Nov 2020

Simple steps to manage like a HERO in work and at home

Author: Rick Towers

It’s hard enough trying to manage if you can’t be in amongst your people right now, or even see them in a more engaging way than the token start of the day Zoom call, where a mosaic panel of faces appear and all say “I’m fine, good weekend thanks”.

Why is it important, actually, critical, to be a great manager and to be a H.E.R.O? Remember, positive, healthy staff are more productive and prepared to go the extra mile. And it’s your job, as a manager, to look after your people to get the best possible outcome. No manager signed up for COVID, but every manager signed up for the role to lead, inspire, motivate and stretch, and we all need to adapt.

Here’s a quick guide to remind or focus you, so maybe stick a HERO post-it on the side of your screen.

H – “Hi”. Take time out every day to be interested in the people who are making your business great. A group Zoom call isn’t a forum to say, “I’m feeling flat” or “what the h*ll is happening right now” and so a one-to-one conversation creates that opportunity, and means your colleagues will have that trust to share. Every manager should care about the colleague outside, as well as inside work.

E – E is the fifth letter of the alphabet, and here are 5 E’s to manage and improve productivity.

• Engage – connect with your colleagues, even without the chat at the watercooler.
• Excite – excited, motivated co-workers bring life and positivity to a company so link your company's Vision & Mission to colleagues’ work
• Energy – channel positive energy to create the best outcome possible.
• Environment – ask what kit people have, and what else they would benefit from to be really successful, happy and efficient. Do people need printers, faster broadband, or just a pot plant to freshen things up?
• Empower – unleash your colleagues! Empowerment is one of the most powerful things that can happen in a business – remove micromanagement and inspection, and instead insert trust and respect.

R – Recognition is powerful – it reinforces what’s important. So, make time to share it, and if you can, make it immediate, specific, and communicate the ‘so what’. Perhaps a reward at month end for everyone, or a handwritten card. And if you can, deliver a meaningful gift (something pertinent to them). How did you feel when you last received personal, specific recognition? And if the answer is “that’s never happened to me” then lead by example and create a culture of recognition that will filter upwards.

O – outside. Get people outside. We’re into the winter months, so most of us are starting and ending work in the dark. So, whether you’re still in the workplace, sat in a bedroom or at a kitchen table, stretching your legs is proven to be good for the mind, body and soul. And not least, it’s great for productivity. Why not encourage an extra hour at lunch where everyone can go outside, walk the dog, jog around the block, or tidy the garden? Giving an hour, will gain hours.

So, there you have it – a low cost (no cost, actually) guide to an extra layer of managerial brilliance. And who doesn’t want to be a HERO?