Change the word “they” to “we” when referring to anyone within your organization. This change in language helps create a team mindset.
Hey, so I just got back from this cross-country bike ride. And I stayed in a whole bunch of different hotels. And when I would check in, I would listen for “they.” And a lot of times I heard things like this, “Oh, hey, your room’s not ready. Let me go, let me go check and see if they have it ready.”
And as soon as I heard “they” I would cringe because I knew that wasn’t a team, because teams use the word “we.” Teams would say, “We’ll see if we have your room ready.”
So when the front desk refers to the room cleaners, the maid staff, as “they” you know it’s not a team. They’re viewing themselves as separate teams.
So the point is, don’t give a lecture on being a team. Say, “Let’s just use the word “WE.”” So at the front desk, we’re going to practice referring to everybody else in the hotel rooms, food and beverage, engineering, as “we” and that will change the mindset and then it will feel like a team.
So our Nudge for you to this week is this – have a no “they” day. Have a day where you’re forbidden from using the word “they” to talk about anybody else inside the organization. Let me know how it goes.
