By Linda Dulye, President and Founder, Dulye & Co. / The Dulye Leadership Experience
Employees who are tuned in and turned on by their job and workplace deliver priceless dividends in their level of commitment, accountability and satisfaction. Managers play a key role in creating that magnetic spirit. These three will move you in the right direction.
1: Get invested. You have to build in time every day to check in with employees – virtually or in person. If you are co-located with your team, take 20 minutes a day to walk the halls and stop by work areas to see what folks are doing and talking about. If team members are working remote, schedule 10 minute phone calls or quick Zooms to touch base. The only agenda driving these interactions is your genuine interest to hear how they are doing.
2: Get interested. Demonstrating interest requires a skill in asking questions. Learn how to ask open-ended questions that don’t trigger only a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response, automatically. Curiosity will create interchanges that will help you to learn from and about others. Both aspects deliver dividends for your professional development. Start the day by writing down a few questions that will generate important insights for you to learn how team members are feeling about workplace changes and what they need to stay connected with their co-workers for better teamwork.
3: Get insights. There’s no established game plan for the multi-dimensional workplace triggered by the pandemic. Establish a regular routine for reading or listening to professional development resources–such as leadership blogs from Harvard Business Review or episodes from TED Talks. Self-development is a constant requirement for effective leadership. What do you need to build a workplace culture that will keep people motivated? Seek answers every day.