Mid-year looms large and for many that means having to make excuses for mid-year targets not yet met, conflicting and prolonged staff summer holidays to arrange contingencies for, and the prospect of spending the sunny jasmine and gardenia months confined to an office rather than enjoying the outdoors. Even the best of managers may be challenged to maintain a sunny disposition through the mid-year stress period. If you find your management skills are failing you now or in general, here are some simple reminder tips to perk up your management style and win your team over.
1. Communicate regularly, openly and honestly
Employees left in the dark feel disrespected, distrusted and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Make sure everyone is always aware of where the company is heading and what the vision, mission and objectives are, and hold regular pow-wows to remind the team of how their contribution matters and how it affects the company at large. This includes having regular performance sessions where the feedback is constructive and goals are constantly and clearly defined and refined. In the MENA region, 52% of professionals say they always receive feedback from their managers in order to improve their performance at work, as stated in the Bayt.com ‘
Employee Engagement in the MENA’ poll, April 2014.
2. Coach, train and mentor
Employees who feel the company is investing in them feel more vested in the company and have a higher likelihood of invest right back in it. According to the Bayt.com ‘
Learning in the Workplace in the MENA’ poll, March 2015, 98% of professionals say that working in an organization that provides learning and training opportunities is very useful. Take the time to assess formal training needs of each of your team members and to arrange and allow for that training be it through formal classroom settings or online self-learning or one-on-one coaching and mentoring sessions. Peer mentoring and buddy programs are a good way to even out training gaps, and company book clubs and recommended reading lists are also great ideas to ensure skills are always up to date.
3. Stand on a different hilltop
It’s very easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees and to lose perspective and proportion sometimes with the daily stress of being a manager. It helps immensely to stand on a different hilltop figuratively speaking and try to see matters from the vantage point of each of your team members, or even clients and stakeholders. And worry not, as seven in 10 professionals feel comfortable enough to voice their opinions to their manager, as stated in the Bayt.com ‘
Employee Engagement in the MENA’ poll. Understanding where others are coming from will go a long way in diminishing any anger and frustrations you may feel at perceived failings and will pave the way for a more compassionate, congenial and constructively operational workplace.
4.Guard your language
Remember to lock any accusatory tones or recriminating, unprofessional language in your top drawer and throw away the key and to keep all
negative feedback to a private setting. Qualify your negative feedback with sentences that show you mean to be constructive and that the criticism is about the performance and not the person. At all times keep the tone and language and feedback focused and professional and constructive. Remember, conversations are a two-way street and never talk at your team; rather engage them in a dialogue where they feel safe and respected and their opinions and insights are valued.
5. Ask questions rather than issuing directives
Next time you find yourself wanting to scream at your poorest performing team member that they are incompetent, take a deep breath, seat them down and ask them questions instead so they actually arrive at any realization you need them to arrive at without hostilities. More conducive than an outright accusation or assertion of negligence from you would be a few questions to allow them to soul search and explore their failings and try to understand the reasons for them. In matter of fact, 75% of MENA professionals say that in their organization, people view problems as an opportunity to learn, as shown in the Bayt.com ‘
Learning in the Workplace in the MENA’ poll. Aim for questions such as “How do you feel about your performance lately?” and “What do you feel can be done to help you meet targets better?” and “What in your opinion are steps you can take with my support and the company’s to start meeting targets?” etc.
6. Engage for the sake of engaging
The more you see and treat and react to your team members holistically as the living breathing humans they are rather than ROI units, the more likely they are to give you their all. At all times bear in mind that they need to be
valued, respected and understood, so always aim to resonate with them at a deeper, more personal level than the performance discussion. The Bayt.com ‘
Employee Engagement in the MENA’ poll has revealed that 82% of MENA professionals feel engaged at their workplace. Swing by a cubicle and ask someone about their weekend, invite someone to the pantry to share lunch with you, arrange for team dinners or lunches over holidays, invite kids to the office and allow for illnesses and bad days, etc. The more vested you are in your team the more vested they will be in you.
7. Let it pass
Remember, you are in your career for the long term and that applies with your staff retention targets as well and as such choose your battles very carefully; not every battle is worth fighting or putting your character and popularity on the line for. By all means stick to your values and the company’s and don’t compromise on ethics and integrity or company targets and objectives. A star top performing employee has been regularly taking sick leaves lately? Perhaps they suffer from anxiety or depression; since their performance isn’t affected perhaps its best to let it pass. A top performing team member has been a bit difficult to deal with lately or has received an isolated client complaint or has failed to follow a certain process or procedure? Again, if it’s an isolated incident – and not a pattern of negligence or carelessness – then perhaps it’s best to let it pass. A project has failed despite great effort, great planning and great intentions? Learn from the failures and move on. Keep perspective of what’s really important and be very mindful that you don’t want the workplace to deteriorate to an environment where everyone fears risk taking and retribution. Actually, 74% of professionals in the MENA region feel stressed by their job, as per the Bayt.com ’
Work Satisfaction in the MENA‘ poll, so understanding the pressure your staff are under will go a long way in their appreciation and loyalty to you and your company.
8. Smile
Not all great managers are known to be the most pleasant people in the world but it certainly helps tremendously to be liked and appreciated and respected by your team. Start by treating everyone the way you would like to be treated. Basic things like greetings, smiles and great manners at all times go a very long way as does good humor, kindness and a great character.
