Have you ever had a manager that you loved working for? Do you know what made working for them better than anyone else you’ve ever had as a manager? Here are five things that employees commonly cite that make their managers the best people they’ve ever worked for:
1. Show the Love
Employees who feel like their manager genuinely likes them want to come to work each day. If you engage your employees in conversations beyond “hello, how are you” and make an effort to get to know them as individuals, your leadership will be easier. You’ll start to know what makes them tick and how to motivate them.
2. Resist micromanaging
Sometimes you know that your way really is the best way to accomplish something. But a great manager will let their employees figure it out. You use the outcome as a teaching tool or a way to showcase an accomplishment. You’re there to provide support along the way, and your team feels like they can use you as a resource rather than run in fear of your criticism. By stepping back and letting your team do it their way, they will probably surprise you with their creativity and dedication to the project.
3. Create opportunity
Figure out how to drive and inspire your team members to grow professionally and personally. Determine how you can find opportunities for them to test out their strengths. If you are working on something that would help develop one of your employee’s skill sets, delegate it to them. True leaders give their employees tasks that will enhance their job experience, guiding and inspiring them along the way.
4. “We succeeded together” is commonly heard in your department
Great managers always give credit where credit is due. They go out of their way to shout about their team’s accomplishments. Conversely, they also accept personal responsibility when they fail. Part of being successful at both outcomes is taking on the risk associated with either scenario. When your team sees you going out on a limb for them and pushing yourself to learn new things, you inspire them to want to do the same and get comfortable with succeeding in new ways. This can lead to increased creativity, productivity and the identification of new strengths among your team members.
5. Motivate
Average managers motivate through fear, great managers motivate by figuring out what makes their employees want to get out of bed in the morning and race to work. Because you’re talking to your team and getting to know them as individuals (Point number one), creating opportunity and celebrating accomplishments follow right behind.
If you can figure out how to do these five things more often, your employees will not only want to keep working for you, they’ll spread the word about your leadership. You’ll be viewed as more than just a manager, and the best talent in your organization will be working for a spot on your team.