in your centre.

Feel free to contact Ryan on 1300 669 653 or via email ryan@expectastar.com.au if you would like further information about the Expect A Star story or if you would like any assistance or advice for your centre.

EARLY YEARS LEARNING FRAMEWORK WORKSHOP INVITATION

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is Australia’s first national Early Years Learning Framework for early childhood educators. The EYLF describes the principles, practice and learning outcomes essential to support and enhance young children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school. The EYLF will contribute to realising the Council of Australian Governments’ vision that: “All children have the best start in life to create a better future for themselves and for the nation.”

This Expect A Star workshop is designed to provide an overview of the EYLF outlining the Principles, Practices and Learning Outcomes that make up the Framework.

As a special offer to Childcare Sales Australia clients, Expect a Star are offering discounted relief staff on the day if they require assistance for someone to attend and 1 free ticket to any other workshop we hold on our 2010 calendar.

Further information can be found by clicking on the links below.

EYLS FRAMEWORK WORKSHOP INFORMATION - CLICK HERE

or you can book online by visiting the Expect A Star website directly at:

http://www.expectastar.com.au/education/Education_Calendar

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