News : Valerie Moore
Staff - Getting the Best From Them
02 November 2008
Christmas is coming ! and that office party where all the staff get together – are they a team or just several people in the same place because they happened to have been selected for jobs within the same company ?
A Manager or a Leader ?
A good boss is a both – but hopefully with the emphasis on leadership rather than management.
Management intends to imply control; supervision and authority whilst leadership is about developing a sense of working together for the common good (the company).
Running a small business you need all the help you can get and it can be difficult for the owner/proprietor/director not to micromanage every element of the business. This is not the way to grow and develop a business, but a way to stunt business growth and induce stress in the owner (and possibly in the staff too !).
Teams have to work together and co-operate, whereas groups of disparate individuals do not. Teams have a common goal – individuals think only of themselves.
Be a Leader
10 Tips
One
Think about your staff and maybe others involved in the business on a regular basis (ie subcontractors). Do a SWOT analysis on each one (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). We can then
Use people’s Strengths;
Develop areas of Weakness (if relevant)
From their Strengths & Weaknesses and subsequent Developments, what further opportunities could there be for them to help enhance the business. Accept not everyone is perfect and manage the “threats”/negativity (seen to be doing this will have a positive effect on other staff).
Two
An effective leader is part of the team and leads from within. The captain of the team if you like (football, netball, hockey, business) who does not just shout orders but plays a full part in what the team does and shares equally in the success (or failure). A captain listens to team members and gives support and constructive feed back. It is not just the captain who congratulates or commiserates or castigates – the team support each other.
Three
Yes this does mean that the owner needs to share information (and yes I accept some things may need to be kept confidential – but think - are you keeping them confidential for a true business reason, or to enhance your own powerbase ?).
Four
Encourage discussion (not chatter) and set aside time for short team meetings, with specific agenda items. Keep to the subject – keep to the timescale.
Five
Within the meeting and within the company that everyone is able to say what they think or feel, without putting other people down or being put down themselves. That is the biggy – this needs excellent people skills, as a leader cannot afford to let words, actions or non-action of a negative nature to happen.
Six
Once the team know where they are going – allow them to work out the details of how it will be achieved (gently leading them towards their strengths and your opportunities).
Seven
A team is still a team even when they are not together – because they all know the common goal; who is responsible for what and by when. Each will know how they will achieve their part of the goal. (Why, where, who, what, when, how).
Eight
A team is a family affair – people need affection and a sense of belonging.
Like a family - sometimes they like each other when they are apart; when they are close sometimes they don’t – but overall we all like to be part of a family/ group /tribe/ team with its trials and tribulations than outside in the cold with no-one.
Nine
Accept mistakes will be made; but a team member should be able to talk through them and not be afraid to “own up”. It should be turned into a learning experience for all in a supportive, non-judgemental way. The team leader can only get upset if they can honestly say that they have never made a mistake in their lives – ever !
Also accept that things may not be done in the way that you would have done them – but if the result is achieved that’s fine; again it can be a positive learning experience if there was an easier/ better/ simpler/ cheaper way of doing it that you can talk through with them.
Ten
Accept that miracles do not happen just because you want them to ! Team building take time and effort, but is well worth it and is a win-win-win situation for the staff - the owner - the company (and usually the clients too).
Remember the question “how do you eat an elephant” Answer “one piece at a time”
A Manager or a Leader ?
A good boss is a both – but hopefully with the emphasis on leadership rather than management.
Management intends to imply control; supervision and authority whilst leadership is about developing a sense of working together for the common good (the company).
Running a small business you need all the help you can get and it can be difficult for the owner/proprietor/director not to micromanage every element of the business. This is not the way to grow and develop a business, but a way to stunt business growth and induce stress in the owner (and possibly in the staff too !).
Teams have to work together and co-operate, whereas groups of disparate individuals do not. Teams have a common goal – individuals think only of themselves.
Be a Leader
10 Tips
One
Think about your staff and maybe others involved in the business on a regular basis (ie subcontractors). Do a SWOT analysis on each one (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). We can then
Use people’s Strengths;
Develop areas of Weakness (if relevant)
From their Strengths & Weaknesses and subsequent Developments, what further opportunities could there be for them to help enhance the business. Accept not everyone is perfect and manage the “threats”/negativity (seen to be doing this will have a positive effect on other staff).
Two
An effective leader is part of the team and leads from within. The captain of the team if you like (football, netball, hockey, business) who does not just shout orders but plays a full part in what the team does and shares equally in the success (or failure). A captain listens to team members and gives support and constructive feed back. It is not just the captain who congratulates or commiserates or castigates – the team support each other.
Three
Yes this does mean that the owner needs to share information (and yes I accept some things may need to be kept confidential – but think - are you keeping them confidential for a true business reason, or to enhance your own powerbase ?).
Four
Encourage discussion (not chatter) and set aside time for short team meetings, with specific agenda items. Keep to the subject – keep to the timescale.
Five
Within the meeting and within the company that everyone is able to say what they think or feel, without putting other people down or being put down themselves. That is the biggy – this needs excellent people skills, as a leader cannot afford to let words, actions or non-action of a negative nature to happen.
Six
Once the team know where they are going – allow them to work out the details of how it will be achieved (gently leading them towards their strengths and your opportunities).
Seven
A team is still a team even when they are not together – because they all know the common goal; who is responsible for what and by when. Each will know how they will achieve their part of the goal. (Why, where, who, what, when, how).
Eight
A team is a family affair – people need affection and a sense of belonging.
Like a family - sometimes they like each other when they are apart; when they are close sometimes they don’t – but overall we all like to be part of a family/ group /tribe/ team with its trials and tribulations than outside in the cold with no-one.
Nine
Accept mistakes will be made; but a team member should be able to talk through them and not be afraid to “own up”. It should be turned into a learning experience for all in a supportive, non-judgemental way. The team leader can only get upset if they can honestly say that they have never made a mistake in their lives – ever !
Also accept that things may not be done in the way that you would have done them – but if the result is achieved that’s fine; again it can be a positive learning experience if there was an easier/ better/ simpler/ cheaper way of doing it that you can talk through with them.
Ten
Accept that miracles do not happen just because you want them to ! Team building take time and effort, but is well worth it and is a win-win-win situation for the staff - the owner - the company (and usually the clients too).
Remember the question “how do you eat an elephant” Answer “one piece at a time”