Great managers are a rare breed. They’re the ones that every employee gushes about. They’re the ones that understand how simple interactions can positively impact their team. They take a more proactive approach to people management. Here are a few important things these types of managers say to their employees.
What do you think?
Before they decide and delegate, great managers ask for opinions. They know that a project can succeed only if the people surrounding it believe in the goal. Asking for input allows fresh perspectives and ideas to be considered while allowing teammates to be directly involved in the process, giving them a direct connection to the process and outcome.
How can I help you?
Part of managing people is knowing what makes them tick. It’s important for managers to recognize when their employees are in need of help. Whether it’s someone struggling with a task or someone unhappy with the work they’re doing, great managers recognize the needs of their team members and immediately offer help.
I need your help.
Great managers also know when they’re in over their heads. Most managers think they can do more than they actually can and bite off more than they can chew. What differentiates the great from the rest is knowing to ask for help when they need it. They go to their team with their problem and ask for a collaborative solution, and they share the resulting success with those who help.
I trust you.
Managers who have employees they don’t trust are doing their team a great disservice by keeping those employees on board. Great managers know and trust each member of their team, and the result is an efficient and tightly knit unit. Having a strong sense of integrity and work ethic through the entire team allows great managers to feel safe in delegating tasks of great importance, knowing that the work will be done with quality and attention to detail.
This is great, what more can we do?
Great managers will recognize and tell their team when they’ve done a great job, but they will always strive to push them further. They know the team’s limits, but they’re never satisfied with just the baseline measure of success. They set expectations that are just beyond reach and provide the moral and functional support necessary for each employee to go above and beyond.
I made a mistake.
Managers that refuse to admit their mistakes can quickly lose the respect of their employees. Managers that own up to their errors and ask for help show that they treat themselves with the same level of accountability and the same expectations as they treat their team. It takes great strength of character to admit mistakes to subordinates.
Let’s fix it together.
Whether it’s the employee’s mistake or the manager’s, a great manager will take the time to collaboratively figure out a solution. Fixing a problem together, no matter who caused it, allows the entire team to learn from the mistakes of individuals while providing those who make mistakes with the support they need to regain their confidence. Plus, you fix the problem along the way!
Thank you.
Strong teams have managers that acknowledge their successes. Too many managers neglect to do this and it results in unhappy and uncertain employees. Great managers know that it’s important for their employees to feel appreciated, for their work and successes to be recognized, and to encourage positive outcomes and processes. Giving praise where it’s due is the best way to build loyalty.