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Motivating your team is key

November 11, 2016 by gswartz

A bonus, a raise or an award are definitely things that can contribute to motivate your team. However, sometimes it is important to find non-monetary ways to help your staff stay motivated. Let’s discover how exactly you could do so.

Strike a conversation with one employee of yours every day. Choose to learn about one member of your team regarding their professional or personal life. Ask that person questions and listen well to their answers. If your employee shares some concerns or issues going on at work, try to proactively fix them by involving their ideas and opinions. Perhaps you will also discover that they are going through a divorce or that one of their child is chronically ill. Be compassionate and figure out together how to adjust possibly their work schedule or their work load to accommodate temporary or permanently their needs. When people are able to manage better their personal life, they become more motivated and consequently more efficient at work. Make sure you do create a safe environment for them to express themselves. Do not put them on the spot in the cafeteria in front of everyone. Find some time away from others, at the copy machine or when they come in to ask you advice in your office.

Two young beautiful female office workers talking during coffee-break. — Two female office workers talking during coffee-break.

Involving your employees individually is important. You can and should ask for feedback in group meetings also. However, some people might not feel as comfortable to share their suggestions out loud in front of others. Beware of who your employees are. Know how to reach out to them. Request input from everyone anonymously at times on comments cards, so everyone can freely write down what they have on their mind without fearing to be judged. In addition, think about organizing some role play sessions or other diversified ways to collect their valuable thoughts.

When employees feel involved and heard, they feel more motivated. It is your job as a leader, supervisor, CEO to reach out and obtain their important feedback and build a better and stronger business because of it.

David Klein is a leading Executive IT Recruiter & Headhunter with over 15 years industry experience. As Manager of Recruitment Strategy for KDS Staffing, Inc., he has achieved industry-leading success. David has successfully led, trained and introduced many in the art of Executive Recruitment and Headhunting. If you or your organization would like to discuss hiring needs, contact David at 646-650-2833 or david@kdsstaffing.com.

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Let’s All Get Along

August 2, 2016 by gswartz

In an ideal world everyone would get along; there would be no conflicts. We live in this place called reality. In reality people don’t like everyone they meet or work with. This can be a huge challenge in the workplace. Office politics and gossip can create drama, leaving managers to deal with the fallout. Even more challenging is when the manager is faced with managing someone they don’t like.

It is important to remember that life would be boring if everyone were the same. In the business world, innovation and productivity would be scarce if everyone got along. It is those people who are most unlike ourselves that challenge us to step outside of our comfort zone. While it is easier to like everyone, especially direct reports, it is not always possible.

While this is a difficult place to be, it is important to remain neutral. They may equate your demeanor towards them as lacking performance, as opposed to an interpersonal mismatch. Remember that this is business and remove emotion from the situation so you can remain respectful, fair and impartial.

The first step in managing someone you don’t like is to do a bit of soul searching. What is it about them that you don’t like? Be brutally honest with yourself. Perhaps they remind you of a childhood bully or you feel threatened by their experience. It could also be that they possess a trait that you wish you had, such as great fashion sense or the ability to convert sales with ease.

The next step is to get to know them. Sometimes poor impressions are created due to misunderstandings. If they have a defensive demeanor towards you or constantly go to their peers for help, it might be because they feel intimidated. Sharing lunch together, outside of the office setting, will allow both of you to relax a bit and hopefully discover that there are some mutual interests.

If lunch is a bust, all hope is not lost. Now that you know the team member better, try to find a few things that you like about them. They could be great with difficult clients or effective problem solvers. Regardless of the outcome, make certain to keep your own bias out of your feedback and performance evaluations. If needed, ask a colleague to be your voice of reason.

Managing someone you don’t like can be one of the more challenging, yet most rewarding professional experiences. It allows a leader to test their skills as they move out of their comfort zone. Over time the person who challenged you might become the biggest asset on the team.

Motivating your team is key

Let’s All Get Along

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