At my Toastmasters meeting today we celebrated National Refreshment Day. Who knew such a day existed? Yes it was started by a beer company, surprise, surprise. But this is a day worth observing. Not just once a year, though. To refresh is to put new life back into something. I believe refreshment merits a regular, ongoing place in our lives, relationships, careers, and businesses.
Yesterday I spoke with the owner of a local pest control company who’s taken the reins as the founder’s retiring. Here are few steps the new company leadership is taking to refresh the culture of the business:
- A listening tour. Speaking one to one with each employee, asking a lot of questions, and learning what was important to them.
- Refreshing company vision, mission, motto and core values. There were existing vision, mission, motto and core values statements, but this business owner went out of the way to engage every team member in creating a new fresh vision and the accompanying mission and values statements and motto.
- Inviting team members to take the lead in implementing this re-freshed vision and to create and contribute to the positive new culture.
- Adopting a growth mindset (v. a fixed mindset) across the company.
As a result of this purposeful movement to refresh, the company’s clients are enjoying refreshment too. No surprise – the company is seeing accelerated growth and it’s a wonderful, safe, flexible and vibrant place to work.
To get new info on my computer screen there are times I have to hit refresh. To bring new life to my work I often hit refresh. What steps are you taking to bring refreshment to your work and life?
Happy National Refreshment Day!