How do you inspire your teams and colleagues? Beyond the theories, formulas and management literature, your attitude will determine whether or not you succeed in motivating and mobilizing the people around you. If you are driven solely by performance and results, you will tend to neglect others’ need for recognition and have less natural empathy. Conversely, if you seek primarily recognition and harmony, telling it like it is and addressing problems will be more difficult for you. Everyone has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Being aware of your personality type will help you adapt your management style and behaviour because “what’s bred in the bone will out in the flesh”! Be humble, continually question yourself and be as honest with yourself as you are with others.
Those who slavishly follow the rules for being a perfect boss but without really believing them inevitably betray themselves with their behaviour. A manager recently told me that he knew what his boss really thought about him. Although the boss said all the right things, invited him to lunch from time to time, and demonstrated an apparently irreproachable attitude, “It rang false,” he confided. “I know that I’m just a cog and that he doesn’t truly consider me an important part of the team. I see him forcing himself to act like a ‘good boss,’ and it doesn’t work—it’s too fake!” Accordingly, despite his good intentions, this superior loses his credibility and a valuable ally because he has not set up a good relationship likely to foster employee engagement.
Exceptional managers inspire their teams to give even more of themselves and to boost productivity. They are authentic and every day succeed in showing that they truly appreciate the contribution of their employees, regardless of their level in the organization. They are interested in people and their personal and professional development, which is not incompatible with a high level of performance being required. You can be firm while being fair and equitable, which can sometimes involve difficult conversations in which you will have to reprimand employees, assess lack of performance or refuse a request. An inspiring leader has faith in him or herself and others, is determined and knows how to face up to his or her responsibilities, which his why he or she is respected.
Recognizing good actions and highlighting them can only be truly appreciated if the manager is able to specify why. It doesn’t just involve saying, “I’m proud of Martin’s work,” but of publicly recognizing it by giving examples of the contribution, otherwise the intended compliment falls flat and the message received is: “I have no idea what you do but keep up the good work.” Employees appreciate positive comments better if you can be specific, e.g. say that you think their reports are well presented and help you make good decisions. The impact is thus ten times greater. During a meeting, a manager wishing to thank his team for surpassing their targets decides to give everyone a bottle of wine—not just any old bottle, but a grand cru. Although he spends a bundle and thinks he has gone all out, the whole effort is wasted when he asks his assistant to give the bottles on his behalf. In such a situation, the price of the bottles is not as important as the way they are offered, similarly to an electronically signed card versus your handwritten signature accompanying a personal note.
Keep in mind that true leaders do not say that they love their employees, but instead provide them with daily proof of this. . . Remind you of something?
Nathalie Francisci, Adma, CHRP