You are a manager, and as a manager you have a staff. When you think of that staff what attributes would you like them to have? Your list probably includes words and phrases such as hard-working, loyal, intelligent, and trustworthy. You probably even have a vision of the ideal employee.
Now turn it around. Have you ever considered what attributes your employees would include if they were putting together a list of what they would like their manager to be? Stop for a moment, and consider that. And when you think about it, do you fit the bill? If not, there’s no time like the present to get started!
Let’s take a look at 3 areas that make someone the kind of manager that people truly want to work for.
- Approachability – Being the type of manager that people feel they can come to with a question or concern. Whether this means you have an open door policy, or even if you can’t in your position, being the kind of person that is willing to listen and take the time for your employees. And in addition to that, you are supportive regarding their concerns and feel as if you are on their side whenever possible.
- Being fair – We are all human and we may naturally get along better and have more in common with some people than others. But that should never get in the way of how you treat your employees. When it comes to business decisions, you should always be fair and consider the strengths of all of your employees, and never favor people that you have personal relationships with just because of that tie.
- Rolling up your sleeves – When your employees know that you will jump in when necessary that makes a huge difference in how they view you. If you just sit behind your desk and close the door when the going gets tough, your employees will not respect you and their sense of any loyalty may diminish. But when you step up when they need you to and lend a hand to help with a project or task they will certainly take note in a very positive way.
Now it’s up to you. Take a few minutes and really assess your strengths and weaknesses. Do your employees view you as approachable and fair, and do they see you as a team players? If not, it’s never too late to make a change. Just go ahead and do it!