There are a lot of bad actors out there with a manager title. Poor performing managers bring significant risk to the organization, and they are oblivious to the impact that their leadership style has on employees. There is a lot of truth to the statement that employees leave managers, not jobs. So what actions separate the poor-performing managers from the top-performing managers?
The most significant impact a manager can have is on organizational performance and employee retention. They carry the direct responsibility of aligning their team’s performance with the organization’s overall goals and shaping its culture. Further, managers are the link between senior staff and the boots on the ground. Because of the interconnected nature of these responsibilities, implementing these four core actions of top-performing managers ensures they deliver in these critical areas.
One-on-ones
While every manager will conduct one-on-ones differently, the goal of these meetings is the same – to maintain open communication and build relationships with their direct reports. In addition, one-on-ones are most effective when done consistently and weekly. One-on-ones are the foundation of the four core actions of top-performing managers.
One-on-ones create trust between the manager and employee because it is an opportunity to get personal. When managers have regular one-on-ones, it allows employees to build lasting relationships with their managers. Additionally, employees will feel more comfortable bringing issues forward that are impacting their ability to perform. Top-performing managers have a high level of trust with their employees.
One-on-ones are the best time to discuss the employee’s personal and professional growth. Through one-on-ones, managers can learn about the employee’s career aspirations, interests, and development opportunities. Top-performing managers show an interest in the employee’s growth and help them progress their careers. As a result, their employees happier, which causes them to become more loyal.
One-on-ones improve performance because managers are meeting with each employee every week. In addition, because one-on-ones are done weekly, managers can stay on top of productivity and ensure the team’s goals are met.
Feedback
Providing regular and meaningful feedback is another way top-performing managers achieve results and retain their employees. When managers provide feedback, they create an opportunity for their employee to modify their behavior to achieve their goals. Feedback consists of identifying the gap that exists between expectations and the current state.
Giving feedback is an art and doesn’t come naturally to most managers. Unfortunately, too many managers fear giving feedback and, as a result, withhold it altogether. They fear offering positive feedback because they suspect the employee will stop trying. Conversely, managers fear giving negative feedback because of how the employee might react.
Feedback is critical along the entire employee journey. For example, when an employee has set a goal to improve or has achieved something spectacular, the manager should provide feedback. Likewise, when the employee is in the learning phase, feedback can make or break their mastery of that skill.
Feedback is part of the four core actions of top-performing managers because it achieves results and retains their employees. Without adequate feedback, managers and their employees fail.
Coaching
Top-performing managers achieve results and retain their employees through coaching. Coaching is different from feedback because coaching focuses on helping employees reach their future goals. Unfortunately, coaching is one of the hardest things for managers to learn. Coaching focuses on pulling answers from their employees, which requires exceptional listening skills.
Coaching is critical to developing or enhancing skills, and it requires asking questions and listening to the answers. Managers who wrap coaching around everything they do, such as giving feedback, discussing goals, or problem-solving, inspire their employees to maximize their personal and professional potential.
Top-performing managers master the skill of coaching to achieve results and retain their employees. Coaching helps a manager equip their employees with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they need to be effective in their role. Coaching skills are no longer nice to have. They are required for anyone managing employees.
Recognition
Rounding out the four core actions of top-performing managers is recognition. Providing regular recognition that is specific is the single most valuable way managers demonstrate they value their employee’s contributions.
Further, when managers recognize their employees, it builds a sense of job security and motivates them to continue delivering great work. Recognition can take many forms. It could be a bonus or raise, going to lunch, public acknowledgment, or private praise.
To maximize the effect of recognition, it must be timely, specific, and relevant. Understanding how each employee wants recognition makes it even more effective. Top-performing managers make recognition part of their core actions because it helps them achieve results and retain their employees.
The manager makes the difference in nearly every aspect of business success. Ultimately managers are accountable for achieving results and retaining their employees. Implementing the four core actions of one-to-ones, feedback, coaching, and recognition separate the “good enough” managers from the top-performing managers.
