Mike Stevenson

The current economic downturn is an opportunity. Yes, an opportunity to inject some much needed fun and humour into the workplace. Fun helps people perform better and it helps  improve the customer experience, even in the most adverse circumstances. I know, I have worked with clients to do just that and seen an immediate and tangible difference

Language for a start, has a massive effect on people’s thinking and attitudes. Many people think it’s the other way round but in fact it’s the words and the tone  that’s used around you that makes you feel how you do. And that’s why people often feel de-motivated at their work. You know the kind of thing – you walk in to a workplace and there are a million things up on the noticeboard telling you what not to do – or you go to a meeting that bores the hell out of you, not least because of the meaningless jargon. We need to bring back words like ‘magic’ and ‘fantastic’ to get people feeling up about being at work, using straightforward internal communications in organisations to create a feel-good factor. We should do the same in communications with customers.
The Local Government Association (LGA) of England and Wales, decided to ditch jargon. I applaud them for doing so. The LGA has produced a list of 200 words to be avoided if staff are to ‘communicate effectively’. I think we can even further. Let’s now address unhelpful attitudes that language can create.

It’s a good start to root out jargon and phrases wherever they occur, but organisations have to do much more than this. Here in Scotland, a country that has a humorous and inventive approach to language, there is chance to change negative underlying attitudes that are created and perpetuated by such language. We need to think ‘fandabidosi’ rather corporate handbook – and companies and public sector organisations everywhere have got to change the language they use with customers.
That’s why in January, I launched Thinktastic. Working with organisations that range from British Gas to Scottish Business in the Community. we have been  working with staff to change the language so that attitudes can be turned around. A workplace that uses an instructional approach, telling its employees what they should not do, invariably ends up communicating with its customers in the same terms – with disastrous results. Conversely, talking in positive terms, which creates a sense of engagement and ownership, carries over into improved customer experience and satisfaction.
British Gas has recognised this approach for some time, as Eugene Taylor, talent development manager for the company points out:
“We want people to want to come to work, and so our whole outlook is one of being open, informal and involving. We base things on people, and the language we use reflects this too – it’s everyday, straightforward and informal. We talk to our customers the same way; our sales agents focus on the feeling that the customer is left with at the end of the call. It’s about making customers feel that sales agents care about them and want to do the best for them. Our attitude to our staff is just the same. So for example, we have long since abandoned things like logging in with a swipe card, and we allow staff to have access to the internet. It is all about trust and dealing with people on a personal level. We are finding that go back to a more personal way of doing things and using language is having a hugely beneficial effect on how we do business, motivate our staff and keep our customers happy.”
East Lothian Council is also working to create changes in language and attitude. As David Russell, communications and marketing manager, says:
“We have looked in particular at the content of our website and we’re also launching a new version of our intranet to create more personal and tailored ways of accessing and sharing information, views and opinions across the Council. As part of this, we’ll be watching the Local Government Association’s progress with interest to see if there are things we can use and adapt for our own purposes. Changing communications does not happen overnight, but we are committed to changing and getting more people to see the need for change.”

I believe the route to changing attitude lies in language, not the other way around. Language tells people what they should think and feel. Here in Scotland we need to re-learn the language and re-discover humour too. We all use humour in our daily lives, so why should that  stop at work. If you look at the reality of working life, most places of work are humour-free zones. Yet it is precisely humour and informality that get people working well together and to their maximum potential because they are able to put more of themselves into their work. The benefits for staff morale and customer satisfaction are incalculable.

Comic Relief raised more than £57million. The Glasgow Comedy Festival enjoyed record ticket sales. What does that tell us. People crave fun and lightness. They want an escape from the doom and gloom that is unfortunately, being perpetuated by our media. People  want hope, not despair.

This a time for big new ideas and fresh approaches. There are unprecedented opportunities  to discard attitudes and work practices that have held us back for so long and to breath new life into our public services and businesses. When staff and customers walk into our offices, I want them to feel lifted – to liberate them from the doom.

When we succeed, we bring the best out of them. This a time of opportunity and if we don’t see and grasp it, we will betray those whose lives have been blighted by redundancy and repossession. By the time the recession is over, our country should look and feel better. If it doesn’t, the media will be right and almost every business person I have met in the past six months will be proven wrong.

We cannot allow that to happen. So look around you. What can you do to lift the atmosphere around you? The words you speak and write are a great start. Try it. You may be pleasantly surprised and your colleagues, customers and family will thank you for it.

Visit www.thinktastic.co.uk and if you want a presentation phone Mike on 07778 781546