It can sometimes be easy for leaders to forget that their
business relies not only on their own performance, but that of their employees.
Your employees’ success is intrinsically tied with your own, and without them, you
essentially don’t have much to offer. Empowering and engaging with your
employees can be the key to a successful business and a happy, healthy
environment for everyone.
Empower them and don’t micromanage. Assess at each point if the outcomes are what you are looking for and guide from there.
Micromanagement can be the downfall of many leaders, who prefer to keep a tight leash on their every aspect of business. But micromanagement can be one of the biggest killers of trust amongst your workers. Try to avoid dipping into every nook and cranny and instead invest your effort into empowering staff with the tools they need to succeed. Your employees will trust you when you trust them.
Let them learn through managing others.
Learning through managing others can be an incredible tool and learning curve for your staff, whether it’s managing a team of interns at the lower levels or your senior staff assisting you with managing the rest of your team. As opposed to simply telling your employees that they have the power and autonomy it takes for success, why not let them put their skills into practice? This is assist in developing confidence and decision making skills while getting to know their teammates even more closely.
Let them in on the big picture of where the company stands and how they contribute directly to the bottom line.
Each member of your team is like a piece of the unique puzzle that is your business, and while you know exactly how the bigger picture looks, it can be very difficult for some employees to see where they fit in, or see themselves as a valuable part of the team. How can you expect your employees to trust you if you keep them in the dark? Letting them in on the bigger picture will let your team focus on a shared goal. One of the biggest compliments we receive here at Agent99 is how well our close-knit team works together. This is because each team member knows their value as part of a bigger picture, and strives to contribute so that we as a team can exceed a client’s expectations.
Give them platforms to voice opinions
Creating a platform and safe environment for this to occur is crucial to allow for open, honest communication throughout your business. Build connections at every level of the business wherever you can. There is nothing more empowering for your employees than telling them they have a voice, and that their voice matters.
Give them reigns over entire projects so they feel full ownership and accountability
This is one of the best ways of building trust with your staff, and demonstrates that you really trust in their abilities. This will not only help them learn quite quickly, but should give them a little boost of confidence that will go a long way! This also allows for employees to take responsibility for their own errors, and at the same time taking credit for their good work.
Be flexible in how they manage their time
Coming under the same umbrella as micro-managing, your employees will feel much more confident knowing you trust them enough to manage their own time. They way in which daily tasks are juggled is a very personal thing, and everyone has their own ways of handling things. Let your team be their best in their own ways, but do make it clear to them that you’re just an email away if they need guidance! The best method is to set guidelines or loose timeframes for your staff, letting them hash out the specifics themselves. You may find that your employees learn much faster this way too.
Give them platforms to talk to you about where they are at and how you can assist their career path
I find building rapport and openness through heart to heart conversations is extremely affective. You don’t need to be best friends, but sharing how you feel about the work regularly means there are no surprises at any point. From the outset, I made it an Agent99 ritual to have monthly ‘coffee catch-ups’ with each individual member of my team so I could better understand them, and exchange honest feedback about where they’re at with the business (both good and bad) and voice any concerns they have encountered. Your staff will really appreciate the personable approach, the chance for positive recognition and opportunity to voice any concerns with their position or with their team.
All in all, keeping great employees really can mean the difference between a business flourishing or failing. I would say I spend up to 75% of my time working with my team so they feel nurtured, listened to, and valued. Take the steps to emplower your team and assist their leadership and management skills – you will notice a world of difference!
