Excuse me? Wait a minute! Who is to say that your employees are disgruntled? Dear Managers, employees are mere mortals and they tend to mimic the energy they receive. So, before you berate them further, why not take this opportunity to look into your own management style? This blog is offering three keys that should help turn things and improve the dynamics as well as the output of your team.
FIRST KEY: ALWAYS FIGHT FOR YOUR PEOPLE
Yes, Dear Managers, your instinct should not be about falling on your people like a ton of bricks as soon as another department calls your attention to a pressing issue. Why do you ask? That’s because pressing is always in the eye of the beholder. What is urgent to one department is a matter of life or death to another but a mere bleep in a complex supply chain for yet another one? Who do you think has the most accurate bird’s eye view of the alleged pressing matter? The complainant who is not privy to the daily obstacles your team must overcome (probably due to the ubiquitous budget constraints)? Or you, the manager who is acutely aware of the fragile balancing act your people must accomplish day in and day out?
Consequently, this blog invites you to shift your framework and consider yourself to be a shield that protects your people no matter the circumstances. After all, no other employee should feel comfortable to display any improper behaviors however displeased he or she might have been with the performance of one or several members of your team. Unprofessional conducts that come to mind include screaming or spewing offensive language, bullying, afflicting unsanctioned retributive acts, going over your head to criticize excessively with the sole purpose to belittle one or several members of your team, and sexual harassment. (Please note that, sadly, this is by no means an exhaustive list of unsuitable workplace demeanors.)
As you start to develop the reputation of a no-nonsense manager who systematically shuts down any attacks on her/his people, you will have managed to 1) earn the unconditional support of your people, and 2) force all other departments respect your unit. Think about it! Don’t you ever feel grateful when someone else has your back? Don’t you want to show your appreciation by working harder? That’s a universal concept. So why would you think, Dear Managers, that it does not apply to you and how you manage your team?
SECOND KEY: COMMUNICATE BETTER AND OFTEN
Yes, Dear Managers, this blog insists you should be mindful of the way you communicate…. Please. Avoid. Barking. Orders. At. All. Cost! Let’s be honest, your people do not read minds. Shocking isn’t it?! Truth be told, they have no idea of the pressure you shoulder every day. They cannot even fathom the kind of expectations that upper management might have set for you. In fact, they are too busy dealing with their own day-to-day trials and tribulations to have the time to ponder how hard life your life might be Dear Managers. So, what are you to do?
Have you ever considered instituting regular blocks of time convenient for all members of your team that you can use to share the latest company developments? Believe it or not, employees want to know what’s going on with the business or organization. This will help them be more vested in the success of the mission and yearly objectives. For this to work, you have to create periodic opportunities to catch up that fit the culture of your company. This blog reminds you, Dear Managers, that frequency of sessions matters a whole lot more than the length of time per session. The challenge is to be creative as you design new opportunities to bridge communication deficits between you and your team. In time, you will see that the work you put into reinforcing your bond with each team member will yield new heights of productivity and output.
THIRD KEY: YOU ARE HERE TO INSPIRE
While this blog acknowledges that the roles of a manager or even supervisor can vary greatly, leadership is the heart and soul of a business or organization. In fact, great leadership upsets the status quo, unmasks more effective ways to accomplish tasks, and brings about true sustainability. When you motivate your people to go above and beyond without saying a word because they are mirroring your behavior… You are truly inspiring! If you would like to know how the JMS team can help you enhance your team cohesion, maximize productivity, and expand output, please email us at jms@branding24seven.com.
As always, we thank you for taking the time to read this post and hope that you are motivated to make your brand as a manager or supervisor more robust than ever. Leave us your comments or questions and share this post with anyone who is knee-deep in team building.
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