As we prepare for the fall launch of our updated Leadership Workshop, it seems fitting that this article responds to an inquiry from one of our newsletter readers about leadership characteristics.

My friend Kathleen Redmond at the Centre for Character Leadership agrees that a successful leader is able to engage his or her team to achieve specific results.  As we all know, this is more complicated than it sounds. 

Leadership is loaded with responsibilities that are becoming increasingly complex as the workplace changes. Our hiring division constantly hears from clients, complaining about how hard it is to find good people who are committed to their job.  On the other hand, research shows that many leaders are failing to engage their teams, as the majority of people in the work force are questioning whether their or organizations are worthy of commitment.  Remember – there are always two sides to every story, and if you want to succeed at leadership, you must consider both sides (thoroughly).

Leaders must be authentic, and keenly aware of themselves and of their teams, in order to succeed. A successful leader has the ability to communicate effectively, to describe a compelling vision to everyone on his or her team.  A leader must take the time to understand organizational objectives, and then translate them for each role with clarity.  While the former is an intellectual task, the latter is largely a matter of learned aptitude.  Few of us are naturally good communicators, and some acquire this ability through trial and error. 

If you want to test this theory on your own, here is an easy exercise to prove what I am talking about.  The next time you order a pizza, dine in a restaurant, purchase something in a store, make a hotel reservation, (you get the idea), simply ask the employee who is assisting “why should I give you my business”.  If you want to pose the question in a nicer way, try asking “I would like to give you my business, but can you please tell me, what makes you (your company) better than (insert competitor’s name)?  Just pause and see how many employees are at a loss for a compelling answer to this question.  The reason – their leaders have not reinforced the vision, the mission, the goals, and the passion of their own company.

Turning ideas into reality requires something deeper than intellect and interaction skills.  A successful leader also has the ability to create and maintain a healthy team culture. NOTE: Good people leave good jobs … because the poor performers are allowed to stay!

There are specific behavioral attributes required for this role, which are attained by understanding not only the organization, but oneself as well.  A leader who manages his or her own emotions, listens effectively, speaks with honesty, judges behaviors rather than people, treats everyone with dignity, and provides positive feedback that is timely and specific, will cultivate an environment in which team members feel valued and included.

But there is a flipside to positive reinforcement.  A challenging aspect of leadership is the need to hold people accountable for their work.  This requires several attributes, including the ability to set clear, concise, and achievable (performance) goals, the courage to confront people who are not meeting expectations, and the fortitude to be fair while staying true to one’s convictions.  Many people tune in weekly to “The Apprentice” for the thrill of watching Donald Trump execute these qualities flawlessly.

If you would like to learn more about specific tools that you can use, to assess and understand character and behavior (yours and your employees), and tools to measure and reinforce accountability, give us a call
Toll Free: 1-877-884-0051

Nothing personal but employees can't stand how you treat them at work, a new book finds. Here's why and what to do about it ?

Here's an ugly reality about being a manager: All of your employees hate you.

It's nothing personal, you understand. Rather, every one of them is likely to despise at least one thing about how you treat them at work.

That's the conclusion of an analysis of a decade of surveys representing the opinions of more than 50,000 employees in Canada and the United States.

The responses from both countries are remarkably consistent, says Bruce Katcher, president of employee survey company Discovery Systems Inc. in Sharon, Mass., who compiled the results into a book, 30 Reasons Employees Hate Their Managers.

"Under the surface, nearly everyone rankles at being told what to do and harbours distrust of people who have authority over them," Mr. Katcher said in an interview.

These aren't factors that would move the average person to harm the boss, he stresses, but are underlying concerns that can create a climate of animosity, which, in turn, can hinder productivity.

The reasons range from feeling shortchanged when the boss is giving out raises to distaste for the boss' love of long meetings or red tape.

The real biggies are:

Management doesn't listen. In the surveys, 66 per cent of employees said they don't believe their concerns are paid attention to by management and 67 per cent said management doesn't act on their suggestions.

There's no respect. About 56 per cent say their personal needs and interests are not acknowledged by managers.

The fear factor. The surveys find 52 per cent of employees fear that if they make their opinions known they will face retribution.

There's no appreciation. That's the gripe of 43 per cent of respondents, who say their good work goes unrecognized.

Lack of authority. 40% of employees believe they don't have enough authority to do their jobs well.

"Because of these factors, work can become a four-letter word for employees, and managers are less effective than they might be," Mr. Katcher concludes.

But while you might expect dissatisfied employees to just leave and find another job, in fact, the surveys show most employees have a fear of the unknown and tend to just put up with their lot. "They don't feel comfortable leaving their nest, no matter how bad the situation and, as a result, they lose confidence and feel a lack of commitment," Mr. Katcher says.

The surveys also show that you can't just patch up the problems with cash, Mr. Katcher adds. Surveyed employees indicated they're less concerned with how much they are paid than with feeling fairly treated by their managers.

So the advice for managers: "It's got to come down to answering the things they say are areas of concern," he says.

Indeed, the negativity can be turned around if managers work at building a trusting relationship with employees, says Jocelyn Bérard, managing director of Toronto-based human resources consulting firm Development Dimensions International Canada.

"Trust is the glue that pulls the organization together. Employees who don't trust the leader may just put in the minimum effort at work and will not be fully engaged," Mr. Bérard says.

In consulting that DDI does with managers, Mr. Bérard stresses the need to build a firm foundation based on four elements:

Open communication: Share what you can about the rationale and thinking of decisions made about goals and tasks assigned to staff; be open to hearing their concerns.

Consistency: "People should be able to expect what they will find when they arrive at the office. Changing attitudes, continual crisis deadlines and shifting expectations become huge generators of doubt in employees."

Respect and fairness: Employees have to believe that they are respected members of the team. This means sharing the credit and being aware of the individual needs of all the people you manage.

Demonstrating confidence: Two words to heed: Don't micromanage. "You have to show your trust and empower people to do their best and make decisions," Mr. Bérard says. "It doesn't mean you let them make all the decisions but, by involving them, they feel their opinions are valued."

Once employees can feel confident in a base of management support, managers must then build on it, another pro recommends.

"A lot of managers believe they should be trusted automatically because of their position. Trust doesn't happen unless you build a personal relationship and that takes time," says Dave Crisp, president of leadership coaching company Crisp Strategies Inc. in Toronto.

That doesn't mean just hosting a one-off barbecue for the staff, he says. "I recommend that managers have a goal of checking in informally with everyone on their team regularly, and just say something as simple as, 'How is it going?' " Instead of setting up formal meetings, which often deteriorate into everyone routinely reporting on what they are doing, Mr. Crisp recommends just touching base with individuals or small working groups a couple of times a week for a few minutes, during which people can more comfortably discuss their individual work and issues that need to be addressed.

Make yourself available, he recommends. "A rigid manager who requires an appointment to be seen is going to be someone people avoid and, by then, the issue has grown until it is out of hand or it is too late to address."

Trust grows from a feeling of being understood, so it is important to listen carefully to what employees have to say and acknowledge their input, he says. "By doing that, employees get to see that you are there and available, and that means that if they have a challenge, they are likely to flag you to issues before they become significant problems."

However, such openness can be difficult for some managers who are not naturally tuned to listening, Mr. Crisp acknowledges. "Being a hard-driving demanding boss is good for pushing results and getting things done, but if you are, you need to cushion that by having someone else in management who listens well and the people feel they can talk with," Mr. Crisp says.

"Ideally, if you are very strongly task-focused, you would share the managing responsibilities with someone who can provide the other half of the equation."

Bear in mind that management success is not just about you, Mr. Bérard recommends.

"You are managing people as well as getting your job done. The lesson in these employee surveys is that if you are using your authority to push people to do things they may not want to do, they will push back," he says.

"But if you work with them and consistently build their trust, while you may not be able to get everyone to love you, you can at least get everyone on your side."

TIPS FOR FORGING A LOVE-IN

Want to make them like you? Here's how to overcome the big reasons that employees despise their bosses, according to 30 Reasons Employees Hate Their Managers, by Bruce Katcher:

Management doesn't listen

Circumvent the hierarchy: Meet face-to-face.

Scrap the suggestion box: Hear them out in person.

Set realistic expectations: Make it clear that all suggestions are welcome, but not all can be acted on.

Promote the need for suggestions: Let it be known that offering up ideas is part of the job.

Close the loop: Let employees know when suggestions are being acted on. And publicly acknowledge them.

There's no respect

Uphold privacy: Don't spy. Discuss personal and sensitive issues in private.

Get to know employees as people: not only their names but about their family and personal interests.

Communicate individually: Talk individually rather than through staff e-mails.

Apply discipline individually.

Recognize employees have personal lives: Occasional phone calls to family members or a childcare provider should not be considered theft of company time.

Remember the golden rule: Treat employees with the same respect you would want to receive yourself.

The fear factor

Foster a spirit of openness: Consciously ask for opinions and listen more than you speak.

Use positive reinforcement: Tell employees their suggestions were heard and followed up, and are appreciated.

Improve listening skills: Accept suggestions positively, avoid threatening questions and paraphrase what you hear to show that you are comprehending their idea.

Make self-disclosures: Be open about your thinking and concerns on contentious issues so employees feel comfortable discussing their thoughts.

There's no appreciation

Use individual recognition for performance, rather than group events.

Make it personal: A bonus should come with a word of thanks.

Provide immediate praise: Research shows positive reinforcement is most effective right after the behaviour.

Take training in positive feedback: Recognition and support can be more motivating than cash reward.

Provide feedback about feedback: Senior managers should regularly reinforce mid-managers' message about noticing and appreciating employee efforts.

Lack of authority

Ask employees what authority they need. Use focus groups and individual meetings to find out what people feel they are missing.

Provide training: Staff may want authority, but often need coaching to feel comfortable and competent in making decisions.

Delegate responsibility: Put yourself in the employee's shoes and ask what decisions you would like to be able to make for yourself.

Make delegation part of corporate culture: If senior staff set the example, managers will feel comfortable delegating responsibility to staff. Wallace Immen

A matter of trust

You can turn loathing into love by building trust, advises Jocelyn Bérard of Development Dimensions International Canada. Here's the blueprint:

Seek others' ideas. Opening up to input not only raises new possibilities, it generates loyalty by employees feeling their opinions are valued.

Listen. Take the time to hear employees on daily concerns and be empathetic to what they say.

Disclose. Not knowing what leaders think or believe is a major reason that employees distrust leaders. Keeping people in the loop as much as possible builds understanding of the reasons for decisions.

Don't shoot the messenger. The bearer of bad news is most often not the cause and is trying to help. Reacting negatively can ensure that employees keep silent about problems.

Be positive. Constant criticism erodes trust, so develop constructive feedback skills when discussing areas that need improvement.

Avoid public criticism of others. When problems arise, address them individually and in private.

Ask for input. Leaders demonstrate trust by involving employees rather than trying to solve all the problems themselves.

Deliver on your promises. This means not only keeping your word, but avoiding inflated expectations by over-promising.

Value differences. Get to know the skills, style and knowledge of each member of your team, and indicate your appreciation of the contribution they make to the organization's success.

If you would like to improve the culture and loyalty of your team, give us a call!
Toll Free: 1-877-884-0051