Sabotaging Productivity and Creativity in the Workplace

Hierarchy, superstars, lone contributors, financial incentives, powerplays, conflict-driven settings are at the core of most workplaces we know and for whom we work.

What the so-called leaders of these companies don’t understand is that these very attributes, beliefs, and behaviors are sabotaging productivity and creativity, and the reason they will never reach their full potential.

A fascinating TED talk, “Forget the Pecking Order at Work,” by businesswoman, lecturer, author and TED Talk regular Margaret Heffernan, describes how a simple productivity experiment taught her volumes about how to get superior results from human capital.

It started with chickens! Yes, the animals who lay eggs. An evolutionary scientist, William Muir, wanted to increase the number of eggs that were being laid. He decided to separate the average producers from the super chickens (those who laid a greater than average amount). He bred them for multiple generations and continued to keep the super performers away from the adequate ones. What happened?

Of course, the super chickens, because of inbreeding, became even better, right? Wrong. By allowing the average producers to get away from the alphas and their dominance and constant conflicts, they were able to produce dramatically more. The super flock pecked each other to death, literally.

What was the secret? Why did the ordinary out-deliver the so called extraordinary?

First, both groups were given the same amount of resources such as equal amounts of food and space. But, in the average flock there were no power struggles or, excuse the expression, pecking order. Rank didn’t define the quality of the animal. Time wasn’t wasted with aggression, dysfunction, or cattiness as it can be with super chickens and super employees.

How does this translate for human groups who perform at their peak of productivity and creativity?

Heffernan believes successful teams and organizations have three qualities:

1. High sensitivity to each other and an ability to sense and show empathy. (Try this online test to see how you score.)
2. Equal time, and credence, to every member of the team. There are no superstars, no subordinates, and no ranking of ideas by owner’s status.
3. Groups with more women. Is that the diversity or do women naturally bring #1 and #2 to the table? Heffernan was not sure.

It boils down to social connectedness ― how often, in what environment, and with whom do people interact; establishing what Heffernan calls a “culture of helpfulness.”

A culture of helpfulness means the daily interaction of people who work by giving to and getting help from others. It’s a team of individuals who appreciate they don’t know everything, are not looking for the credit and the glory but seeking the best solution for the most difficult problems. It also means the leader is encouraging and guiding the process but not dominating it.

How does a culture of helpfulness begin? It starts with getting to know one another, really getting to know one another.

I coach in organizations where I am privy to more about the lives of most of the employees than the senior leaders could ever imagine. Why? Because I hang out in the lunch area, take different routes to the women’s room, chat in the elevator, am available for a mini-talk. I have no rank and am curious about what everyone is thinking and observe with an empathetic eye, not a critical one.

I admit to enjoying this part of my job, but it also serves an important aspect of my coaching business ― people know, like, and trust me; therefore, engage with me. Could their bosses say the same? Not truthfully. Do they aspire to this level of connectedness? Probably not. Are these organizations the hot bed for the next big idea ― rarely, because they are sabotaging productivity and creativity by using a miniscule amount of the brainpower present every day, in every department, and, thwarting connectiveness with glass walls, private meetings, little communication, and just not caring.

Companies that are aware of their deficits are doing things to increase social connectiveness.

Here are what Heffernan sees as the top opportunities:

1. They acknowledge Millennials have worked this way since pre-school. Every project was done as a team. They adapted a more casual and relaxed demeanor while taking the problem seriously, even passionately. There were fewer ways to measure success and more emphasis on coming to a unique solution. Older employees have not gravitated to this form of working and they are missing an opportunity to learn and collaborate.
2. Organization provides more opportunities for casual encounters during the workday either with space or less policing of who is doing what, when, and where.
3. Reward collaboration. Never looking for the “Employee of the Month” rather the team or idea of the moment.
4. Create a culture that encourages everyone to celebrate the successes of others.
5. Build an environment where conflict and candor are safe and welcome.
6. Understand social connectedness requires time and nurturing. It’s not a poster or an initiative of the month ― it’s a cultural and behavioral shift that will be hardest on those most entrenched in the old world.

Connectedness and collaboration is essential to creativity and high productivity in the workplace. Without this mindset and behavior leaders of organizations are sabotaging productivity and creativity in their workplace and their team’s success.