The greatest tool you have is communication and understanding what communication really is.
We communicate through everything we do and say and everything we do not do and do not say.
Take a minute to really think about that statement with the idea of leading by example and thinking about what you say to your direct reports when you are speaking. Think about how they perceive you when you think they do not see or hear you talking to your peers.
Your people listen in on your conversations a lot more than you listen in on theirs. Think about that the next time you are in the hallway.
I used to joke about it with my peers, but it’s true, anytime you put a large number of people in one place, it turns into high school and I feel like I am a principal/teacher most days and the school counselor on others.
Then I became a parent realized I had been more like a father. I did my best work when I took the time to care about my direct reports as a father would care for his children. I believe in being the kind of leader that feels as if they failed you if the company needs to fire you.
I believe in guiding my direct reports as I guide my son. For the most part he knows what to do, if he doesn’t, he asks. Sometimes he asks for direction through his actions not his words.
I use his grades as his Key Performance Indicators or KPI’s. When I managed for call centers I looked at quality scores and handle times. I think you see how the concept applies universally in some cases.
Being a good manager prepared me to be a good father.
The point I am trying to illustrate is that every relationship, professional or otherwise starts with us taking the time to see what is being communicated so we may better evaluate what we need to communicate.
I could give you a list of tools that would be the same list you could find a bunch of places.
Instead of taking easy road out, I would encourage you to accept the challenge of using this as an excuse to gather your peers for a brainstorming session. If you accept this challenge, say as little as possible and examine the way your peers tackle the topic. This is an opportunity not to shine, but to learn how they think.
The more you learn the more you can apply to what you are doing and let your performance speak for itself.
When it comes to speech, learn the way that your direct reports talk. Tailor your message to their understanding, to their thought process which begins with the way they speak.
When you talk to them listen not just to what they are saying but how they say it. Take the time to notice everything.
Later, when still trying to figure out what to do, this will give you more to work with. Think about all the past experiences with this individual. Make sure you see the person not only a direct report.
Most of the time direct reports feel like the numbers they produce, a black and white result.
If you want them to care more about that result, you need to put some care into the work that produces that result.
You show your care by tailoring and personalizing your message. You show you care by saying what you mean and meaning what you say and backing it up one-hundred percent no excuses. It falls upon you to teach them to communicate better by being the example they have to follow.
I use the word “you” a lot and the reason for that is this. If you or I want to be a leader, you and I have to realize that starts with you and I so that we can lead them. Sometimes the team needs an I to lead the way.
Leaders don’t always have titles and they are rarely hired. True leaders are created by their own actions. If you want to lead them, it falls upon you to create a leader they want to follow. This is where motivation begins and ends.
If you want to learn to communicate better, I would suggest an organization such as Toast Masters International. While I was working for a Fortune one-hundred company, the director got the company to pay for a club on site. The club was open to all levels of employees and sharpened my skills quite a bit.
There are other tools out there as well for building a common language. The best way to do this is to create it within your organization so that it is tailored to what you do and the culture you are creating.
There it is, that buzz word we have all been waiting for “Culture.”
There is a reason everyone talks about it, the culture you provide is a part of motivating your people to want to be there and want to perform. When looking at your culture, look at all the pieces and the big picture. This takes time and its time well invested.
How often is anyone late to work?
Is it acceptable for anyone to be late to work?
Do you complain about not wanting to be there?
Does your attitude say I am happy to be here?
Were you late this morning?
How often are you late?
What rules do you bend?
Who knows about it?
Get the point?
This falls back to leading by example. Your motivation level towards your job reflects outwardly more than you think. If you are not projecting a motivated leader, why should they follow you or be happy to be around you?
Inspiration on the other hand, takes a more creative approach.
What inspires you to be at work?
What inspires you to be a better leader?
Who inspires you to keep showing up?
Who are you trying to inspire with your words and your actions?
How do you know it will work?
If you do not take the time to get to know what inspires your direct reports, how can you hope to inspire them to follow you?
The next time you have a one on one, pull out a career action plan and talk about where they want to be. Ask them why. Ask them why more often to a lot of the things they say. Their answers will tell you what inspires them to be better. You will see their thought process unfold and be better able to help them tweak it.
If you hate your job, you better find the things you love about it real fast or you find another job where you can lead. If you cannot find the reasons to inspire and motivate yourself to love your job and want to be there, then you have already failed.
I look at my direct reports as kids and I am there to take care of them for eight hours a day. If you cannot care about them in that way, you are not a leader and need to quit your job until you get it.
If you want to be a leader who is followed by choice not title, then this is the non-negotiable truth you both embrace and create the leader they need or deny and be the boss they tolerate for a paycheck.