A lot of our current leadership’s shortcomings can be boiled down to a lack of empathy. Managers today don’t seem to understand that having a team that likes and understands them makes their work so much easier and more enjoyable. Get to know your team and show them you are listening, or you won’t be leading them for very long.
Have you ever heard your teammates complaining about work out loud? Gossip can kill your company culture and cannot be permitted to run rampant in your building or you and your customers will pay the price. Just telling people not to gossip won’t help much. Look in the mirror FIRST and see if there is anything you did or didn’t do that made this situation so toxic that people are complaining about it.
Do you find yourself running around at the end of the night trying to get things done on time? Save time all day long by incentivizing “No Empty Hands.” You will have less to do at the end of the night, and you will find you can get out on time a lot more often.
Would you like a tool that will give you the score of your next unit inspection BEFORE the District Manager comes in to review your unit? Check out this handy little tool you can put together to do that, and more. . .
People’s actions and words align with their belief systems. When they suddenly don’t- they are lying. Believe them when they tell you who they are and stop defending their bad behavior. You can skip a lot of the confusion regarding what to do about people if you just remember who people are rather than what they are saying.
How many times have you been reprimanded by a manager for something they didn’t take the time to look at correctly before passing judgment? Taking a second or two to figure things out completely will take care of this highly toxic poor management trait. Resentment Banks and gossip will ruin your work environment with this shoddy management behavior.
Beginning your sentences with a command is probably the most common way a manager speaks to their team. ( I see it every day) It may seem like a small thing, but all great managers begin with a smile and a greeting. It only takes a second, and it improves the company culture immensely.
One way communication is all over the workplace today. How many times have you been told to do something and that was the end of the dialogue, only to be told after you finished that your performance was underwhelming? Two-way communication will not only help your team perform better, but the results will be closer to what you are looking for as well.
What happens when you do all the things we teach here? You become the best manager in the building. You also get some people who would rather they be the best and resent your intrusion on their slumber. I call this Unicorn Envy. Here’s how to handle it.
Every day there are opportunities for managers to be leaders and heroes. Make sure you are ready for these opportunities and make it rain gratitude.