1. Be a good coach
• Provide specific, constructive feedback, balancing negative and positive
• Have regular one-on-ones, presenting solutions to problems
tailored to the employee’s strengths
2. Empower your team and don’t micromanage
• Balance giving freedom to your employees while still being available for advice
• Make “stretch” assignments to help them tackle big problems
3. Express interest in employees’ success and well-being
• Get to know your employees as people, with lives outside of work
• Make new folks feel welcome, help ease the transition
4. Be productive and results-oriented
• Focus on what you want the team to achieve and how employees can help achieve it
• Help the team prioritize work, and make decisions to remove roadblocks
5. Be a good communicator and listen to your team
• Communication is two-way: Both listen and share
• Encourage open dialogue and listen to the questions and concerns of your employees
6. Help your employees with career development
7. Have a clear vision and strategy for the team
• Even amid turmoil, keep the team focused on goals and strategy
• Involve the team in setting and evolving the team’s vision, goals, and progress
8. Have key technical skills, so you can help advise the team
• Roll up sleeves and work side-by-side with the team, when needed
• Understand the specific challenges of the work.
Three pitfalls were also listed:
1. Having trouble making transition to team leader
• Fantastic individual performers are often promoted to manager without the necessary skills to lead
• People hired from outside often don’t understand the specific ways of the company
2. Lacking a consistent approach to performance management and career development
• Doesn’t help employees understand what company wants
• Doesn’t coach employees on how they can develop and stretch
• Not proactive: Waits for the employees to come to them
3. Spending too little time on managing and communicating.
April 2011, Related Perspective – Manage Your Emotions
To read the feature article, visit http://www.automationworld.com/perspective-8563
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