The quality of the product or service you sell is an enormous factor in your business success. However, of equal importance—if not more so—is what positions you to be able to sell: your people.
Business ownership is not for the faint of heart, and in the midst of everyday chaos, owners often fail to properly manage their most valuable asset: their employees.
We spoke with Sheri Desaretz, president of Looking Forward Coaching, about what to consider in order to ramp up your management game.
1. Your employees are people, so treat them as such. Interact with them on a more personal level so they feel valued as more than a cog in your business wheel.
2. Value employee input. Employees often know more about aspects of your business than you do, and have a different perspective, so ask their opinions, and really listen. You’ll be amazed at the value you’ll get from their thinking.
3. Acknowledge their “wins.” You’ll inspire loyalty and respect by showing appreciation. Who doesn’t want to hear how great they are?
4. Handle mistakes with class (and with privacy). It’s all in the way you use language and deliver your critique. Be objective, do it privately, be clear in the changes required, and then let it go. Your employee will appreciate the way you’ve handled it.
5. Be accessible. Enabling an employee to feel comfortable asking you questions engenders commitment and collaboration. So take control of your management culture. On so many levels, it will be a game changer for your business.
Published (and copyrighted) in South Jersey Biz, Volume 5, Issue 7 (July, 2015).
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