People management is often an enigma. In fact, if managers want to successfully motivate their teams, they must know how to quickly adapt their management style to suit different personalities. A lot is at stake: a study led by Daniel Yankelovich and John Immerwahr revealed that only a quarter of employees believe they’re working to their full potential, while half claim they’re happy just doing the minimum.
According to Dr. Roger K.Allen, this lack of motivation is often linked to a problem of leadership and to how the work is organized. A quick fix: change your management style and restructure work assignment. The bottom line is that employees need to feel appreciated if they’re to be more productive.
Try adopting a strategy of strengths:
1. Share Information
Be clear and direct. Employees should know exactly what you expect of them. Communicate the company’s global strategy. Make sure they feel that they are part of a collaborative effort to which they can contribute their skills and know-how.
2. Empower Employees
Employees should learn how to manage themselves. Let them organize their work schedules and set their own goals. They’ll then be encouraged to be proactive and take more responsibility for the company’s success.
3. Collaborate More
Use technology to make work easier. Web conferencing solutions and co-working platforms make flexibility a reality. Because they facilitate the exchange of information and teleworking, connected computing tools actually strengthen the bond between teams.
4. Update Assessment Methods
The old metric of evaluating your employees based on the time they spend behind a desk is no longer valid in today’s workplace. Give employees numerical goals based on the quantity and quality of their work. Then it’s up to them to find the best way to achieve these goals.
5. Customize Employee Management
Know your employees. Some may work best when part of a group, others may prefer working alone. Co-working will suit some, teleworking others. It’s your job to suggest the collaborative tools that will help them optimize their productivity.
Priority number one should be to motivate your team; the best way to accomplish this may be by modifying your management style. Online collaborative work tools are a great way to support this transition. But to begin with, follow this common-sense tip from Brian Tracy, author of several books on management: “First of all, smile! When you see someone for the first time each day, smile at that person. Seems obvious, but how many managers don’t do it (maybe even you)? Ask questions. ‘How’s everything going? How are you feeling?’”
Small touches make a difference—sometimes we forget that a little kindness goes a long way.
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