Introducing a WIFLE to your Business

The WIFLE is a powerful tool to help you build a championship team.

WIFLE stands for 'What I Feel Like Expressing' and enable each team member to express what is currently going on in their lives, both in the business and personally. Too often it is assumed that people leave their emotions at the door when they come to work but the reality is that this unexpressed or 'bottled up' emotion can all to often impact on team performance.

You need to Hold WIFLE Sessions Regularly in Your Business

It should be held a minimum of weekly but you may wish to hold them as regularly as daily basis - it depends on your business. It can also work well having one at the start of the week (first thing Monday, including goal setting) and one at the end of the week (to review the week on Friday afternoon).

The Rules for a WIFLE

Sit around the room. Starting with the person next to you, ask whomever 'what do you feel like expressing'. This person then has the right to say whatever he or she feels like without interruption - this is most important. If anyone does not feel safe to express whatever he or she feels, you are all wasting your time. Remember to play above the line.

Once he or she has had a say, this person then asks the next person what they feel like expressing. When everyone has had their say (and only when everyone has finished) you may then ask if anyone has any 'burning issues'.

This is where anyone that feels they have been wrongly treated replies to the other persons feelings or impression, either by apologising or explaining what happened from their perspective. If these sessions are conducted correctly, you will find your team bonds together much more effectively and relates to each other as humans instead of just someone you work with.

It is important to have everyone realise that any complaints are not directed personally, rather they focus on behaviour. This is essential to enable everyone to feel safe in voicing any criticism of you or the system so changes can be made and progress is always happening.

You may also try other variations of this such as the high-low. This is where each team member expresses their high and their low for the week during the WIFLE.

Remember open and honest communication is one of the first steps in building a championship team.