The New Agreements at Work
First New Agreement
Most people are pulled to the workplace with some sense of purpose. For many, the purpose and energy for their work becomes dulled or even lost in today’s stress-filled workplace. There is a part of each of us that yearns to be energized to go to work and to feel that we have made a difference at the end of the day. Reconnecting with purpose reenergizes staff at all levels to do the necessary work that creates sustainable growth and a higher purpose for work.
Second New Agreement
Leaders and managers, in particular, must integrate this Agreement into their leadership styles. The challenges and opportunities to improve quality and customer satisfaction are best understood by the staff and employees who are directly involved in the work. When leaders focus on growing and serving their frontline people, the frontline staff can focus on improving systems, growing skill-sets and serving customers, thereby promoting a culture of continuous improvement. Improvement in financial performance through cost reduction is a natural byproduct of growing and serving the frontlines in this way.
Third New Agreement
It’s not enough to be familiar with systems-based quality improvement. We must begin to THINK in a systems-based way. Leadership and management improve dramatically when we begin to think and lead in a systematic manner. It is well documented that in excess of 90% of the results we produce in the workplace, both good and not so good, are a function of the systems in which the people work, NOT the efforts of the people. Non-systems thinkers in the workplace tend to fault people for recurring problems over which they have no control. Worse, the solution to problems focuses on behavioral changes, which have little possibility of sustainable success. Hence, we repeatedly fight the same fires using the same unsuccessful strategies many times demoralizing ourselves in the process. Systems thinking transforms leadership, management, strategy, problem solving and ultimately, results.
Fourth New Agreement
If we desire to learn and make new skill sets a part of how we operate in the workplace, we must practice. Ideally, the organization will support frontline staff in taking on initiatives where they can apply and practice the principles and tools of the Four Agreements and the New Agreements. Applied practice naturally moves principles and tools from concept to consistent and measurable action and finally from “doing” to “being.” Great achievements become reality through small actions taken every day. Practice and regular action should not be arduous. We do our best practice and our best work when we are inspired and having fun. With the support of great leaders, this new model for the workplace will be built by frontline staff taking little actions every day.
Four Agreements at Work
PO Box 2674
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
Tel: 760-431-7893
Fax: 760-431-7899
info@TheNewAgreements.com
