| Struggling in your role as a leader or supervisor? | | | | weaknesses on your employees. I've seen it a |
| Leading and managing staff isn't easy . Here are a | | | | thousand times where someone is held back or |
| few practical suggestions to help you be more | | | | criticized, or not given due recognition because the |
| effective: | | | | boss is insecure or arrogant. As a leader your job |
| 1) You set the tone, so be thoughtful in how you | | | | is to serve the organization by hiring the best |
| react and interact. If you're a leader, make no | | | | people and helping them do the best job - even if |
| mistake -- you are constantly being observed by | | | | they do it better than you. Remember that you |
| your employees. Everything you do and don't do | | | | are going to look good for hiring and retaining |
| is a queue for what's permissible or tolerable in | | | | great people, not for holding them back. Got it? |
| the organization, even in your personal life. Never | | | | 6) Understand and deal with your hiring biases |
| take your behavior, decision-making responsibility | | | | appropriately. What does that mean? One of the |
| or communication skills for granted - they all | | | | more common mistakes I've seen leaders make |
| matter to employees, even if you think they | | | | is hiring someone they know personally and when |
| don't. | | | | that person is failing in the job the leader is |
| 2) Be timely when it comes to communicating. | | | | reluctant to counsel or replace them because of |
| Every morning before you start your workday | | | | loyalty and the fear that it will impact the personal |
| take 5 or 10 minutes and think about who you | | | | relationship. You aren't doing anyone any favors |
| need to communicate with that day. Is there an | | | | by keeping someone in a job where they're |
| employee you need to speak with about a | | | | performing poorly, even if it's your best friend |
| performance issue? Is there a follow up that you | | | | from prep school. You owe it to the staff and the |
| owe to someone from a meeting or question? | | | | organization to make sure that everyone is |
| Does someone deserve kudos but you haven't | | | | performing well. If you don't deal with this issue |
| gotten around to it? One of the top reasons that | | | | effectively you will lose the respect of your staff |
| leaders procrastinate is because whatever is being | | | | and the failing employee will be loathed by |
| put off often requires communicating effectively | | | | co-workers because of perceived favoritism. My |
| on more difficult or time consuming matters. Do it | | | | personal experience has repeatedly shown that |
| now. If you procrastinate your employees will too. | | | | employees who are struggling in their positions |
| 3) It's your job to provide direction. Do not | | | | need and want hands on assistance from the |
| assume everyone knows the direction unless | | | | leader to determine if they can improve or if the |
| you've explicitly told them, even if it seems | | | | job is clearly wrong for them. |
| obvious to you. Leaders are commonly accused | | | | 7) Moodiness matters. If you're a naturally moody |
| of hidden agendas, lack of, or poor decision | | | | person, then the following is going to happen if |
| making, ineffective communication, or | | | | you don't control your mood swings, a. Everyone |
| incompetence. It's often true. Work with each | | | | will walk on eggshells and you may only get limited |
| employee who reports to you so they | | | | communication from your staff for fear of an |
| understand exactly what's expected of them and | | | | overly-emotional or inappropriate reaction by you, |
| where the organization or the department is | | | | b. There will be one brave, thick-skinned soul who |
| headed. If they have staff under them, make | | | | will be the daily "gauge" of your emotional status |
| sure your direct reports are effective in | | | | -- and everyone will work around what that |
| communicating with their staff. Every employee | | | | "gauge" tells them about your emotional state, c. |
| needs a mission and a reason to feel good about | | | | You'll eventually lose good employees because no |
| what they do. As a leader it's your job to help | | | | one likes unpredictable behavior at work, |
| them understand what it is and keep them | | | | particularly from the boss (review item # 1). Be |
| focused on moving the organization or the | | | | as approachable as possible at all times. |
| department forward. | | | | 8) Avoid passive/aggressive behavior. |
| 4) Have a trusted pair of ears and eyes in the | | | | Communicate kindly but clearly. Employees who |
| organization who will tell you the truth about | | | | have to guess what it is you want from them |
| whether you're being effective in your role. Put | | | | are more focused on figuring you out than on |
| your ego aside and don't be afraid to ask. But pay | | | | getting the job done. Fair, honest and forthright |
| attention to the obvious signs that you might be | | | | communication is critical for effective leadership, |
| failing if you don't have someone you can trust, | | | | even if what you're communicating is not always |
| including heavy turnover, low morale, rumors, | | | | what employees want to hear. Avoidance of the |
| accusations of unfairness and unproductive or | | | | issues only exaggerates matters and can even |
| skittish employees. Don't ignore it. While you | | | | create potentially explosive situations. Many "nice" |
| cannot control all parts of your workplace, | | | | seemingly qualified leaders are consumed by their |
| remember that you're the leader and have great | | | | own passive aggressive behaviors. Good |
| impact one way or the other. | | | | leadership means being courageous on both the |
| 5) Don't project your own fears, insecurities and | | | | little and the big issues. |