Managers get overworked, sidetracked, and ridiculed to boot, but there are some simple ways they can keep in touch and in sync with their teams
by Liz Ryan Middle managers get so much flak, from their treatment in the daily Dilbert cartoons to their perennial stereotyping on TV and in the movies, but it's not easy managing people. In these days of seeming 24/7 work schedules, shrinking annual-raise budgets, and corporate consolidation, it may be harder than ever to lead a team. One of the easiest leadership lessons to lose sight of is this: As critical as it is to get production out of our teams and keep them on schedule and under budget, it's even more important to listen to, coach, and thank them. There are plenty of days in a typical manager's schedule when, despite the best intentions, none of that happens. Too many days like that, and the atmosphere at work starts to resemble that of a Roman galley ship. Here are 10 painless, cost-free ways to keep your team in the loop and feeling appreciated that even the most time-starved manager can deploy.
1. Ask for Help
It is easy, and at times inevitable, for managers to keep their focus on what's not finished and what's broken. But if you want people to care about their work, it's critical to notice and to call attention to what's going well. At every opportunity, and at least once a day, comment on a job well done or a crisis averted. We can't expect people to aim for high goals if we don't give them credit for the small ones.
3. Solicit Ideas for Improvement
If you do one-on-one meetings with your team, or in informal "stop-by" talks, ask your employees individually for their thoughts on the department's operations. Ask "What should we be focusing on? What could run better in our group?" If the solutions offered seem impractical, don't shoot them down—talk through the obstacles so your colleagues will understand the challenges of implementing what they've suggested. Above all, don't send the message that you're the only one who is qualified to make improvements. We don't keep smart people unless we make them part of our brain trust.
4. Act Swiftly When You Need To
My friend Susan, an entrepreneur, called me last week in the midst of an employee crisis. A new employee on her team had blown off an important assignment and had left his colleagues in the lurch. The whole office was angry and in turmoil. Susan didn't wait—she got her ducks in a row and terminated the fellow the next day. If you want buy-in from your team, you've got to show them that their concerns are worth evaluating and that their priorities are congruent with yours. In this case, Susan showed that she'd act as quickly to resolve a team concern as she would to placate an angry boss or customer.
5. Make Time to Listen
One young friend of mine has a weekly face-to-face meeting with her manager, but that meeting seems to be her boss's lowest priority. My young friend tracks the meeting's progress, and out of the last 12 weeks, the meeting has taken place four times. Whatever communication mechanisms you set up with your team, stick to 'em. Nothing says "lip service" louder than employee meetings that don't happen.
6. Say Thanks, Often
"Thanks for the effort" is an easy phrase to utter, but it gets lost when managers have a few dozen other items on their plates. Some managers are afraid of excessive praise (BusinessWeek.com, 12/27/07) or think that employees should automatically know when they've done a good job. Get used to giving thanks daily and watch your team's results improve as people realize that it does make a difference to you whether they excel or merely go through the motions.
7. Admit to Being Imperfect
When you give two employees the same assignment, forget an employee feedback session, or otherwise slip up on the job, 'fess up. And ask your employees which decisions of yours they would have made differently, and why. Nobody wants to work for a perfect robot. Perfection is a great thing to aim for, but your employees need to know that you don't always attain it either.
8. Get Moving
High on the list of employee boss-beefs is the plaint "My boss won't make a decision." What seems like a week's delay to you, after an employee has submitted a proposal for review or asked for a raise for her intern, often is actually six weeks or six months long. Every time you meet with a subordinate, ask "What are you waiting on, from me?" The results may surprise you. Don't be the boss who sits on an issue until people are tearing their hair out (or cursing you behind your back). Move as quickly on your employees' requests as you do on your boss's requests…well, nearly as quickly.
9. Don't Talk About Employees Behind Their Backs
If you want the team on board, don't belittle or critique them out of earshot. It's tempting at times to discuss your team's shortcomings at a management meeting, or to talk with one teammate about another. This stuff won't be kept in confidence, and you will lose your team's. Save your feedback and deliver it to the person whom it concerns.
10. Tell Them What You Want
You know what you want. Don't expect your employees to be mind readers. Explain exactly what you want, and ask an employee to reiterate it for you. You can eliminate enormous, frustrating problems by laying out your expectations clearly. Need a reminder? Ask your employees at every staff meeting to tell you what's on their plates that's not clear. You'll be surprised how many people speak up when given the chance.
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