Learning the easy way
ONE MONTH into my first job and I was convinced that I couldn't write to save my life, which was rather unfortunate considering the fact that I had studied and trained to become a member of the fourth estate. My editor had neither the time nor sympathy for me; he expected me to learn the ropes of the job and fast! Fortunately, my co-workers were willing and ready to help me out from learning what `booting a system' meant to know the difference between quack and Quark express! A work culture where employees are willing to share their knowledge with one another is indeed a thing worth emulating. If you happen to be a manager or a supervisor leading a team of workers reluctant to help each other, then you have your work cut out for you. Remember this reluctance often stems from their own insecurities, rather than any disinclination to help newcomers.
Contrary to what you may perceive, when you are managing and motivating a workforce during difficult times, simple remedies are very often effective. As a senior person if you initiate a dialogue with newcomers your team members will follow suit.
Walk the talk: Instead of just talking about better communication, start communicating better. By developing open, two-way conversations, your employees will feel more comfortable discussing what's on their minds. Include employees in meetings to get their perspective and their take on the issue. This will show them that you are not merely boss but also someone who cares.
Support system: Talk to the employees about what they think is the weaknesses in the system. Do not however blame any individual. You could perhaps even ask the employees what support they need from the management to feel more valued. Be a leader with foresight and integrity. Share the organisation's and your vision with your people. Keeping them in the loop always makes them more responsible, and also avoids gossip and rumours. Encourage workers to get together and talk things out, the more they do that, the more they can relax on the job.
Be visible: Ivory towers are for medieval princes. Be a manager who's `out there, clued in and available'. All employees start with enthusiasm, brimming with new and creative ideas. But a gradual lack of motivation and appreciation kills this zeal and they feel that they have no choices. Funnily enough employees are often like children - needing constant acknowledgment and approval. The more pats on the back, the better they perform! The day it dries up, exhaustion and boredom creep in a very short time.
Talk straight: Even as you practice your pep talks, practice talking straight too. Many managers find this a difficult task to accomplish but it is important to tell people what they need to hear not necessarily what they want to. Try to build teams that help and support each other. They must be able to respect each other's differences and eliminate the `we vs. them' attitude.
Empower: Empower your people so that they feel liberated and creative. Introduce the concept of fun, which is sorely missing from most workplaces today.
Mentoring is another means of making an employee feel part of the workplace culture. When a new employee is hired, assign him (or her) to someone senior in the organisation that can help him `do things the right way'. You may have achieved success the hard way.
But if you make it easy for your workers to enjoy their work while learning, you may end up falling in love with your work again. You never know!
PADMA RAMESH
Padma.hyd@cnkonline.com
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Opportunities
