You won’t keep your customers happy if your organization is filled with people who are unhappy or unmotivated.
So how do you keep your employees motivated, engaged and happy? Make them feel connected to the results of the organization by showing them that their ideas count.
Cultivate Grass Roots Leadership
Often the people in the trenches are the ones in the best position to make critical decisions. They may either feel uncomfortable to express their ideas or are not encouraged to do so.
Encourage leadership at all levels of the organization by creating a culture which rewards independent thinking, supports ideas with resources and forgives mistakes.
Criticize in Private, Compliment in Public
Public criticism alienates and embarrasses everyone. People are more likely to take chances and try new things if they believe the organization will support their efforts.
Free your employees to take risks by learning to admit that mistakes are part of the learning process. Employees who never hear you admit your goofs will be quick to hide their own.
Recognize employees who make decisions in the best interest of the customers and others will follow their lead.
Arm Your Troops
As a manager it is up to you to give your team the freedom to make decisions on their own. Help them make good choices by clarifying goals and expectations up front.
Use their competitive drive as a tool to get them to succeed and exceed their own expectations. And finally, provide the resources they need to execute their ideas!
A veteran of corporate America, Lorraine Ball teaches business owners across the country how to use creativity and planning achieve exceptional results. Her marketing firm, Roundpeg http://www.roundpeg.biz, helps small business owners find a starting point for growth and change.
An accomplished marketer, she has won regional and national communication awards. Her books “The Entrepreneur’s Notebook” “Business Map” and “Confessions of a Networking Junkie” are popular resources for business owners across the country.
Lorraine has an MBA from the University of Texas, and a BA from Queens College, City University of NY. She has been on the faculty of the University of India.
Tags: corporate, happy employees, increase sales, internal communication, Leadership