1. Paint a clear picture of where you want your team to get to. Help the team to understand their part to play. Share information to help them see the context of their work and the impact it’s having.
2. Get to know your team members as individuals. Take time to understand what is important at work for your team members. If you’re not sure then ask them!
3. Give recognition. Whenever you catch your team members doing something right, acknowledge this in a way that is meaningful to them.
4. Be available. If your diary is challenging, consider booking an ‘open door’ session when your team members know they can talk to you.
5. Be clear when you delegate work. Your team needs to know what’s expected and when, and what support is available if they get stuck.
6. Learn to ask good open questions. Use these to coach your team through problems by tapping into their experience and empower them to tackle similar problems in the future. You’ll also find out a lot more about how they think and the skills they may not have shared with you previously.
7. Practise active listening. Close your laptop programmes, turn off your emails and make sure you’re fully present when having one to ones.
8. Encourage constructive, open feedback. Help team members to positively challenge each other’s behaviours. This includes inviting feedback on your own performance and taking action based on it.
9. Role model behaviours that increase well being. Set your team up to work healthily by setting a good example. Think twice before sending that late night email and schedule it for the morning.
10. Break down barriers. Use the relationships you build with team members outside of the team to help you identify how you can do this.
Richard has supported a number of our WorkL for Business clients in preparing employee engagement surveys, analysing results and delivering interventions. Visit our Surveys page.
Find out about Richard’s consultancy, coaching and bespoke training that aims to create happier workplaces at www.middleton-consultancy.co.uk