The Making of a Manager

Earn your team members' trust

Instructions

Treat your team members with respect and care.
Demonstrate genuine respect and care for your team members, acknowledging their value and well-being. Recognize the interconnectedness of their work and personal lives, and show empathy and understanding.
Invest time in supporting your team members.
Dedicate regular one-on-one meetings to each of your team members, allocating at least 30 minutes per session. Use this time to focus on their needs, growth, and success rather than solely on your own requirements or agenda.
Prepare thoughtfully for one-on-one meetings.
Prior to the meetings, come prepared by discussing their top priorities, aligning expectations of outstanding performance, sharing constructive feedback, and reflecting on overall progress and challenges.
Maintain a focus on your team's development.
Ensure that one-on-one meetings remain centered on your report's progress, development, and areas where they require support to excel. Avoid allowing the conversation to veer into your own needs or concerns.
Make one-on-one meetings meaningful and impactful.
Strive to make every one-on-one meeting valuable and memorable for your team members. Aim to provide actionable insights, guidance, and support that they find useful and beneficial. Avoid leaving them with the sense that the meeting was forgettable or unremarkable.
*Balance honesty and support when addressing performance concerns.
When an individual is not adequately set up for success in their current role, approach the situation honestly and supportively. Consider exploring options such as helping them transition to a different role within the organization or facilitating their departure if necessary. Avoid the tendency to merely transfer people lacking the required skills or exhibiting toxic behavior.
Handle terminations respectfully and directly.
If the decision to let someone go arises, conduct the process with respect and directness. Avoid opening the matter to lengthy discussion and refrain from considering it a failure solely on the part of your team member. Reflect on whether you would recommend the individual to another team based on their current performance. Approach the examination of the past with compassion, but maintain focus on the future, ensuring a swift and considerate resolution to the separation.