- Give credit where it's due. Among the biggest complaints about managers is that they are "glory hogs." One of the fastest ways for a manager to become disliked and disrespected is by taking the recognition for others' work — or exclusive credit for a team effort. Great leaders are recognized for their ability to share the glory with others. Learn to cite those who have helped create successes, and you will improve the overall sprit around you. Staff members will be appreciative and pleasantly surprised when they notice you sharing the accolades that will ultimately further their career growth as well.
- Have an open door policy. Let's face it, most managers have to work hard to keep up with daily demands and expectations. Meetings, telecons, emails, number crunching, planning — all of these tasks can keep managers separate and apart, both physically and emotionally, from their teams. It's important to remember, however, that one of a manager's primary jobs is to know what his or her staff is doing at all times, and help them to do it better. The best way to accomplish this is by staying visible and accessible with staffers by not only welcoming them into your office, but also by walking around the department where you can "mix it up" with subordinates in a less formal way and in their territorial comfort zone. Make a recurring "appointment" on your Outlook calendar to allow yourself the time to get out into the general offices regularly; if you have staff in other offices or locations, use that time to get a little more personal by calling on them simply to "drop in," as opposed to showing up only when there's a problem.
- Appreciate face value. Today's professional is decidedly "wired," with email, voice mail, teleconferencing, and web-conferencing taking the place of good old human-to-human interaction. The most effective managers, however, communicate with their staffs in person whenever possible. Although remote communication is admittedly efficient, technology is not entirely effective when it comes to getting people energized or feeling like they are part of a team led by someone who cares about what's on the collective plate. There is simply no direct substitute for having a face-to-face dialogue — not a monologue — with staff members if you want to get things done while also cultivating a positive spirit within the organization. Finally, research shows that people are more prone to dedicate themselves to a leader that they feel they know and who shows her or his passion occasionally. No amount of memos will create that sense of care.
- Be firm but fair. Every office has its "suck-ups" and "brown-nosers," and everyone knows who they are...except the boss. If your team thinks you are allowing others to have special privileges or that you are too naïve to recognize when you're being manipulated, you will lose their respect very quickly. Once lost, respect is an asset that is very hard to regain. To avoid this situation, debrief your team as often as possible so that they understand why you do things a certain way or have made a certain decision, and so that they consider your decisions fair in a business context. Regularly scheduled "all hands" meetings will allow them to see you in action and present an opportunity to show you in the best light.
- Find, and maintain, a "whole life" balance. We've all heard about the guy with the great title, corner office, fancy company car, and trophy wife who's miserable. Executives can often find themselves becoming similar to that individual if they don't have a game plan. Busy times and demanding jobs can cause managers to lose their humanity — i.e., those other things in life that make it "all worth it." It's okay to burn some midnight oil once in a while, but tending to everyday demands at the expense of your personal or family life is a recipe for disaster. High stress levels and low energy, attention, patience, and tolerance levels makes for a less than lovable boss. This, of course, leads to low morale and decreased team productivity coupled with increased staff turnover - all of which plays into a vicious cycle of both professional and personal unhappiness. When you are frustrated and wound tight, your staff truly feels your pain. Creating a personal action plan lets you shoot high and know when you are making progress on all fronts. Like a department or company action plan, it alerts you to make course corrections which keep balance on all fronts - career, personal, and financial.
- All employees generally dislike work.
- The best motivator for your team is money; it's what brings them back every day.
- Keeping emotions out of the management process has served the operation well.
- Your staff prefers to work as a team so that individual accountability is lessened.
- As much as I would like to, I just don't have the time to spend chatting in-person with my subordinates.
- I encourage feedback from a suggestion box or other anonymous method.
- I live for the weekends. This job is a paycheck to support my "real" life.
- I don't believe outsourcing can happen to my company.
- Regular team meetings are not justifiable as they take too much time, which lessens productivity.
- My current management position isn't very influential, but when I move up the ladder a bit I can make a "real" contribution to the company.
10 = Excellent!! You'll be running the show in no time!
9 = Brilliant. You obviously see your employees as an asset.
8 = Solid. You have the right attitude, and the team will see that.
7 = Well done. You know people and their needs.
6 = Good. You recognize the power of your role.
5 = Fair. It may be time to re-think your management strategy.
4 = It's definitely time for an attitude adjustment.
3 = Change or die (metaphorically). Things aren't good, but it's not too late to make impactful changes.
2 = Do something significant that will be viewed in a positive light or your employees will leave.
1 = It's time to consider a new job where you do not manage people.
0 = Ever consider a job as a bounty hunter?
About the Author
John McKee, founder and president of BusinessSuccessCoach.net, is the author of Career Wisdom - 101 Proven Strategies to Ensure Workplace Success and 21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot. He can be reached at 720-226-9072, john@businesssuccesscoach.net, or through his websites at www.BusinessSuccessCoach.net and www.BusinessWomanWeb.com.
