What do you expect from your employees?

What Do You Expect From Your Employees?

Typically, we tend to think of WHAT our employees should be doing:

Finish their tasks, meet their targets, show up on time, etc.

While it is important to be clear about the expected output, this alone is insufficient to motivate high performing employees.

The way you treat others, determines the way others treat you. The way others treat you determines the way you see yourself. The way you see yourself determines the way you are.

~ Sharon Gannon

Promoting Desired Behaviours

What is often overlooked is to identify and express the desired behaviours to motivate and inspire your employees. Being a successful leader does not just mean telling what you want your employees to do, you need to walk the talk and promote desired behaviours based on your company’s values:

  • Have a compelling vision. Great visions are catalysts for action, they pull people.
  • Communicate, communicate. Spend time talking to and listening to your employees. Active listening requires getting other people’s opinions and asking for their support of your plan. 
  • Engage your team. Do your employees believe they have the authority to make decisions and that they are responsible for their actions? More active participation at work results from giving people a sense of control over their surroundings.
  • Identify the path. Everyone will stay on course if they have a plan and a map. Avoid frequently altering your destination. There is a better possibility of arriving at the destination if everyone is aware of where you are going and how you plan to get there.
  • Reward and acknowledge. Saying “thank you” in a variety of contexts indicates that you have observed work that is beyond the call of duty. These behaviours are encouraged and flourish when they are acknowledged. Pay it forward by spotting others doing the right thing and expressing gratitude.
  • Consider, breathe, and express “success”. People want to succeed, but they may want some coaching or direction to remain motivated. Giving feedback and modelling to colleagues on how to do things better has a tremendous impact, especially when it comes from someone in a leadership position.
  • Fair play. Real-life events take place, and one solution does not fit all. If necessary, allow exceptions, but always act consistently and fairly. Consider the situation; as a leader, you are supposed to demonstrate great insights.

 

When you do this consistently, you are creating a high performance culture based on a shared purpose, strong values and above all people who have an intrinsic motivation.

 

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