MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCE – TRAINING

How do I ensure lasting results from my team?

Moving forward from the previous training that involved getting your team to work together to produce results, we arrive at managing human resources. In this case Ruth Kamuntu would like to speak to the hearts of the young ceos, the young directors, the newly appointed managers, and any business owner out there, who has got a team that he leads, calm down and let’s delve in what it takes to have you team cohesively working together to produce A+ results.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TECHNIQUES THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR TEAM PRODUCING AT HIGHER RESULTS ?

Techniques/ methods that will help you to manage and maintain an A TEAM

Building and maintaining a great team, includes you.

• Look in the mirror

The energy of the company begins with you as the director. If you are not excited and inspired, your employees won’t be either. As a leader, your mind set is your most important asset so you have to continually work on it as part of your self-care routine. When you wake up in the morning then you look at yourself in the mirror if the kind of person you see is not the kind of attitude you want to meet at your workplace then change it there and then. Be the kind of person you want to have at your company.

• Be a cheerleader not a coach

Great leaders bring out greatness in their team because they see what is possible and transfer that belief. So as a business owner, it is your responsibility to bring out that greatness in your team. Motivate them and cheer them up and bring out their confidence instead of lecturing them. In other words, be the person to move closely with your employees rather than stand at a distance to see them walk. A cheerleader doesn’t care what mistake you have done or how many turnovers and the fact that you are 10points down in the last minute of the basketball game, on the contrary focus on the target, the ability to achieve the target and the capability of success, because they have seen you win once and they believe you can. A coach on the other hand sits on the sidelines to back orders and new strategies to win the game. Many times your employees need motivation as compared to strict supervision.

• Practice empathy

The old school management technique of using negative reinforcement to drive results has been proven ineffective and it also creates an unhealthy work environment. The moment you start using these negative talks to your team, they will stop opening up to you. A great leader should be empathetic. He/she should feel for their employees to build a strong relationship with them which will boost their morale and ease working together as a team. empathy increases your rapport with your employees,

• Pile on the positive feedback.

Overwhelm them with positive feedback on the big things, little things any chance you get. Most managers only give feedback when it’s negative or corrective. For instance when they make great sales, pat them on the shoulder and thank them. Show that you recognise their efforts. One of the most important things that people want is to be appreciated. To know that their efforts are being recognised and they  matter to the company and the organization. It helps kick in the motivation to even go beyond the boundaries, beyond the limit just to get the job done.

• Get out of the way

Give them space to pull out their skills, in your presence, they might feel timid sometimes. It’s not that you go away for good, just give them their moments once in a while. Backing away is one way to motivate your team. Demand results and excellence while giving them their moments to perform their tasks alone. Do not micromanage your employees. If you trust them then give them their peace. Top performers need space to do their best. Do Not go away forever but rather give them space and once in a while get back to them in a result oriented space.

• Remember your manners

Saying “please” and “thank you” go a long way. Saying thank you is a specific and tangible way of letting your staff know that you know how much effort was put in. Greet them and appreciate them, practice simple manners to make them feel valued and that gives them motivation to perform to the best of their ability. Working with a boss who does contrary makes the subordinates feel like they are slaves and not part of the company and so they just perform to the bare minimum. They will never go across and over.

• Keep your doors open

Proactively demonstrate your eagerness to support your team by maintaining a regular schedule of one on one time. Think about everyone and hear them out regardless of what level they are working on. Avoid being that boss that has a closed door and you only get to the office when something bad is going to happen. Always be open and accommodative to your subordinates trying to get them to know what to be focussed on. Let them know the limits and be very keen, listen in and reflect before you give the feedback.

• Make them part of your mission

Make sure your leadership is aligned with the vision of the organisation and that this vision is featured prominently and enthusiastically in all your leadership communications. Remind them of why you started the company and what you want to achieve. Let them understand that their everyday contribution will lead to the success of your vision and let them be part of your journey.

Other key points to note;

• Develop purpose, vision and values- does your business have a vision and purpose and mission. Do your employees know and understand what they are supposed to do. Their expectations
• Connect with everyone on your team – being there to plan and review with your team. As a business owner you must be able to get feedback on your business. You can only get this through feedback and various (standup) meetings in the team.
• Build trust among team members – promote autonomy in your team and among your team members. Let them feel able to make decisions on behalf of the company and organisations.
• Show concern for team- it’s all about listening to your team, both at the individual level and at the team level. Empathy goes a mile. Be sure not to over do it. Know the limits and let the limits be clear to both the employee and the team.
• Track how they spend their free time- it is also a good practise to know what they want and how they spend their free time. It contributes a lot to their overall efficiency and effectiveness at the company.

NB. IN THE CASES OF FEEDBACK HOW DO YOU HANDLE CRITICISM AND NEGATIVE FEEDBACK ESPECIALLY PERSONALLY?. It’s good to be emotionally mature and have an emotional quotient is part of your responsibility.   Sometimes when you fight back they close the door for feedback. I appreciate your contribution however for the sake of the business we are involved in, and the kind of competitors, then we have to do it this way or that way in order to stay in business.

• The issue of listening. It goes back to the issue of making the boundaries clear. Getting too emotionally attached to the employee is not something you would want to get into. It can easily impair your decision making. Much as you must listen closely to your employee, keep in mind the boundaries and limits of the employee/ employer relationship.

Quote to live by; “talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships” Michael Jordan

 “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is a process, and working together is success”- Henry Ford. Proudly brought to you by tech buzz hub, adapted from the webinar on which we had Miss Ruth Kamuntu was the main panelist. If you missed the webinar, make sure you don’t walk away the same way you got to this website.