After being in the workforce for some time already, perhaps you already know what traits of a manager employees like and dislike. To be a successful and effective manager, it's not enough that you do your part in boosting the company's sales and profit. It's equally important that you take care of your people well. Taking care of your team members doesn't only mean giving them the material things that they need. You also have to take into consideration their other needs that money can't buy.
One challenge that every manager faces is how to be both a likeable and respectable person for their employees. Being too friendly with your team members could make them way too comfortable with you, which may result in them being complacent about their performance. On the other hand, being too strict may not be helpful in giving them motivation to work harder. Thus, you need to keep the balance if you want to push your workers to do their best in their jobs.
Knowing What Your Employees Really Need
The first step towards becoming a likeable and respectable manager is to know the needs of your subordinates. Again, it's not just about their material needs. More importantly, you should know what motivates or inspires them. Giving recognition for hard work is one. Make sure you don't ignore the controbution of your employees to the success of your team.
Providing your employees with opportunities for growth and development is also vital. Their success as an employee is also your success as a manager. Thus, look for ways to help them develop new skills or enhance their existing skills.
Allowing them more flexibility at work is another thing your team members will thank and love you so much for. Give them options when it comes to their work schedule and also allow for working remotely. Remember that when a worker is happy, it will translate to the quality of work they do.
Remaining Professional All the Time
As mentioned earlier, it can be quite tough for a manager to keep a friendly and professional relationship with their employees at the same time. As a manager, you need to be aware of your actions. Observe how your behaviors affect your team members and their performance. Is your friendliness making them too relaxed? Is your closeness with them causing them to be less professional?
To become an effective manager, you have to stay professional at all times. Your employees need to understand that when it comes to work, you are their boss and that they should follow your lead. This way, you will be able to prevent your personal relationship with them from ruining their performance at work.