It’s the good swimmers who are most likely to jump ship, and this holds true in the workplace. How do you keep the best swimmers from doing the backstroke into the sunset?

Make your workplace great.

Some basic, but often overlooked qualities have the potential to make lousy or even good workplaces into great ones. For example, how do you typically set the stage for new ideas and innovation in your organization? Do employees trust their managers and leaders? If not, how can you shift their perception? Research proves that organizations which are considered “great places to work” are also more profitable than other companies, so learning to make your workplace great should be a priority for you and the other leaders in your organization.

“Happy employees produce more than unhappy ones over the long term. They routinely show up at work, they’re less likely to quit, they go above and beyond the call of duty, and they attract people who are just as committed to the job. Moreover, they’re not sprinters; they’re more like marathon runners, in it for the long haul.” – Harvard Business Review

Learn about the impact of personalities and behavioral traits.

We all react to the world with particular behavioral habits and motivators. Awareness of these gives us the understanding to take our own and careers to the next level, but even more importantly, it helps us understand our team members, and gives them the tools they need to understand and work more effectively with each other. If you don’t leverage knowledge of behavioral styles in your organization yet, consider the knowledge gained from a personality test an untapped resource that could result in higher functioning teams.

Inspire courage by modeling courageous behavior.

“To be a leader requires rendering bold decisions that some people will disagree with. Leadership takes courage. To be an innovator requires ground-breaking but tradition-defying ideas. Innovation requires courage. To be a great sales person you have to knock on hundreds of doors over and over in the face of rejection. Sales requires courage. If you get the courage right at the outset, so many other things become effortless.”  Author, Bill Treasurer

Dedicate yourself to being a courageous leader, and you’ll find that your employees will start to develop their own authentic, courageous voices. The result? More productivity, increased effectiveness and the fortitude to let go of worn out processes that waste organizational resources.

Build accountability into your culture.

This may sound like it only speaks to managerial objectives, but the truth is that a culture of accountability serves the employees just as much, or even more. With accountability in place, you have a vehicle for personal rewards and recognition. 2012 is the year to show those Olympic swimmers on your team why they will want to pull even harder for your organization. Consider accountability the antidote to a workplace of disengaged employees.

“The best possible performance for everyone, no matter what their level, is grounded in the ability of managers to reinforce & redirect, create a positive climate of accountability, and set clear goals & expectations for themselves and every employee. Managers are accountable for the results attained through the performance of employees.”

– Suzanne Updegraff, CEO, Employee Development Systems, Inc. (EDSI)

Set Goals & Expectations

Launch performance by communicating clearly about plans and management style. Establishing expectations creates ownership and personal accountability. This allows your employees to comprehend the essential style of working with you.

Reinforce & Redirect

Regular, consistent, and detailed communication align with goals and expectations to build a high-performing team. Reinforcing behavior that is effective and redirecting behavior that is inappropriate will establish and punctuate your expectations.

Create Climate

Every manager fosters a climate, either intentionally or unintentionally. Consciously create a comm that helps everyone feel valued or motivated  to take risks, find solutions, and become personally accountable for results.