Having staff and being a manager can be both rewarding and frustrating. If you find it rewarding you are either doing some things right or are just darn lucky. If you find it frustrating, you may just be unlucky or you could benefit from these top ten tips on how to motivate your staff and be a manager that staff will want to work for.

1. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR STAFF

When a member of staff does a job well, make sure you notice it, and acknowledge her or him for it. Don’t let the opportunity to praise a piece of good work go by.

2. NEVER, EVER, HUMILIATE ANYONE ON YOUR TEAM

If you are annoyed with someone on your team, or they have done something wrong, make sure you keep your cool, especially in public. If you humiliate someone, he or she will hold a grudge against you, and their work will suffer too.

3. CREATE A CULTURE WHERE MISTAKES ARE OK

If you don’t make mistakes, chances are you are not stretching yourself. If your staff are allowed to feel that mistakes are part of reaching for new highs, rather than something to feel bad about, or ashamed of, then they will take more risks on your behalf.

4. REMEMBER PERSONAL DETAILS

Take time to get to know your staff, who they are, who and what is important in their lives, etc. Be interested in them as people, not just as workers.

5. DON’T HIDE BEHIND YOUR POSITION

Be human and friendly with your staff – that way you will
all be able to support and encourage each other when things are tough.

6. BE APPROACHABLE

Allow your staff to feel that they can come and talk to you about sensitive issues, about inside – and outside – work difficulties, and that you will respect them, and not hold what they share against them.

7. ADMIT YOUR MISTAKES

If you get it wrong, say so. Managers don’t have to be infallible! Your staff will respect you more if you are able to admit your mistakes, and then set about sorting out a solution.

8. LISTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOUR EMPLOYEES WILL TALK TO YOU

Often people feel afraid of, or intimidated by, management. Make sure you show people that you are willing to listen to what they have to say, that they are important and worthy of your time.

9. BE CLEAR IN YOUR REQUESTS

It is your responsibility to ensure that people understand your requests – so communicate clearly, and ask if people have understood what you are asking for.

10. TREAT EVERYONE RESPECTFULLY AND COURTEOUSLY AT ALL TIMES

Particularly when there is a problem! Everyone who works for you is a valuable human being who deserves respect. A manager is only as good as how she or he treats the people on her or his team.

Being a good manager takes effort and consistency. You may like to look at some of the other tips we have available on our free training video section of our website: http://www.rapidresults.co.nz/wa.asp?idWebPage=49947&idDetails=169