Can Your Environment Make You Smarter and More Productive
Yes, says Dr. Craig Knight, Occupational Psychologist and Director of Identity Realization. We talk to Craig about his fascinating research.
How did your research into the working environment begin?
I have always been very interested in the effect that working conditions have on how people feel and how they perform. So, I started to look at the most commonly used methods of management as they exist in the Western world at the moment, which are primarily Lean and Six Sigma.
For me, fitting people into standardized methods is an odd concept, because people aren't standard things. If, for example, you put animals into a lean, clean environment, with nothing to stimulate them, they get quite depressed. However, if you enrich a space and give people control over their environment, they start to feel and perform better.
By doing this, you can increase productivity by up to 32%. When we first started this research, we became very interested in this. Subsequently, we found that you can also enhance creativity and even make people cleverer in space A, than they were in space B by up to 19%.
Everyone has been on a team with a boss micromanaging them, and it’s very unproductive.
Any advice for managers on improving motivation and empowering teams?
If you want to empower a team, and this is really crucial, give the team authority over their space and their actions. When you do this, you have a beautiful thing called congruent identity.
You empower the team to realize their identity, but you also engender in them a warmth towards the organization because the organization has trusted them. Congruent identity is a really powerful thing because it links causally to improvements in output and productivity. The best management provides three things:
1) Autonomy
2) Resources
3) Trust
If you give people these three things, then they generally flourish, and so does the business.
How about managing remote teams during Covid19? Are there any particular shifts that people need to bear in mind?
The main drawback of working from home is that people miss social interaction. So, it’s important to provide social time, but don’t make this compulsory.
Let people know that you are there, if needed. People like to feel connected to other people. I find the term social distancing not quite right. We want to have physical distancing, yes, but not social distancing. We should be encouraging social interaction as much as we can.
That’s a good point. It should be called physical distancing. I never really thought of that.
We know that these are particularly challenging times. No one likes to admit weakness, particularly not to their boss. It’s easier to hide things if you’re working from home, rather than sitting opposite your boss.
What are the signs that members of your team aren’t coping well and what can you do about it?
If you’re providing social time and people aren’t taking advantage of this, that could be one sign that they might be falling off the radar. Also, take a look at performance. Are they falling behind?
Talk to them. Most people will welcome a phone call. Simple social interaction helps a lot. If there is an issue between the line manager and the employee, then have someone other than the line manager make the check-in call.
Everyone wants to be a leader who inspires people, but that is easier said than done.
For people trying to improve their leadership style, what advice do you have?
You’re right to ask that question. Most managers ultimately want to achieve good things for themselves and the organization. If you want to inspire people, help them to achieve the best that they can. So, think back to these three fundamental points:
1) Autonomy - give people the freedom to make mistakes.
2) Resources – give them what they need to do their jobs well.
3) Trust – This doesn't mean abandoning them. It means if people need help, they can ask you. If they need training, you’ll provide it.
Proper management is being there when people need you. Follow these simple tenets, and you will grow and evolve as a leader.
Let’s talk about criticism. Most people are naturally defensive when they feel criticized, myself included. I wonder if you have any advice about difficult conversations and criticism. Both giving and receiving?
Yes, I do, actually. One of the crucial things in these situations is to have empathy. Think about where you are and where the other person is. Convey any criticism in an empathic way and also a private way. Don’t criticize people in front of the rest of the team.
I have an interesting example. There was a woman I met who was a hotel manager. When she had to reprimand a staff member, she would invite them to her office and get them to swap roles. “You pretend to be me, and I’ll pretend to be you.” When people told themselves off, they had a greater insight into what they had done wrong, and therefore, the sanctions they gave themselves were far better than any she could have given them. They left, thanking her for being such an understanding and great boss. It’s all about being able to understand what makes that other person tick.
Currently, we are experiencing a lot of uncertainty, and, as human beings, we want to make sense of it.
What would be your advice for people during this period when literally everything feels uncertain?
Uncertainty affects people in different ways. The best thing you can do is let yourself off the hook. Realize that this is just a really strange time.
If you feel a bit down or you’re not sleeping well, it’s understandable. Don’t beat yourself up. Do things that make you happy. Remember, it should be physical and not social distancing.
The best medicine we have is other people. We thrive on interaction, we feel better, and we perform better. So, make time for video chats, or socially distanced walks and talk to other people. Video calls are far better than telephone calls because we get to see the other person’s face.
In the wake of COVID-19, our perspective on what’s possible for remote work is expanding on a daily basis. Don’t miss an update! Have every post delivered directly to your inbox.
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