Make Them Great!
Joe Passkiewicz
Construction Expert | Leadership Thought Leader | Trainer and Speaker
I was having dinner with a site supervisor a while back and he shared his frustration with motivating one of his team members on site. He was convinced that this person was just lazy and could not visualize what was needed on the construction site. He voiced his frustration with this persons inability to think about the next step. This supervisor ia a self-motivated and driven individual. He works very hard and has always been that way. He would work weekends and well past regular work hours.
I shared an experience that I had with a person that I managed years ago. This person actually shared with me that I need to hold him more accountable. He added that I need to actually call him out sometimes. He shared that I need to ride him a bit in order to get the best out of him. I was really shocked by this. My report was actually asking me to be harder on him!
This was so foreign to me. See, I am more like the site supervisor. I work really hard and I am self-motivated. I don’t need anyone else to turn up the heat. I keep the heat on high always. When someone leans on me, I find it offensive- not motivating.
So what's the moral of the story here? Everyone is different. What works on you won’t always work on others.
You can’t manage others the same why you like to be managed!
You may struggle being hard or you may struggle leaving someone alone. But you MUST learn to pattern your management style to the individual. This WILL be uncomfortable. This WILL be tough to do. But trust me- you have no choice if you want to get the very best out of your people. This is not for you- it’s for them. They need your help to grow and prosper.
This is your real job and your true calling. Life is not just about you and your success. Take the time and learn what motivates them. Step up and make them great!
So what do you think? Have you been mismanaged in the past? Click on "Leave a Comment" and tell me your story!
Reprinted with permission from www.leadingbyserving.com All rights reserved.
Working with Business Owners to Improve Sales Performance
9 年Hi Joe. I enjoyed your post and can relate to this exact issue with a client of mine. You are right on with managing them the way they need to be managed and not how you like to be or the way you need to be managed.
Dave Strathmann is retired from Crestcom Training
9 年Thanks for sharing this, Joe. The point that people ARE different, and individuals need to be managed differently. The art of good leadership begins by investing enough time, on a regular basis, to connect with those you work with. In this way we build trust, and gain the opportunity to influence. As Rayona Sharpnack, of the Institute for Leadership once said "Leadership is an army you have to enlist in, you cannot get drafted into leadership! But you CAN get drafted into management."