When conversations come around to “what’s needed for an excellent workplace?”, the answer could fill a library.  Most of us don’t have time to read hundreds of books, so to make things easier, I’ve put together my “Ten Universal Principles of the Workplace.” It’s easy to print off and hang in a cube, post by the water cooler, reprint in a company newsletter, etc.

It’s not a David Letterman “Top Ten” list (although I might throw together a more humorous version of this down the road).  It’s a simple compilation of principles that, if practiced in any workplace, are key ingredients for making that workplace “excellent.”

Dan Bobinski’s Ten Universal Principles of the Workplace

1. Real leaders keep one eye on the landscape, communicate their vision throughout the company, and listen carefully to all feedback.

2. Real managers train their teams, focus on goals, and consider seriously all input for how to improve “the system.”

3. People want to work on things that matter to them.

4. The fundamental nature of any workplace is “product” + “process” = “outcome.”

5. Employees are not psychics. They need to be taught the expected “outcome,” and the nuances of both the “raw product” and “processes” needed to achieve that outcome.

6. The workplace needs to be a supportive, forward-thinking environment.

7. Training other team members to understand what you do is central to team environments.

8. Focusing on results is much more effective than focusing on accurate time cards.

9. Public criticism or disrespect toward a co-worker diminishes the value of all employees.

10. Failure happens, but most failure can be prevented by comprehensive and forward-looking cooperation.

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PS.  Obviously many more principles contribute to workplace excellence. Feel free to add to the list!

PPS. FREE: Print or download a PDF of these Ten Universal Principles of the Workplace.  Choose either a white background or a blue background

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Filed in Work, Business, Opinion, Training, Motivation, Management, Leadership, Teambuilding, Workplace, Meetings, Corporate Culture