Explanation:
1. Build Trust
According to 90% or workers, honesty, trust and fairness are considered the most important attributes valued in the workplace. But, how exactly can you establish trust in the workplace? According to Eva Rykrsmith on QuickBase, an organizational psychologist and HR/OD leader, you can begin by doing the following:
Make promises and keep them - don’t overpromise and underdeliver.
Make firm commitments - avoid words like I’ll try” or “I’ll do my best.”
Follow-up - keep team member updated.
Communicate obstacles - discuss how you can overcome any problems with team members.
Rykrsmith also states that you can build trust by owning up to mistakes, showing compassion, making amends and focusing on actions. Staffing employment agency Adecco also adds that you can begin meetings by using the first five minutes to discuss the personal or professional lives of employees.
2. Communication
Communication is arguably the cornerstone of any healthy and effective work environment. In fact, in one survey of more than 210,000 American employees, it was found that less than half were satisfied with the information they received from management.
PROMOTED
Before you can open up the lines of communication, you have to first ask the right questions. Jeb Blount, author of People Follow You: The Real Secret to What Matters Most in Leadership, recommends (via Monster.com) that you remember these guidelines during interviews, performance reports or just casual conversations.
Rule #1: People Won't Tell You the Whole Truth Until They Feel Connected to You
Rule #2: Ask Easy Questions First
Rule #3: People Communicate with Stories
Rule #4: Be Empathetic -- Follow Emotional Cues to Problems
Rule #5: Never Make Assumptions
Once you’ve learned how to ask questions effectively, you can focus on other areas of communication in the workplace. For example, you need to keep team members in loop, so why not send out a weekly newsletter? You can also implement an open door policy so that team members feel that they have easy access to you whenever needed.
3. Empower Team Members
According to Kevin Daum, an Inc. 500 entrepreneur and author of, Video Marketing for Dummies and Roar! Get Heard in the Sales and Marketing Jungle, “Having empowered employees is the dream of every leader.” To achieve this task, you should:
Foster Open Communication - you’ve hopefully already done this, but Daum recommends that you “give employees structured ways to make their thoughts, feelings and observations known easily and regularly.”
Reward Self-Improvement - provide employees with plan for growth and reward them when they do.
Encourage Safe Failure - give employees an area where they can to learn to fail without putting the company in danger.
Provide Plenty of Context - as a leader, you should be able to share your knowledge and vision so that an employee “clearly understands the core values, purpose and direction of the company can easily make consistent decisions and take appropriate action at any junction.”
Clearly Define Roles - make sure that you establish specific roles and responsibilities for employees.
Require Accountability - team members have to be aware of when they have met expectations, as well as when they have not.
Support Their Independence - let employees do their own thing, even if they fail.
Appreciate Their Efforts - employees aren’t just in it for the paycheck, they want to be appreciated - so say ‘thank you’ and celebrate accomplis
