Building and maintaining strong relationships with your team members is essential for any leader who wants to achieve great results, foster collaboration, and create a positive work environment. In this article, you will learn some practical tips on how to improve your communication, feedback, trust, and recognition skills with your team members.
Communication is the foundation of any relationship, and it is especially important for leaders to communicate effectively with their team members. You need to share your vision, goals, expectations, and progress with your team regularly and transparently. You also need to listen to their ideas, concerns, and feedback, and show that you value their input. Use different channels and formats to communicate, such as meetings, emails, chats, and phone calls, and adapt your style and tone to suit the situation and the audience.
One thing I have found to be helpful is one has to always consider the human side. A manager should always be emphatic. It does help to build strong relationships and a two way communication between manager and a subordinate.
Building strong team relationships is key to a productive work environment. Encourage open communication and active listening to ensure everyone feels heard. Recognize achievements regularly to boost morale. Build trust through reliability and transparency. Support and empower your team by providing resources and mentorship. Promote a positive work environment with work-life balance and team-building activities. Address conflicts promptly and fairly. Encourage professional development through continuous learning opportunities. Lead by example, showing the values and behaviors you expect. Finally, foster inclusivity by valuing diverse perspectives. Implementing these strategies will create a cohesive, motivated, and high-performing team.
3 things I’ve found helpful: “Manage by walking around” and my being a positive and energetic force promotes a great atmosphere when see team members. I tell them how grateful I am for them. Catch them being great at something and tell them so! I point out something they are doing well. Be open and welcoming to a person popping in to talk. There are times when this does not work, but in general, I can be flexible and be very happy to see any of my team stop by. Connection is so important! Working with people who truly respect, admire, and appreciate us - and who show it- makes all the difference in our work. Happy team members do amazing work!
Communication is a two-way street. And if you want to build trust, rapport, and a solid atmosphere within your team, listening with genuine interest to your team members will be essential. Here are a few critical areas that must be present if you want a genuinely dedicated team: 1) Walk the talk, 2) Stand for your team, 3) Create a psychologically safe environment, 4) take away or ease their frustrations, 5) be bluntly open and transparent (within some necessary boundaries) 6) be the last to speak during team sessions. Ear them first. Last but not least: Reward performance, but don’t look aside when there’s under-performance or misbehavior. Of course, some points are crystal clear, but others will demand some balance and fine-tuning.
some ways to get started is Approach the individual in a non-confrontational manner and express your concerns about the impact of their actions on the team's dynamics. By keeping the conversation confidential, respect their privacy and avoid further spreading the gossip
Feedback is a powerful tool to help your team members grow, improve, and achieve their potential. You need to give constructive, specific, and timely feedback to your team members, and acknowledge their strengths and achievements. You also need to ask for feedback from your team members, and show that you are open to learning and changing. Feedback should be a two-way conversation, not a one-way lecture, and it should be based on facts, not emotions or assumptions.
Building trust- taking the time to build a solid relationship- is needed in giving any feedback well. I appreciate constructive criticism, but only when I know the person giving it truly wants to help. I have no patience for people who complain but offer no solutions, or who deliver the information in a mean spirited way. We have enough of that in our world! So often people aren’t willing to give positive feedback, as if they are giving away something in doing so. If anything, it is SO powerful to give a compliment or have a positive exchange with another human being. We can build each other up, and in turn the organization is built up. Then our work becomes even more effective.
Trust and respect are the glue that holds any relationship together, and they are especially important for leaders who want to empower and motivate their team members. You need to show your team members that you trust them to do their work, and that you respect their opinions, skills, and autonomy. You also need to demonstrate your integrity, honesty, and reliability, and keep your promises and commitments. Trust and respect are earned over time, through consistent actions and behaviors, not through words or titles.
Recognition and appreciation are powerful ways to show your team members that you care about them, and that you value their contributions and efforts. You need to recognize and appreciate your team members regularly and sincerely, and celebrate their successes and milestones. You also need to personalize your recognition and appreciation, and use different methods and gestures, such as verbal praise, written notes, awards, or gifts. Recognition and appreciation can boost your team members' morale, engagement, and loyalty, and create a positive culture of gratitude and recognition.
We need to distinguish between the KPIs and bonus schemes as typically well-defined way to recognize and reward. But what is more critical is the journey and how to keep the day-to-day morale high. You need to make sure you celebrate the small steps, progress, and moving the needle to keep your team motivated and aware that they are one step closer to objectives. You may need to be creative and carry your people on your shoulders. To an event, the bar, to a one hour off, to a walking tour meeting. Trial and error to find what works best and adapt reward and recognition to the specifics of your team. Some people don’t like to drink. Some people don’t want to be in the spotlight. Adjust as per the person or the moment you’re rewarding.
Support and coaching are essential for leaders who want to help their team members overcome challenges, develop new skills, and achieve their goals. You need to support and coach your team members by providing them with the resources, guidance, and feedback they need to perform well and grow. You also need to encourage and challenge your team members to stretch themselves, take risks, and learn from mistakes. Support and coaching should be tailored to each team member's needs, preferences, and aspirations, and should foster a growth mindset and a learning culture.
One point to underline is that employees should also be allowed to provide feedback to their superiors. But that happens seldom. I’ve had many managers in my career. Let’s say more than 20—most at big multinational companies. I can say that max 2 of them asked for feedback. And don’t get me wrong, feedback to a manager is not a moment to complain but rather a moment to understand better how we are perceived and perceive others. And if the goal here is to build trust and rapport, you need to be open to well-based criticism or to see yourself from the eyes of your staff. Have those feedback sessions scheduled throughout the year, and encourage the team to give you feedback on your leadership style, working methods, and improvement areas.
Collaboration and connection are important for leaders who want to create a sense of teamwork, belonging, and community among their team members. You need to collaborate and connect with your team members by involving them in decision-making, problem-solving, and innovation, and by leveraging their diverse talents and perspectives. You also need to foster social and emotional connections among your team members, and create opportunities for them to interact, bond, and have fun. Collaboration and connection can enhance your team members' creativity, productivity, and satisfaction, and create a strong and cohesive team.
Many managers struggle to empower and involve their teams, fearing it takes away their authority and "distinction." That's an old-school trait that, if you carry it, would strongly advise you to shift to a more collaborative approach. "Command and control" systems are outdated, and – empowerment and involvement are some of the key changes that have led to more results, engagement, innovation, and high general satisfaction of teams. They feel part of something greater than themselves with their contributions, ideas, exchanges, challenges, and participation. Everybody wins. And your authority is not in jeopardy, nor is your position, as ultimately, you're representing your team and presenting their achievements to higher management.
I think that being receptive to change and ready to accommodate personal needs, including work-life balance, can foster stronger connections between a leader and their team.