Getting the best out of your people is vital if you want to achieve the best progress in your business or organization. Much of it comes from how you interact personally and here are just ten key actions you need to take to build great, fulfilling and productive relationships…
This might be a bit obvious to you.
If you have any role in people management, you need to make sure you develop great people skills.
By building rapport, you’ll develop ongoing, productive relationships with all of your people, giving you a tremendous return on your efforts.
Here are ten easy things you can do that will dramatically change the response you get from your people, the key asset you have in your business or organization:
- just have conversations About everything! Talking and more importantly listening to your people on a regular and informal basis is a huge plus. No matter what it is, your understanding of them and their trust in you will be magnified if you spend priority time on it each and every day.
- Listen and show that you are listening Take the time to really listen to each of your people, instead of just counting it out. If you really listen, they will respond. Hearing is more: it is about what you do with what you have heard. And by using your face, body language, eye contact, and what you say (see 3 below), you’ll go a long way to show that you’re listening carefully.
- ask another question Such a simple tactic. Ask secondary questions about what you have been told. Nothing, but nothing builds a relationship and relationships like this. It shows that what you have been told is valuable, interesting, and builds your confidence. And you’ve been there to make it happen.
- Support Your people need you to help them along the way. With your support, they will flourish and grow. Support is what they hear from you – it works both ways.
- coach Don’t get bogged down with technicalities. Coaching is about helping them see where they want to go from where they are now. It’s about exploring the possibilities, their possibilities, not yours, and calling for action. Simple as that.
- clear expectations By making sure all of your people know exactly what you expect of them, they’ll be on the same page to deliver it. Confusion about performance is demoralizing and drains energy. Take the time to be clear.
- pay attention In any conversation with your people, take the time to give your full attention. Do your best to avoid being interrupted or distracted and truly value them for what they are saying to you, or for the message you are giving them.
- show interest in them These are real people and if you dig a little deeper, it will show up. Having a real interest in who they are, their hopes and fears, their passions, and what’s important to them makes a world of difference in how they perceive you. Know your dog’s name, if your dog is your most prized possession!
- Go ahead During conversations, you can offer actions that will be valuable to them. Answers to what they told you. Be sure to turn these in. Monitoring and reporting. Take the actions you say you will take. If you can’t, tell them why.
- remember conversations When you have subsequent conversations, remember something that was said earlier and bring it up. This is hugely rewarding for them and lets them know that they said something of value.
Great managers really understand their people and find ways to bring out the best in each of them.
Maximize the value of the most valuable asset you have in your business.
Your people.