by In last week’s article I discussed Building and Nurturing Customer Loyalty: The Emotional Account Approach and ended by pointing out that it’s important to note, the emotional bank account applies to all areas of life.
In this article I wanted to prompt you the reader to take some time to think about your employees, your team.
What’s your emotional bank account looking like in respect to the relationships you have with everyone on your team? and your overall team?
As a leader your role is to accomplish outcomes through people, so there are always two dynamics involved: the outcome and the relationship. I have learned that the key to becoming a great leader is accomplishing the task while successfully building relationships.
The foundation of this relationship is based on trust. So, how do we go about building trust?
The Emotional Bank Account in Team Relationships
Here’s how the emotional bank account relates to team members:
- Deposits: Deposits into the emotional bank account represent positive interactions, gestures, and behaviours that build trust, goodwill, and positive feelings among team members. These can include acts of kindness, showing appreciation, providing support, giving credit where it’s due, and listening actively.
- Withdrawals: Withdrawals represent negative interactions, actions, or behaviours that erode trust and create distance among team members. These can include criticizing, blaming, not following through on commitments, breaking promises, and failing to communicate effectively.
- Balance: Just as in a financial bank account, you need to maintain a positive balance in the emotional bank account to have a healthy and productive relationship with team members. When the balance is positive, it fosters an atmosphere of trust, collaboration, and mutual support within the team.
- Impact on Team Performance: A high emotional bank account balance within a team is associated with better team dynamics, increased cooperation, and improved problem-solving. Team members are more likely to go the extra mile for each other when they trust and have positive emotional connections with their colleagues.
- Communication: Effective communication is a key factor in maintaining a positive emotional bank account. Clear, honest, and respectful communication helps prevent misunderstandings and conflicts that can lead to emotional withdrawals.
- Consistency: Building and maintaining a positive emotional bank account is an ongoing process. It requires consistent effort from all team members to treat each other with respect and kindness and to resolve conflicts constructively.
- Recovery: Just as in a financial bank account, if you make a withdrawal, it’s essential to make deposits to restore the balance. When conflicts or misunderstandings occur within the team, addressing them promptly and constructively can help rebuild trust and emotional connections.
In summary, the emotional bank account in the context of team members is a metaphorical representation of the trust and emotional connection within a team. Building and maintaining a positive balance through positive interactions and effective communication is crucial for a productive and harmonious team environment.
Teams with a high emotional bank account balance are better equipped to face challenges and achieve their goals.
Need more information? Have a look through my previous Blogs, located on The Loyalty Zone website or contact me, I look forward to hearing from you.
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Warm Regards,
Craig Cherry