Excellence to Eminence

Reinforcement Best Practices

Here are examples of how groups across campus are reinforcing high-performance behaviors. Use these examples to come up with ways to promote the tools and mindsets learned in the unfreezing retreat with your team. 

 Sharing appreciation

What did you do? At our annual Update Day, we took time to share appreciation with each other. At the meeting, we were gathered around tables of seven. Each table received a large sign with the name of a team written on it (i.e. Telecounseling, Admissions Information Center). The staff at the table represented many different areas within our organization and talked as a group about what they appreciated about the particular area listed on the cardboard.  One scribe wrote down what everyone was saying.  The discussion really prompted a lot more comments to write down.  After everyone was done, each table shared their appreciation with the larger group. The sign was given to the leader of the respective team to keep. Each area has put their sign someplace in their area for others to see. 

What changes have you noticed? Sharing appreciation increased the feeling of working together as a larger team, and encouraged people to have an appreciative mindset. In fact, many staff noted and appreciated the fact that the cardboard we used to make the signs was “green;” it was from the inside of the boxes in which paper are delivered.

Associate Director Phyllis Miller and Senior Assistant Director Jill Hampshire, Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience

 Speeding up the process

What did you do? We knew it would take awhile to get everyone in Athletics through an unfreezing retreat. To reinforce the concepts with those who have attended, and introduce them to staff who haven’t attended, we’re conducting a series of education sessions around the tools and mindsets that will have the most value in our area.

What changes have you noticed? This has helped us speed up the process of shifting to a high performing environment and work to improve our culture. Everyone in Athletics is gaining a baseline around these concepts, and we’re able to think and operate with the same mindsets.

Tom McGinnis, Assistant Athletics Director, Department of Athletics

 Understanding behavioral styles

What did you do? Out of a team of five, only two people have attended an unfreezing retreat. To understand our team better, we all determined our behavioral styles. Also, when I get an eCoach reminder, I print the poster and tip sheet for everyone to post in their cubes, and we talk about them in our staff meeting.

What changes have you noticed? HR is stressful – most of time we’re in crisis mode. Thinking about where we are on the mood elevator make it easier to not fall into a negative mindset, and understanding where others are helps us communicate more effectively. Also, focusing on be here now helps us make sure that we are giving all of our customers the time and attention that they deserve without distractions.

Jodie Joerg Andreoli, Human Resources Manager, Comprehensive Cancer Center