Never knew this for myself. I think if I knew it before I could have been even more effective as a manager, or leader, within my organization much sooner.
I am referring to the idea of utilizing each team members strengths for optimal team productivity. This can be done through a number of methods, but for the sake of this blog I will focus on three: delegation, motivation and accountability.
Horton (2021) broadly describes delegation as the process of deeming certain partners, committees, managers, or long-term employees responsible for making certain decisions on behalf of the company. This is a major task in that you are making decisions on behalf of the company without knowing exactly how it could impact everyone if not properly trained. Therefore, you would want to ensure that your team is fully equipped to make such decisions. This requires training and delegation. One of the top complaints made by employees is the lack of training. This means that they do not feel prepared to initiate or finalize due to the lack of knowledge within a certain area of the business. Their confidence is low. According to Amo (2019) When there is no training, employees do not understand how to do their jobs and none of these goals are possible. This leads to low morale among workers, which results in employee turnover. A company with a reputation for high employee turnover is also unattractive to potential job candidates. This can be intimidating, but there are ways to improve.
The key is connection. Making a connection with employees requires a humanistic aspect to leadership, not the us-versus-them approach. A humanistic approach involves being able to relate and understand your employees perspective. Ask for their recommendations on how best to move forward because their opinion counts. Most employees have thought about their issue and mentally resolved such through their personal recommendations, however they need an opportunity to express their point of view. This creates the environment for dialogue in which the leader can advise what can be done within the company limits as they are usually privy to certain information regarding the organization. With this combination, both parties can make informed decisions as it relates to the organization.
Aside from asking, the main thing that some leaders in managerial roles lack is the idea of following-up. The follow up is key to ensure that what was agreed upon is followed through. Again the idea of accountability. If there is not any follow-up, there is not any form of accountability to help facilitate change. Solomon (2015) outlined it best when stating that too often, businesses fall short not because leaders don’t understand the business, but because they don’t understand what the people who work for them need in order to bring their best effort to work. Much of a team’s success lies in the pattern of connection a leader has with direct reports, and the way he or she empowers them to extend that pattern to his or her direct reports, and so on. In a business environment that is woefully lacking in employee commitment, leaders who aren’t actively connecting with people are themselves a liability.
This may sound great in theory but the practice is where most leaders in managerial roles fail. They may have the supportive aspect, but lack in being able to identify how to best motivate their team. My motto is simple: there is not a blanket approach to management, therefore ensure that the people are able to not only connect but perform to the best of their ability through genuine guidance and connection.
References:
How Are Business Decisions Made in a Partnership? (2021, May 19). Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/041015/how-are-business-decisions-made-partnership.asp
Amo, T. (2019, March 6). The Negative Effects of a Lack of Training in the Workplace. Small Business - Chron.Com. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-effects-lack-training-workplace-45171.html
The Top Complaints from Employees About Their Leaders. (2015, June 24). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2015/06/the-top-complaints-from-employees-about-their-leaders
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