Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton

What do my employees think when I sit at their lunch table? Or even take them out for lunch?
Smart managers eat often with their teams to get feedback, build trust or just enjoy the company. When we’ve asked employees what they think of this, the most common responses are…drum roll pleas)… “He actually likes us,” and “We’re all in this together.”

When leaders talk about the people who work with them rather than people who work for them, they’re cultivating a true team mentality. You’re not above them or below them. You’re all in the game together, and you’re all willing to pitch in.

What impression do I give my employees when I treat them differently if upper management is around?
Simple answer. You’re employees think: “Phony.”

Yep, toss up a big red flag on this one. This type of behavior eliminates trust, diminishes engagement, and reduces productivity — your team is now chatting in the corner about how you’re a two-faced fake.

One of the attributes of the really great leaders we’ve studied is that they treat everyone the same, whether it’s an entry level employee or the CEO. If you do find yourself acting differently when you want to impress the higher-ups, use these opportunities with superiors as a way to build up your team members, which will help everyone in the long run.

How does my employee feel when I ask him/her to share an opinion in a group setting?
You’re employee thinks: “Wow, the boss wants my opinion and ideas? I guess I am valued around here.” Employees tell us that it’s very encouraging when their boss listens respectfully to their opinion in front of others. And that makes everyone willing to contribute ideas.

It’s very clear with this that each employee’s opinion matters. You’re in essence saying, “We want to hear from you.” Particularly if you’re asking people who are somewhat shy and may not normally share. We’ve watched great managers who make sure they go around the table before breaking a meeting to call out people if they haven’t made a contribution and ask for their input. Their underlying message is that they want to hear from everybody — even if an employee’s response is “sounds good to me.”

What does my team think of me if I usually come in later than everyone else?
Managers often have very good reasons for coming in late (they’ve been on morning calls or breakfast meetings, they’ve been to another facility, they’ve worked half the night on a problem, etc.). But unless your team has a good idea of where you’ve been, unless your schedule is somewhat transparent, your employees will talk wondering, “He doesn’t live by the rules. Do we have to?”

Maybe your schedule can’t be shared publicly. But your team should know you are working as hard as you expect them to work, and that you care as much or more than they care. In fact, it may be a positive to teach your employees that your responsibilities to the team stretch beyond the time-clock.

What does my employee think when I present her with an award?
Easy: “I love that someone appreciates my great work.”

Employees feel valued by their boss when they receive awards. Who wouldn’t? Now here’s an idea: If you have a formal award program in your company, you might even let the employee know that you’ve nominated them for an award regardless of whether they win the award or not. At the Academy Awards, the presenters list all the nominees, as well as the winners, and it’s a great honor even to be in that group.

What do my employees think when I keep negative news from them?
Can you say “grapevine” or “anxiety?”

Your workplace (and nature) abhors a vacuum. Be transparent with both good news and bad and employees will feel included and be willing to contribute ideas to the solution. Keeping employees informed fosters engagement, trust, and commitment.  And, quite frankly, you need your people even more engaged during tough times than in good times. Clearly there is information about the organization that you may be privy to that you can’t share due to privacy concerns. Use discretion in certain areas, but disclose as much as you can if you want to build trust.

What does my team think when I recognize them as a whole but never individually?
Team awards are a very effective way to celebrate as a group the accomplishment of group-driven initiatives (record sales, project completion, etc.). When faced with the next challenge, teammates think, “We will find a way through this because we are winners, and winners celebrate.” But what do your outstanding team members think when you do not single them out? Those customer service heroes, innovators, those who own problems, team leaders, and so on, feel as if they’re carrying the weight of your “not-so-superstar” employees. They often feel that no one cares about their above-and-beyond contributions, and “good enough” is good enough. In addition to celebrating with your team, make sure you honor individuals who do great work and you will get more of the same.

What message does it send to my team when I work most of the day with my door shut?
While there are times when you need to focus or have private conversations, an open door sends a much more positive message than a closed. A door that’s shut says either the boss can’t be bothered to help the team, or that something bad is happening. Shut the door when you need to, but make sure everyone knows they can reach you via a quick knock or IM.

About the Authors:

Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton are the acclaimed authors of the New York Times best seller “The Carrot Principle.” To learn more about employee motivation, go to www.carrots.com.

© Adrian Gostick & Chester Elton, 2009