Few organizations recognize the degree to which managers are the vessels of a company's culture, and even fewer work diligently, through training and coaching programs, to ensure that their vessels hold the knowledge and skills that motivate employees to perform, feel satisfied and love their jobs.
The TalentSmart Study (www.TalentSmart.com) analyzed more than 150,000 managers in every industry, at every level of management, and in a wide variety of job functions, and found that superior managers--those who lead their teams to the greatest levels of performance and job satisfaction--often share three critical habits. These habits ensure that positive and negative feedback are delivered in small, digestible doses.
Expectations: Ensure that employees' efforts are spent doing the right things, the right way, at the right time. There is a big difference between telling people what's expected of them and making sure that what they'll be doing is completely understood.
Communication: Observe what employees say and do, and speak openly with them about their work. A manager's interaction with his or her employees delivers the resources, guidance, and recognition they need to succeed. Communication clicks when it is frequent and in a language that everyone understands.
Performance: Pay attention to each employee's performance and offer praise as frequently and emphatically as you do constructive feedback. Keeping your focus on performance pushes your team to new heights by positively reinforcing successful endeavors and realigning efforts that become misdirected.
The three virtues of good managers are intricately linked, with communication serving as the linchpin of the manager's efforts.
People join companies, but they leave bosses.
If your manager doesn't listen to your ideas, then who will?
One way to probe the clueless leader's self-awareness, is to give him or her a gift that allows this important message to surface: if you aren't staying in touch, you aren't doing your job. This book can help to do just that: