The scope of responsibility for modern managers is changing almost as rapidly as industry best-practices themselves. Today, it isn’t enough for managers to merely be the individuals within a business that are able to make the tough decisions or keep the trajectory of an organization on course. In 2020, managers are also expected to be the agents within a company that are able to inspire and bring out the best in their employees. In fact, the ability to continually strengthen your team is arguably the most crucial skill that a manager can have; if you know how to encourage your employees to be the best they can possibly be, financial success and social cohesion within your company are almost bound to follow.
With that in mind, this post will walk you through four simple tips for bringing out the best in your team:
Provide regular and constructive feedback.
In order to be able to improve in their performance, it’s crucial for employees to understand the ways in which they’re thriving as well as how they could improve. Telling an employee that he or she could be doing better in a particular aspect of their work can be an awkward conversation, but it can leave everyone in a much better position if you’re honest, upfront, and careful to use a tone which suggests that you’re more interested in seeing their full potential than you are in punishing them.
Take advantage of opportunities for continued learning.
New and game-changing technologies, programs, and platforms are being introduced on a near-daily basis. In order for businesses to be able to keep pace with the rapid changes, it’s important that managers take the initiative by providing their employees with lots of learning opportunities. Whether you opt to educate your employees in an in-house seminar or an e-learning module, providing opportunities for continued education will help to ensure that your team has all of the tools and resources that it needs to be successful.
Provide incentives for success.
Rewarding employees for their achievements at work can go a long way towards motivating your workforce as a whole. It doesn’t even necessarily need to be a financial reward (although in some cases a bonus might be in order!); it can be something as simple as acknowledging their success in front of their colleagues in a way that makes them feel genuinely recognized and appreciated.
Encourage employees to challenge themselves.
The quickest way for any employee to gain valuable new skills is to step outside of his or her comfort zone. That might mean facing a fear of public speaking by delivering a pitch, or it could mean overcoming a fear of large crowds by representing the company at a conference. Managers can help their employees to grow personally and professionally by encouraging them – never forcing them before they’re ready – to overcome obstacles and develop new strengths.
To learn more about what you can do to build a stronger workforce, contact us here.