Thank you – seems to be the hardest word

Motivation, involvement, empowerment, accountability – all essential ingredients in an engaged workforce, and yet a great number of managers cannot effectively engage with staff to get the best out of them. Visiting clients, and managing factories before that across numerous cultures, there are some common sense and simple approaches to line management. However, in today’s world, common sense has been lost in many cases acheter cialis 5. I’ve seen numerous blogs and postings asking how to get loyalty and commitment from staff, or comparing reward and incentive schemes. Experience has taught me a few lessons on this front, though, and also a few simple techniques that revolve around effective communication.

Incentives and bonuses for performance are fine, but can easily become part of the expected norm – how do you then recalibrate the following year when results are reached again, or someone has gone the extra mile. Careful consideration for the actual reward and also the process by which they are awarded needs to be given to have a chance of sustainability.

I prefer to achieve the first four words of this blog through engaging openly and honestly with staff, and have 5 top tips for getting the performance you expect from your staff.

1. Define the expected standards – it is fascinating to hear managers and business owners frustrations about their staff not doing what is expected. Well, nine times out of ten, it will be because they don’t know what is expected, or think they are doing the job to the standard expected already. Clarify job descriptions, set goals agree review periods and then stick to them.

2. Communicate directly, particularly with bad news. There is no easy way to sell someone they are sacked, or they are underperforming, or that a supplier is going to lose business. Explain the reasons, be succinct, and invite feedback. Being open and honest with people will gain respect.

3. Listen. If the business has a need to seek improvement, then the best people to ask are those who are doing the job most of the working day. Ask them for ideas, involve them in the process of change, and give them the tools and knowledge to demonstrate their worth.

4. Don’t try to please everyone, or involve everyone. Work with those with a positive attitude, and use them as the leverage to bring the majority of people on board.

5. If you do one thing different as a result of reading this, then say “thank you” to your staff. I am a great believer of “recognition” rather than “reward” and experience has taught me that a pat on the back to acknowledge a job well done goes a long way to building trust and gaining involvement and performance.

It is simple to acknowledge a job well done, but very often managers take it for granted. Opening eyes (and ears), asking for ideas, and giving a pat on the back when it has been earned – in other words, common sense. You’ll be amazed what it can achieve for you.