| What kind of manager are you? Do you want | | | | 2) Ask for their opinions. |
| your people to be successful? Are you genuinely | | | | You would be very surprised how much your |
| happy for your associates when they experience | | | | people know. They can really help, if you let them. |
| success, or are you always peering around the | | | | 3) Show others that they are superior to you in |
| corner hoping no one is more successful than | | | | at least one way. |
| you? Are you secretly happy when they fail and | | | | Let people feel good. You don't have to have all |
| get "egg on their face?" | | | | the answers. I never have. It is much easier to let |
| Why is it so difficult to be genuinely happy for the | | | | others shine. One of the parts of hitting the |
| success of others? As children, we cheered for | | | | "Grand Slam" with your customers is motivating |
| our teammates when they scored the winning | | | | associates and making it fun to work with you. |
| run. With our own children we're always | | | | When people feel motivated they are more likely |
| celebrating their achievements at soccer games, | | | | to do a better job. |
| plays and spelling bees. | | | | 4) Create obligations for the right reasons. |
| My children are a different breed altogether. They | | | | Some managers create projects that make their |
| are more likely to be working the lights and sound | | | | people look bad. For many years I owned and |
| board at the latest production, rather than | | | | operated a chain of wine stores in Chicago. I |
| performing in front of the camera, but rest | | | | remember a few cases where managers gave |
| assured, we always relish their success. | | | | people jobs that they were destined to fail. Their |
| The best managers delight in the success of their | | | | manager's objectives were to look better in my |
| teams. They realize that their success depends on | | | | eyes. They picked the wrong guy for that |
| the achievements of everybody, and that the | | | | nonsense. I wanted everybody to do well. |
| more the group achieves, the more they will | | | | 5) Show your lighter side by creating laughter. |
| grow and develop. | | | | Life is hard enough without taking everything |
| Short-sighted managers are the curse of any | | | | seriously. Further, numerous studies show that |
| organization. They are constantly looking over | | | | laughter actually has many physical benefits for |
| their shoulders to see if anybody is gaining on | | | | the body. Remember how your mother told you |
| them. Reminds me of my days as a somewhat | | | | not to worry about everything because you |
| (much less, really) decorated high school | | | | would get an ulcer? Turns out she was right. |
| cross-country runner. Common practice for | | | | When you experience stress, your digestive |
| runners was to be continually looking over our | | | | system shuts down a little. When this happens |
| shoulders to see who was gaining. We were | | | | too often, the effects (one of them, ulcers) can |
| discouraged from doing this and told, instead, to | | | | be very harmful to your health. |
| keep looking ahead. This turned out to be great | | | | Well, that's enough of the medical advice. I'm not |
| advice for later in life. | | | | a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. Get out there |
| As promised, here are five tips for becoming a | | | | today and compliment someone on your team. |
| better manager: | | | | Give them some relevant, timely and specific |
| 1) Tell your people how much you need them. | | | | feedback. As the one-minute manager would say, |
| William James, a writer and philosopher, said that | | | | "Catch someone doing something right" and tell |
| the greatest human need is the desire to be | | | | them about it right away. The results will surprise |
| appreciated. Get out from behind your desk and | | | | and motivate you, not to mention the positive |
| start roaming the halls and factory floors. Tell | | | | effects on your team. A healthy company and |
| your people you are happy they are on the team. | | | | healthy profits will not be far behind! |
| Let them feel valued. | | | | |