Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
One friend recently told me about his new manager. No one could take him seriously:
“His management is a joke. You can’t imagine it. He simply does not understand what’s going on. I think I will have to quit.”
People say employees leave managers, not their jobs.
I identified four situations worth avoiding if you want people to take you seriously.
1. You don’t know your team
Problem: Leader does not know the team but acts as if he knows everything.
Successful managers win their teams by forming two-way relationships:
You get to know people.
They get to know you.
Getting to know each other is an investment many fail to make. You don’t have time or aren't used to socializing.
Don’t assume. Assumptions kill trust.
The more you know your team, the better leader you become. Talk to them and work alongside them. Ask questions to engage them in discussion and decision-making.
2. You don’t care about your team
Problem: Leader does not care about the team.
The number one duty is to take care of your team. Or maybe not? Nowadays, many people can self-manage themselves. So, not much attention is needed.
Yet, you usually like to feel like someone is out there to back you up and provide a piece of advice.
You don’t have to act like your best friend or parent. Just care about work wellbeing and work-life balance. A happy team is a productive team.
Do care about the outcome. ‘How’ is as significant as ‘what’ needs to be achieved.
3. You speak nonsense
Problem: Leader makes plain statements without any purpose.
My friend's manager was not an expert in communication. As he did not understand the business environment or the scope of work his team did.
Be true to your knowledge and logic. If you do not know, try to find out or rely on people who have information. Experts are experts for a reason.
Choose to talk transparently and openly, rather than using corporate gibberish to withdraw or hide information.
Again, don’t assume people understand you. You must usually explain the background and purpose. There is no easier way to lose your team than messing up with information.
4. You don’t listen
Problem: Leader does not listen and is quickly finished.
Do you listen? If you don’t, no one is willing to take you seriously. Your team wants to be heard.
Listen to what people say, how they say it, and try to understand why. Don’t rush with your conclusions. Dig deeper and validate your comprehension.
Imagine your team member comes to you with a problem. He is stressed. The bad leader tells him he needs to be more efficient as others have their projects too. The good one identifies what’s going on first and helps him prioritize and ensure resources are in place.
Quick judgment provides a fast solution. Is that a good solution? I would be careful about it.
Closing thought
Leadership is the ability to care about yourself as well as your team. It is a form of relationship many fail to realize.
Choose not to ignore the basic bricks of any relationship - trust and open communication.
That is the way to go.