What’s a Leader to do to Create a Fantastic Work Environment?

Part 4: Be a WOW Role Model

Below is an excerpt from an interview with Deb Boelkes by Tyler Gallagher, CEO and Founder of Regal Assets, featured in Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global  This is the fourth installment in a 5-part series.

What’s another thing that managers and executives should be doing to improve their company work culture?

No matter where you are on the career ladder, never forget others are always observing you, just as young children observe and then mimic their elders. It’s up to you to set the stage.   Make the environment as welcoming and engaging as possible; set the bar for performance and behavioral standards; be the one everyone else wants to emulate. Let your WOW shine and the world will come to you.

The omelet chef at one of my favorite breakfast cafes never fails to delight customers because she goes out of her way to make everyone else feel special. She never fails to treat customers, as well as the other staff members, as though they are long lost friends who she is excited and blessed to see. She always seems to have a big smile on her face and that smile magically grows even brighter whenever anyone walks up to her omelet station. Of course, this makes everyone want to order one of her special omelets, just so they can stand there and chat with her while she is making it.

This ever-cheerful omelet chef loves to talk about how much she loves her job. As she tells it, her job is not work, it’s a passion and pure joy. For this reason alone, people want to be near her. Her joyful enthusiasm brightens their day. She is fun to work with and the café consistently receives the highest ratings on social media and online restaurant reservation services. She is indeed one WOW role model.

Imagine how much brighter your workplace might be if everyone there behaved like her.