Thursday, February 28, 2013

How Supervisors Can Pump Up Employees and Motivate Their Engagement

During supervisor training, I frequently discuss the following topic. Top management will create a statue in your likeness if discover how to get employees engaged, excited, and producing at maximum capacity while remaining happy, healthy, and contributing to a positive work culture. Tall order, huh? So is there a secret formula for employee engagement to this magnitude. No. However, after writing a monthly supervisor newsletter for 20 years every month, non-stop, and getting emails from possibly hundreds of HR managers and employees, I think I can get close to the answer in 150 words. Here goes possibly one the best supervisor tips for your leadership:
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Managers should start with a premise, and assume that each of his or her employees is capable of magnificent achievements. This will positively affect the attitude and interactions with them. A positive engaging style is half the battle, and the other half is good communication. Let everyone know what’s going on within the organization and the importance of their role in the big picture. Cite successes, trends, and opportunities. Be realistic, but let employees know what awaits them personally and as a team for achieving goals. Check your behavior. Mistrust, inability to adapt to change, disrespect toward employees, or perception that you are not performing at your peak can be magnified by employees and fodder for chatter. This will undermine your goal keeping employees engaged. Process your stress with other supervisors and the professionals (not a 800 hotline) of the intact and in-house employee assistance program. Develop ideas for nurturing your staff. This will reduce isolation and keep the supervisor energized and forward looking, pumped, an excited which become contagious. -- Daniel Feerst, http://workplacenewsletters.com ++++++++++++++++++++++ More Engagement Ideas

Monday, February 11, 2013

Free HR Resources and HR Resources Free ....

I discovered a great page for signing up for human resources materials that include a lot of workplace wellness, respect, conflict, dealing with difficult people, resiliency issues, holiday stress. This handouts and tip sheets are indispensable for supervisors and leadership staffers. Sign up at this link and don't say I didn't find you a gold mine. Free HR Resources and HR Resources Free  ....

Saturday, February 9, 2013

I'm OK, You're OK Supervision Will KO Your Authority

Something is trending and it is downhill. It appears that the overvaluation of "compromise, negotiation, fairness" in our politically correct society--an utterly destructive social force in many ways--has contributed to a belief among some supervisors that any protest or refusal by an employee to do his or her job, must somehow be understood and examined for its merits. It seems as though for many managers, a knee-jerk response is an "I-thou", "You're Ok-I'm Ok" attempt to negotiate with the employee in order to get the work done. May I ask a question? Whatever happened to telling employee to do things a certain way or else?

Sometimes--no always--if you're the boss, you're the boss. You should examine the nature of conflict with your employee before engaging in any kind of negotiation process. Get advice from a peer supervisor colleague if needed, but absolutely shy away from mediation services of any kind. That's off the table. I have seen supervisors do it, but it is a one-way ticket to relationship dysfunction. Never enter into mediating a conflict with an employee you supervise because it will elevate the employee bad behavior and make accepting change and direction from you completely optional.

Some supervisors feel hesitant about asserting themselves with employees because it feels awkward and antagonistic to their long-term and familiar relationship. They would like to avoid feeling as though they are “pulling rank.” They are unaware that their employee’s behavior has placed them in this position, so they struggle with a way to get the job done without upsetting their employee. You have a right to expect work duties to be performed in ways you judge effective. Although mediation is useful in workplace relationships, the natural imbalance of power between the supervisor and the employee can be harmed by mediation. This could send a message that makes changes optional for the supervised employee.  Supervisor Tips and Skills Newsletter may help you tremendously.