Employees often take their cues from what the manager or supervisor pays attention to. Although bosses and parents might want employees and kids to “Do as I say, Not as I do” the reality is that employees are often paying attention to what their boss does, more so than what he or she says.
We advise supervisors and managers to keep in mind that they are always communicating whenever their employees see them – in fact employees are constantly trying to pick up on clues as to whether the boss is happy, frustrated, frantic or in control.
Advice for managers to deliver consistent messages that make sure their actions line up with their words:
1. Describe why it’s important to do the right thing: For example: I need you here every day and to be on-time because you are important part of the team – when you’re not here or when you are late, it really causes disruption and impacts the team and the customer.
2. Demonstrate yourself: In the case of attendance and punctuality – be early and be prepared every day.
3. Reinforce importance through action: Provide positive feedback to employees who meet your expectations – or those employees who start to meet expectations. When you see an employee not meeting expectations – be sure to say something right away – then they will be more likely to do what you want. Once employees know that you are going to say something when they step out of line, they will be less likely to test your limits.
For more information and to book training sessions in January and February, please visit www.LeadershipWizard.com
