Help for Today’s Managers
In one of our recent newsletters earlier this summer, we introduced a hot topic. We shared that managers and supervisors are feeling a lot of pressure as they are forced to implement new strategies, manage remote or hybrid workforces, modify their organizational culture, and stay as productive as possible.
Employees want flexibility. New technologies are coming fast. AI is potentially changing the way we do much of our work. It is no wonder managers and supervisors are working harder than ever.
Our purpose is to not just identify challenges, but to bring as many solutions as we possibly can. While we have no magic wand to wave and make life easier for you, we do have some ideas to offer and together we will make it through this situation just like we’ve been able to do in previously challenging times.
Here are some things to consider as you work to maximize your impact as a manager while staying sane:
Personal wellbeing—Please take care of yourself so that you can take care of others. Get enough rest. Eat right. Get up and move throughout the day. Find a way to quiet your mind—meditation, yoga, whatever works for you.
Empowerment—If you’ve never read Dan Pink’s book, Drive, we highly recommend it. He talks about the importance of giving employees autonomy which he describes as “the freedom to try and test new ideas which may lead to better processes or innovative solutions.” Consider giving more autonomy to your great people and see how they respond.
Accountability—Along with autonomy, consider how you are holding your employees accountable for results and for their own personal goals and objectives. Savvy managers are realizing that by setting clear expectations and holding staff members accountable for their performance, chances are the results are better, the manager frees up some of their valuable time, and employees are happier and more likely to stay.
Communications—It is impossible to over stress the importance of communication with your employees. We want to remind you that communication is a very broad topic. You are communicating even when you aren’t trying. Your facial expressions send messages that you may not intend to send. If you appear on a Zoom screen or walk into an employee’s office and are frowning or have another negative expression on your face, you can bet the rumor mill will say that a lay off is coming or a hostile takeover is on the horizon or some other gloom and doom scenario that you had no intention of conveying. Maybe you just had a difficult commute, or your coffee was cold. The point is, you communicate all the time so do your best to smile and greet people warmly whenever and wherever you encounter them.
The Decisive Manager and The Manager’s Answer Book are two of our books that we think will be valuable reads for anyone navigating the new workplace. They are written in a question-and-answer format to guide you through challenging times.