Managers wear many hats in an organization, and can get bogged down in the process of being a manager—like checking CRM, sales and marketing data, reviewing spreadsheets and reporting up to the C-suite—but the best managers are able to focus on the human aspect of the business in order to make sure that their team is productive and happy.
Here are 5 People Management tactics to help managers achieve that goal:
1) Set Clear Expectations
People need clear expectations on what their responsibilities are and what outcomes of their work you want to see.
Nobody likes to play the guessing game in business, especially when jobs or money is on the line. When an employee is given direction as to what is expected of them, they have a sense of security because there are no grey areas that can derail their efforts. It also creates accountability because if they fall short of the mark and question the outcome, the manager can always go back to the expectations that were laid out. There are no surprises when expectations are clearly defined.
2) Talk to Your Team
The key to a successful working relationship is communication
Like any good marriage, communication is key. It’s about relationships, and being able to connect an communicate with your team on a personal, professional level will let them know that you care and appreciate them—which translates into workers who will perform for you.
This type of communication flows from the top down. It’s at the core of quality teambuilding and a company’s customer service. Just like quality communication can strengthen and grow a brand, poor communication breaks it down and hurts it.
3) Give Constructive Feedback
Don’t be harsh—empower employees with helpful redirects
Nobody likes to be criticized, but it is necessary for growth. It’s the way in which you criticize—is it harsh and demeaning or constructive—will determine how the message gets across and translated. Harsh criticism leads to workers who play small, they won’t take many risks or add anything extra due to fear of criticism.
Constructive criticism is more of a redirect—it shows you appreciate the effort—but lets them know they need to take a different angle to get the job done the way you want. A redirect offers options by way of suggestion, but it’s kind of like suggesting to a skydiver that they should use a parachute when jumping out of a plane. It’s something that needs to be done.
It helps your team play big, knowing they can make a mistake if they are putting in the effort—without fear of getting blasted—instead they get a redirect or a suggestion to take another angle. It helps them grow, learn more and builds trust.
4) Delegate Tasks to Build Trust
Trust may be earned, but when it’s given it strengthens the team
Nothing empowers an employee like the trust of their manager or higher-ups. When employees are trusted to do the work and get the job done, research has shown that it fosters loyalty and commitment, a sense of worth and stronger work performance.
As managers, tasks must be delegated in order to reduce workload stress and prevent burnout. If you have developed good relationships with your team members through proper communication, you will be able to trust and delegate tasks. Delegating also fosters a team atmosphere and creates accountability when all team members have a hand in the success of a project. They don’t want to let their team members down.
5) Recognize Team and Individual Achievements
Awards, directly and indirectly, reward the whole team
Recognition is validation. It lets your team know they are valued. It lets them know they are more than a cog in a machine–they are being recognized for the value they bring to the team—again, fostering a sense of loyalty and a desire to continue the trend of good work. And when employees are validated and recognized, others on the team will strive for that recognition if they know it is forthcoming if earned.
A happy team is a loyal team and one that will be committed to the organization when they know that their manager is fair and looking out for their best interests. A manager that communicates well with their team and earns their trust is one that will see continuous growth in their employees—as well as their success metrics.