Building a team with high morale and high productivity can be challenging. In order to create an environment where people can do their best work, behaviour towards each other and those outside must be respectful. In this article we look at five key behaviours which you cannot tolerate if you wish to achieve great things.

1. Intimidation

There are many reasons why some people believe intimidation and bullying can get the results they want. There is often an underlying form of insecurity in people who do this. Whilst they may need as much help as the person being bullied, they have to recognise that such behaviour is unacceptable. In some instances it may be intimidation towards people in other parts of the business. Some people think they can take advantage of others with an easy going nature who are unlikely to push back. It is your job as manager to ensure this does not happen.

2. Discrimination

When we discuss discrimination, most people think of racial or sexual discrimination. In fact it goes way beyond these two areas and includes any situation where people are not treated equally because of something that makes them different from others. This can include physical appearance, personality, place of origin even if in the same country, hobbies and way of working. Apart from being illegal it affects self-esteem, morale and productivity.

3. Harassment

Nobody wants to be harassed in any way and certainly not from a sexual perspective. Sometimes harassment may include where people become obsessed with someone else for whatever reason. It may be quite innocent but if someone pays too much attention to a colleague it can be quite uncomfortable for the person on the receiving end.

4. Rudeness

The majority of people are brought up correctly by their parents or guardians to respect others. Unfortunately some believe that they can be rude to others including customers! There is always going to be a consequence of such behaviour and your job as manager is to intervene before it gets out of hand. There is often an underlying reason and you may need to explore this especially if it is out of character. Even if it is part of the person’s personality this does not mean it is acceptable.

5. Lateness

Whilst this is a very British thing where lateness is seen as being dis-respectful, it is also pushing the boundaries with you as the manager. There is always going to be a time when transport conditions let us down or other unforeseen circumstances. When lateness becomes regular for some people then it is time to investigate. You may need to be creative to find a solution if childcare or other issues are causing problems. If you are able to help in this respect then it is likely that you will end up with a grateful and motivated employee.

When discovering that any of these behaviours are occurring within your team, make sure that you have solid facts and reliable witnesses. If you start making accusations to the individual without these you will find yourself in trouble. If you are unable to obtain this, consider holding a team meeting and warning people what is unacceptable and point out the consequences if it is repeated. You will need to spell out what is considered inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour so people are left in no doubt what it means.

It will be just as important for you to enforce this at the first instance you or supervisors observe inappropriate behaviour. You will also need to check your own behaviours to see whether they could be mis-construed. Your team will need to see that you are prepared to take action and that they know the consequences should they step over the line. You may also need to coach any victims in techniques in how to respond correctly should it happen again.

Many thanks

Mark Williams

Head of Training

http://www.m-t-d.co.uk

(Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Click on the image below for a free 5 part email management course

‘People leave managers, not companies’ is often quoted in management circles and also hotly debated as to whether it is true or not.

In this article we look at possible evidence for supporting this notion too see how your management and leadership behaviours may affect employee retention.

1. Understanding what motivates employees

Although this may seem obvious it is often ignored by managers who are only focused on short-term results.The top motivators for employees tend to be recognition, personal development, reward package, job satisfaction, progression, variety of work, autonomy and feeling that they are making a contribution to the organisation. The challenge comes when you try to figure out which of these is most important to individual team members. Many managers think they know or just assume that it is money. This is a mistake and can lead you to attempt to motivate in the wrong way.

One way to find out what motivates people is to ask them. Another way is to ask your people to take part in personal motivator and behaviour surveys. These surveys help people to recognise their own motivators using objective methods and can be very useful for both managers and employees alike. If you would like to know more about these surveys please contact us to find out these can be used effectively in developing your team.

2. Gain a reputation for developing great employees

We learn from managers we work with – good and bad. Those managers who show a genuine interest in developing people and helping them gain promotion will attract good people. As human beings we like to progress in life and if we find someone who can help us do this we are more likely to want to join their team.

This can be obtained by asking team members about their ambitions and what they want to achieve if life inside and outside work. It may be that the job they are currently doing may not be their ideal job. If you can help them find work that interests them either within the team or in another team in the organisation they will be very grateful and motivated. If they have a particular talent that you can use they you are onto a real winner.

3. Protect your employees from others in the organisation

People are also motivated by a manager who will fight their corner. Criticism can come from other departments or even your own boss when things are not going well. Whether it is justified or not, it is your job as manager to shield people and defend the situation. Likewise when things go well, it is your job to give your team members the recognition.

People need to know that they have the confidence of their own manager. Publicly criticising your team or any individuals undermines confidence and often results in demotivation and a drop in productivity. This is the opposite to what you want in order to achieve results.

It is acceptable to have a constructive feedback session in private with individuals to help them develop. When doing so always remember to recognise the contribution they making before focusing on one or two areas for improving. Focusing on ‘negative’ elements all the time can be very demoralising and may ultimately encourage people to find someone who will appreciate their efforts.

These are just a few ideas for improving retention levels in your organisation. High levels of turnover can be expensive in terms of recruitment and training costs. In the long term it is worth putting in the extra time and effort to keep hold of people, especially the good ones.

Remember, stability is good for managers, business and customers.

Many thanks

Mark Williams

Head of Training

http://www.m-t-d.co.uk

(Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Click on the image below for a free 5 part email management course

This is a question i get asked many of times on my courses, What makes an ideal manager? The ideal manager leads by example, they recognise that simply directing or telling will only get short term results at its best, setting goals with the team in mind.

Watch this short video on ideas to take into consideration to become an ideal manager.

Many thanks

Mark Williams

Head of Training

http://www.m-t-d.co.uk

Click on the image below for a free 5 part email management course

Too many managers still have problems letting go and holding onto work they should or could delegate. By empowering your employees you will be surprised at the power you can unleash as well as the time you will gain.

Empowering people literally means giving them the power or authority to get something done whilst you still retain ultimate responsibility. So, how can you do this effectively? Read on to find out five key ways to do so.

1. Agree upon a project they can undertake

By agreeing upon a project there is a greater chance that it will motivate as well as empower them to get it done. To find the right project that will spark their imagination you might want to ask which parts of their job they enjoy the most. You could also ask them what they would like to improve in the job given the chance.

Once you have found something you will need to assess what support they might need to see it through to the end. For example do they have any experience or organising skills to get on with it? Also consider whether they are natural ‘starters’ or ‘finishers’. A natural ‘starter’ will be very enthusiastic at the beginning and then might get bored and not see it through. This is not a criticism, just part of their behavioural style. Other people may not be good at getting things going, yet they are very good at completing once it has begun. You can usually tell this through observation of existing tasks or simply by asking them. Whatever is missing you may need to provide to help them be successful.

2. Increase their current level of authority

Consider which parts of your job your team members rely upon you to make a decision. For example are you responsible for signing off certain purchases (even stationery) or expenses in the team? By putting the proper controls and guidelines in place this authority can be delegated. As you retain ultimate responsibility you will need to have a robust system of monitoring from time to time. Also make sure that the person doing the task knows that you will be doing so just as part of your role and not because you don’t trust them!

3. Seek their opinion

Participative management can be very inspirational. When people in your team are asked their opinion on specific areas or problems they feel valued, involved and motivated. Be sure to take their opinions and suggestions seriously and be prepared give them a go just to see what happens. Even if it doesn’t work out it can be a great learning experience. If it does work then you have learned something.

4. Give them responsibility for looking after a section or specific customer

As businesses grow you may need to hand over responsibility for whole sections or even liaison with certain customers to somebody within the team. Who knows they may even do a better job than you. This will enable you to focus on other more strategic demands as you look to the future.

5. Let go and trust them!

This really sums up everything we have said about empowerment. Develop trust in your people by making sure they are ready to be given the chance to fly. If you just delegate without being clear of your expectations and don’t provide any measure or support then both you and your staff could be heading for a fall. Show that you are prepared to trust them and let them get on with it whilst still being around in the background should they need you.

This is your opportunity to grow a team that feel competent and confident. It helps to develop a team that can cope without you, letting you take time off without worrying that it will all collapse when you’re not there. This is a sign of a good leader.

We have often seen people on our courses who are complaining about how things are in a working environment. We know as managers that we have to spend time specifically with individuals within the team. But what can you specifically do to make sure these team members are kept motivated?

Watch this short video  for tips on how to become an effective manager.

Many thanks

Mark Williams

Head of Training

http://www.m-t-d.co.uk

Click on the image below for a free 5 part email management course