If you’ve ever gone bowling with children, you’re probably familiar with the bumpers that get placed in the gutters to keep the balls from going off course.
That’s kind of how Jim Keenan sees himself.
“My job isn’t to direct people 100 percent,” said Keenan, the executive director of Golden Valley-based P.O.R., an emotional wellness provider that serves individuals, couples and families. “It’s to be somebody who they can bounce off of and still stay in their lane.”
Keenan, who has been in the mental health field since 1990, understands that being a bumper for someone starts by building their trust. It’s something he learned early on in his career from working with children with severe behavior disorders in both hospital and school-based settings.
“These kids didn’t care where I went to college or what I went to college for. They really just wanted to know if I was going to be somebody they could trust and that I was going to be there for them,” said Keenan, who became a licensed psychologist in 1996. “That was the biggest hurdle. Once we got past it and the trust was established, they knew I was someone who would offer them advice and let them do with it what they wanted.”
Though children are Keenan’s focus from a clinical standpoint, he’s also a business owner responsible for overseeing a staff of more than 30 employees. And just like he does with his patients, he works hard to foster trust among his staff and create a positive culture where team members understand they aren’t expected to behave like robots.
“We can’t treat the workplace like it’s immune to life,” Keenan said. “It’s three-quarters of our life. We work eight hours a day to live four and so the workplace has to become an environment where life in its glory can be talked about.”
However, many people in upper management still don’t recognize this and assume that if they’re not “business as usual” at all times, the work isn’t going to get done. Essentially, they’re afraid to treat their staff like professionals and adults.
“I was talking to a business group recently and one of the people there said to me ‘you don’t get upset if you have a meeting with an employee at 10 a.m. and the employee calls you at 9:30 a.m. and says they can’t make it?’” Keenan said. “I told him that I understand that things come up and I don’t even ask the employee why they need to reschedule. I don’t need to know – I need to trust that they had a good enough reason at that point in time.”
If you’re in a leadership role and you’ve been operating this way because “that’s how it’s always been done” in your organization, it’s OK to make a shift.
“Changing your behavior isn’t going to result in people thinking you’re weak. There is strength in recognizing when a management style doesn’t work,” Keenan said. “The best coaches in the world aren’t the best players. They’re the ones who get their players to be the best. And that’s the only job of management in my estimation.”
Looking to build a more supportive work environment where every member of your team feels valued, respected and appreciated? Here are a few of Keenan’s thoughts and suggestions:
- Humanize your employees: “I look at employees as the greatest commodity a business has,” Keenan said. “And it’s the job of upper management to make sure that the people out on the front lines have everything they need to do their jobs and that includes trust, support and the ability to make mistakes without getting in huge trouble.” It would be great if every employer had the ability to reward their employees with huge paychecks for a job well done, but Keenan noted that “most people aren’t paid what they’re worth.” That’s why it’s extra important to treat your employees like humans and show them how much you value them as both a team member and as a person. For example, one of Keenan’s employees makes jewelry and he and his wife make a point to visit her at the art festivals where she sells her wares. “I don’t do it because I want the payback,” he said. “I do it because I know that’s going to build our relationship. And if she has struggles on the job, she knows I’m not this ‘boss guy’ who’s unapproachable. She understands that I’m interested in supporting her as more than just an employee.” Too busy for this type of activity? Simply sending a thank you note or even a friendly text can go a long way toward making your employees feel seen.
- Be transparent and normalize talking about emotions: Keenan has instituted a simple practice with his team at P.O.R.: Look at your work mate and ask them where they are today – thumbs up or thumbs down? If it’s a thumbs down, follow up by asking “what role can I play in supporting you today?” It’s a quick exercise, but it’s been highly effective in promoting transparency. “Even as a leader, I’ve said to my team ‘I’m thumbs down. What I need for support today is to not be the crisis person,’” Keenan said. By encouraging open, honest communication – and letting your team know that it’s OK not to be OK every day – you’re taking a big step forward in creating a positive work environment.
- Host training sessions: Keenan has brought in guest speakers to host seminars on a variety of topics but his most popular one by far was a nutritionist who talked about diet, energy and stress. Not only did his employees get excited to learn about making healthy choices, they were also able to support one another on their wellness journeys. Find out what your team is interested in learning more about and reach out to your circle to see who might be willing to come in and speak. People love to share their wisdom with others – just ask them!
- Be flexible when you can: As a business owner, Keenan knows that there have to be rules. That said, he’s not about micromanaging and as long as the work is getting done, he’s more than happy to be flexible. “If your kid’s got an event at school and you want to go, that’s not a PTO thing – that’s a ‘go live life’ thing,” he said. “Just adjust your schedule – it’s all good.” As a result, Keenan has very little turnover, which is something that’s relatively unusual in the mental health field. Plus, he’s had employees who have temporarily moved away from the area come back to work for him upon their return. “To me, that’s the greatest compliment ever,” he said. By offering flexibility and letting your team know that you truly encourage and support a work-life balance, you’ll begin to notice a change in the morale in your organization without having to spend a ton of money. Because at the end of the day, that’s not what it’s all about. “Pay is not the reason that people stay at a job,” Keenan said. “It really has to do with how they’re treated, and if you treat the people around you well, they’ll want to be part of what your dream is.”
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