How Great Managers Engage Great Employees

Being a great manager or owner isn’t simply about you and your team performing well. Being a great manager is about engaging with your employees and helping them want to perform well. It is no secret that employees who are happy in the workplace tend to perform better. But those same employees who perform better will also likely care not only about their own performance but the performance of the company as well. So the question still begs, how do I, the manager, engage with my employees to help them grow into caring and dedicated individuals? Here a few ways to get started. Add these to your managerial to-do list and watch your employees engage:

Communication is key. Communicating with your employees regularly is the most important way to connect with them. Whether it be in person, on the phone, or by email your employees will value the fact that you are taking the time to help them learn, grow and improve the business.

Life is not all about work. Your employees have lives outside of the workplace, and so do you. While you don’t have to be best friends, it is a great idea to know at least some things about your employees’ lives. Talking about more than just work will help them to see you as a person and not just their boss.

Let the positive shine through. Providing positive feedback to your employees instead of only acknowledging the negative will help them learn what is important to you, what you want from them, and how they can exceed your expectations. All of that will increase their effectiveness in the workplace. Dwelling on the negative will only make your employees feel worthless and unhappy, when they should feel like an asset to your company.

Be clear with what you want. Employees will struggle if they are unsure of what they are supposed to be doing to move the organization forward. Setting clear goals and expectations will help to keep your employees from getting frustrated and worried about disappointing you.

There is so much more you could do to engage with your employees to make them feel comfortable and happy in the workplace. Trying out these four strategies is a great basis for creating a foundation for employee engagement.

Being The Bearer Of The News

You’ve finally decided to take the plunge – you’ve sold your business and have planned to exit. Congratulations. This is an exciting time in your life, full of new opportunities. But as excited and as busy as you may be with this new transition, don’t forget that you have one important hurdle left. How do you tell your employees that you are leaving your business? Unfortunately, this could turn into an awkward conversation that can potentially stir up a lot of emotions. Your employees may feel betrayed by your leaving, be fearful of the new owner, or even become worried about their job security. Their concerns are legitimate, and it is your job to take care of your company before you leave it.

As difficult as it may feel to have this conversation, it’s imperative to plan for it and do it well. The best exit conversations include a frank and honest conversation about why you are leaving, how and when you are leaving, the impact of the transition on them, and expresses your confidence in them and the future of the company under new ownership. Most employees will appreciate a transparent conversation and the fact that you are focused on the long term stability and growth of the business and have considered their key concerns.

It might be tempting to paint the picture you want them to believe, but it’s more important to be direct and to be honest. Don’t sugarcoat the tough parts. Don’t let your body language betray you – stay calm and keep eye contact. Being kind and honest will ease breaking the news.

Explain your choices and allow time and space for questions, discussion or even grieving. This could feel like a loss for your employees. Allow them time to work through that. Recognize that for you, this decision has been in process for some time, but for most of your employees, it is new news. They may initially feel angry, confused or worried. Remember that direct, honest and transparent doesn’t mean you need to share everything with them. Answering any questions they may have, either about you or the future of the business, will help to ease the inevitable transition. Knowledge is power, and the more your employees know the more comfortable they will be. That being said, your personal information and details of the sale may be confidential. If you get questions that are confidential, it’s ok to explain that the details of the sale are confidential and then share what you can to address their real concern or question.

Last but not least, do not forget to keep the focus on the future! Your employees and the company will continue without you. It is up to you whether or not they will thrive. Make it a point to tell them what you hope for the business in the future and brainstorm ways they can keep your legacy alive.

Leaving a business is never easy, and it is even harder if you love the business and deeply care for your employees. Even when the time is right, exiting is a significant change. Being honest and compassionate with your employees will give them the respect they deserve and will help ease the transition for all of you.

Time for a Change

As humans we are biologically and evolutionally wired to fear change, but change can be a positive thing, especially if you are not happy with your current situation. More often than not we stay put when we aren’t happy due to our need for stability. And while there is nothing wrong with stability, there is something wrong with doing something you don’t enjoy as you approach the latter part of your career. So how do you know when it is time to move on?

Being financially stable or gathering experience in order to further your career might be good reasons to keep working at a job that you don’t enjoy, but as you reach the end of your formal career, and your work stops serving your needs it may be time to move on. Here are a few signs to look for when you are rethinking your exit timing:

• Are you continuing to learn? If you are not being challenged or learning something new and useful most days, it could be time to find a new challenge or move on.
• Are you working at your optimal level? Your years of experience may afford you a lighter workload, but if you find yourself underperforming or getting distracted too easily you could be bored and ready to move on. Finding or creating something a bit more intellectually stimulating could be the answer to curing these particular blues.
• Do you feel unappreciated? Oftentimes we feel like we give and give and give but receive nothing in return. If you feel that your employees, your customers, your suppliers are not appreciative of what you provide, it’s either time to speak up or maybe you are getting jaded.
• Do you get frustrated more quickly with your executive team or key employees? Unfortunately your leaders can make or break your enjoyment. Getting past petty squabbles or a general dislike for someone can be difficult, but if your executive team members are the main stressors in your business, it could be time to move on. And there is no shame in that. Finding a meaningful and rewarding what’s next, where you fit in and feel valued is of the utmost importance. Just don’t forget to give others the benefit of the doubt.

You have the power to take charge and change your life for the better. You know when the time will be right to move on. Finding out what serves your purpose in life is extremely important, and finding an outlet for that passion is what will make you ultimately happy in both your career and your life.