By Laurie Glasser, CHRP

Many managers are either owners or were promoted because they did a good job as employees.  But becoming known as a great leader and manager doesn’t just happen – it takes desire, knowledge, awareness and application.  A great leader evolves over time by repeating this cycle throughout one’s career.

Here are a few tips to start the evolution:

Treat Staff Fairly

• Treat your employees as well as you treat your clients.  Being pleasant takes the same amount of time as being demanding or rude – but with far better results.  Employees will feel valued and their morale will be higher, which ultimately helps the success of your business.
• Inspire people to do great things.  Be respectful, no matter what.  Lead from the front; don’t drive them from behind with a whip.
• Understand that ‘life happens’ – not just for you, but for your staff.  Important family issues, complications and emergencies can be stressful or even overwhelming to an employee.  They are often temporary and may require making family priority.   Show concern and be supportive; give them some latitude to manage them.  If it is repetitive, goes on too long, or significantly affects their work, encourage them to seek help (e.g. group plans usually offer counselling).

Build Trust and Respect through Appropriate Behaviour

• An effective leader is visionary – they develop the ability to look from the 10,000 foot level and strategically formulate department objectives and plans that support the organization’s goals and profitability.  They take time to reflect on what’s working and what needs improving; they are in touch and aware of issues and accomplishments in their department.
• Don’t be hesitant or afraid to manage.  People appreciate strong leadership.  Practice managing, mentoring and making tough decisions.
• Be confident yet humble.  When you make a mistake, learn from it – but be big about it and apologize.  Your staff will appreciate your honesty and respect that you took responsibility for your actions.
• If an employee comes to you for a decision, assess the situation to ensure you have the authority and have enough information to make a well-informed decision before responding.  Let them know when you’ll get back to them, and follow through.
• Do not be afraid of your staff that are smarter than you are.  Let them help you look good.
• Reveal enough about your personal life to remind your people that you have a life too.  This should never involve sex or inappropriate subjects.
• Do not cling to a bad idea just because it is yours.

Communicate Effectively With Staff

• Learn to be an effective listener by listening as IF you were wrong.  Your employees deserve to be ‘heard’ when they have suggestions or concerns.  Do not assume that you know what they are going to say, or that your opinion is the only one that counts.  Allow them the simple courtesy to finish talking before you speak.
• Beware of your moods and the impact it has on others.  Experts have determined that 55 per cent of our message is communicated through our body language, 35 per cent is through our tone of voice, and only 10 per cent is through the spoken word.
• Communicate regularly with your staff.  Reinforce good work and behavior, rather than just talking to staff when there’s a problem.
• Lack of communication can affect your staff.  That doesn’t mean you have to tell them everything, but if appropriate, involve them or keep them informed about problems or changes and what is going on behind the scenes.   If something will affect a staff member, tell them as soon as possible.
• Have the courage to deal with bad employees.  However, be aware that most employees are not bad, and a negative comment leaves a stronger impression than several positive ones.  In fact the experts say it’s a ratio of 8:1.  So be liberal with compliments.

Mentor and Develop Staff

• Be tolerant with new employees as they become familiar with the company’s products/services, staff, procedures and culture.  Give frequent feedback as they work through the learning curve.  Once employees become competent and confident, resist the temptation to micro-manage.
• Maximize productivity and employees’ contributions by becoming aware of their interests, goals and talents, and using their capabilities to the company’s best advantage.
• See the positives in your staff and their work.  Look for what’s been achieved, not just what’s missing.  Give credit where credit is due.  It is demoralizing and stressful when someone only sees what staff have done ‘wrong.’
• Get to know your employees as well as their strengths and their goals.  Align and adapt your management style to compliment your staff’s personality and learning style. Support them to be successful.

Confront Challenges and Corrections with Staff

• When a problem arises in the department, accept accountability and avoid finger-pointing.  If someone’s actions or performance are not meeting your expectations, consider what you can do as their manager to mentor or get them help rather than blaming them.
• Praise in public, criticize in private.
  • Seize opportunities to show appreciation. Tell others (in the individual’s presence) of their exceptional accomplishments or qualities.  Doing so in front of clients is a win-win:  it builds the employee’s self-confidence, and equally as important, the client’s confidence in the employee.
  • Be a Mentor, not a Tormentor.  As a person of power, your criticism is amplified.   Criticizing an employee in front of others is humiliating and potentially damaging.  Correcting your people publicly undercuts their confidence, so approach the situation as a learning and mentoring opportunity for the employee.  Either ask the employee for ideas on better ways to handle it next time (which develops buy-in to the changes) or be succinct, patient and clear as you explain how you want them to do it in the future.
• As a manager it is essential to minimize conflict and ensure your staff is functioning smoothly as a team.  Let them know that while they don’t have to be friends, you expect them to communicate respectfully and to try and resolve it privately without involving co-workers.  If the conflict is significant, becomes repetitive or escalates, intercede with conflict resolution methods.
• When critical deadlines arise, ensure they have the resources they need or be prepared to roll up your sleeves and pitch in.

Delegate and Empower Staff

• Delegate responsibility with clear expectations of the outcome, and then trust your people to accomplish it.  They may do it differently than you, but if it works just as well, accept it.
• Give clear instructions of the desired outcome.  For newer staff or large projects, schedule check-in points to avoid misunderstandings, disappointment and re-work.
• Empower your staff to develop good judgment skills, take reasonable risks and make sound decisions.  Give them room to bloom.  If you were looking for a different outcome, hear out the reasons for their action – most of the time there will be a logical basis.  If you want it handled differently in the future, help them understand your rational behind the what/how/why.

Foster a Positive Culture

• Fun is not a 4-letter word.  While there are times to be serious and work ‘heads down,’ most work environments will benefit from the positivity that having some fun brings.  Allowing a reasonable amount of rapport between staff is healthy.  If the people and work environment are pleasant, staff will enjoy coming to work and will be more productive.  Fun and appropriate humour can strengthen working relationships and alleviate stressful or mundane days.  If the nature of your work makes it difficult, be sure to schedule inclusive fun staff activities.
• One of the most difficult situations for an employee is working for a tyrant or working in a toxic environment.  Loosing talent through high turnover is a huge drain on a company’s bottom line.  Yet much turnover could be avoided by developing a pleasant culture of mutual respect and appropriate behavior between the staff and with management.

Everyone yearns for a great boss.  However, at the end of the day, there is no ‘one’ right way to be a manager.  Read leadership books, attend courses, seize opportunities to learn and develop your skills.  Trust yourself, become self-aware and learn through your mistakes.

Laurie Glasser, CHRP, is the owner of Kelowna Human Resources Consulting.  She offers more than 20 years of diverse HR expertise and is a graduate of the University of Calgary’s Management Development/HR program. The thrust of her business focuses on handling the HR needs of small businesses, providing all the benefits of an in-house HR department without the payroll cost.  More information can be found on her website at www.kelownahr.com.