Tribal practices raise worker morale

Integrating Native-American tribal practices into the management of a work team may improve morale and increase workers? sense of purpose, according to a preliminary evaluation of a work-place intervention.

In 1997, psychologist Ira S. Katz, PhD, was looking for a way to improve morale, effectiveness and communication among the members of a research team at Silver Dollar City, a family entertainment company in Branson, Mo. The team surveys the general public to help the company better understand its customers. The workers, most of them part-time employees, were bored, generally unhappy and not working well as a team, says Katz.

After reading an article in the magazine Fast Company (November 1995) on tribalism, Katz proposed to the team?s manager, Mark Acosta, that they try to integrate some Native-American themes into the team?s management. In particular, Katz and Acosta wanted to give workers more of a sense of meaning and purpose through certain tribal practices, including the idea that everyone on the team has an equal voice.

For example, the group calls its meetings 'tribal councils.' And everyone has equal status at the meetings. When someone wishes to talk?and everyone is encouraged to do so?he or she holds the 'talking stick.' Everyone must be silent and listen. 'Using the talking stick is a lesson in living in the moment,' says Katz. 'These techniques give people undiluted air time, and, suddenly, we begin to see walls [people have put up] become less of a barrier to communication.'

Although the team has a hierarchical structure, Acosta tries to emphasize that all levels of the team are integral. 'Just like a totem pole, you can?t have the highest level without the lowest,' says Katz. 'We teach them to be reverential of others? abilities and expertise.'

Through a series of employee surveys and interviews comparing the research team with another team at Silver Dollar City that doesn?t use tribal practices, Katz finds that the intervention is improving morale and the effectiveness of the team.

'People are raising issues and being more open with their ideas and concerns,' says Katz. 'I?ve seen a wonderful transition from a highly dependent culture to a more independent culture. And team members are noticeably happier in their jobs.'

Tribal practices may not work in every job setting, but they may be an important tool for promoting conflict resolution and improving communication practices for some organizations, says Katz, who, along with Acosta, will present the findings at APA?s Annual Convention in San Francisco.

?B. Azar