The top 18 managing people tips

Managing people is a unique craft, a craft that you will continue to develop and refine for
your entire working life. Managing people is for people who are passionate about helping
others to succeed, who can bring out the most in their teams.
Here are my top 18 tips for people leaders
Tip 1: Be passionate about managing people
A leader is passionate about three things, their people, their customers and their
businesses products or services.

A leader who is passionate about their people will tend to create a work environment
where their people are able to flourish and do their best work. So, what exactly is being
passionate about your people?

To describe what being passionate about your people looks like we have coined the term
“employee service”. This term is used to describe the people centric component of a
leader’s role, like customer service signifies being customer centric. Where good customer
service leaves the customer feeling valued and appreciated, good employee service
leaves the employee feeling valued and appreciated.

To discover more … why not click here and spend 5 minutes finding out how you can be
passionate about your people
Tip 2: Keep your emotions in control
Managing people is an activity reserved exclusively for those of us who are emotionally
stable. The best leaders remain calm in all situations whilst the worst managers allow their
emotions to control their behavior.
1. Be business like, emotional decisions are poor decisions
2. If you yell you will loose the respect of your people and without respect you cannot
lead
Tip 3: Provide more feedback than you think is necessary
80% of employees claim that they do not get enough feedback whilst 80% of managers
claim they give enough feedback.

Informal or impromptu feedback is one of the strongest drivers of a high performing

culture, especially when your feedback relates the employee’s performance with your
business goals and the employee’s personal aspirations.

To discover how to give the type of feedback that will supercharge your culture and put
you on track to build a high performing culture, click here
Tip 4: Schedule one on one feedback sessions with each of your
people
Formal performance feedback in a one on one will help strengthen your relationship with
your people.

Whilst academics will disagree on the ideal frequency of a one-on-one session you will
find that you only need to do them regularly to be effective, however we do advocate for
formal one on ones monthly.

After the first few one-on-ones your people will look forward to their scheduled one-on-one
sessions. It will give them an opportunity to talk openly with you about their assigned work,
their performance and any ideas or suggestions that they may have.
Tip 5: Communicate, communicate, and communicate
You need to provide significantly more communication than your people need to do their
job.

As a leader, in addition to enabling your people to do their job you need to create a sense
of purpose for your people, providing reason and context for their work. Then there is our
innate need” to know what is going on around us, so let your people know what other
parts of your business are doing, only then will they feel like a part of the business.

In a business where there is open communication all staff at all levels will feel free to
1. Ask any and all questions
2. Cut of the chairperson to ask a question
3. Interrupt the CEO to ask a question
Leaders also encourage informal communication meetings to just happen in addition to
being planned, let the right people gather around, informally, to discuss problems and
possible solutions. (Informal communication meetings will help to create passion and
energy).
Tip 6: Have Fun at Work
Fun is not something reserved for outside the work environment, work should have a
degree of fun about it. You can have a 5 minute fun activity at the start of your team
meetings, you can have a fun team name, run a general knowledge quiz of a few
questions with a small prize every Wednesday.

The options are limitless. There are hundreds of things you can do to have fun in the work
environment.
Tip 7: Be polite and considerate, be nice
Using your manners, saying thank you or please does not cost anything.

There are no situations where it is appropriate to be inconsiderate, rude or unpleasant.

If you are polite and nice you employees will see you as more approachable and they will
feel more valued, therefore being nice is a must for all team leaders.
Tip 8: Listen more than you talk
People, the more you listen to your people the more information they will give you. When
you listen more you

1. Get more employee suggestions

2. Find more opportunities to give feedback
3. Increase your understanding of each employee and what drives them
4. Build stronger professional relationships with your employees
5. Improve your ability to influence change
Tip 9: Thank your people for their suggestions
Listen to your employee’s suggestions and then thank them for making a suggestion. Let
them know that you value suggestions and the people that make them.
Tip 10: Always give negative feedback in private
Feel free to give praise frequently and in public, however always give negative feedback in
private – no matter how small or trivial the feedback is. Your people are more likely to
listen to negative feedback given in private and are more likely to be defensive when the
feedback is given publicly.

Your people will respect you for being discreet.

Tip 11: Develop a keen eye for the doable
Change programs often fail because the change drivers are only focused on what cannot
be done. When facing a change scenario, instead of spending early energy worrying
about what cannot be done try to find something that your people are ready to do right
now and do that first.
Tip 12: Be Persistent
The lack of interest and persistence of top management is the primary cause of failed
change. Change applied without intense top management interest simply won’t work

Your interest in your people, your processes and your customers and your persistence
reinforcement of your business priorities will ensure you achieve the results that you seek.
Tip 13: Tell people what they can do
Often employees believe that they are not empowered to take action to resolve an issue
or to fix a problem. Sometimes empowering people is as easy as telling them what they
can do.

Helping to get them started is the job of a leader

Tip 14: Creating Passion for Your Product or Service
Allocate time everyday to talk to your people about the value of your product or service
1. The benefits it has that your customer value
2. It’s design characteristics
3. The critical characteristics that define its quality
Your passion for your product/service will rub of onto your people, within weeks their
passion for your product or service will increase.
Tip 15: Setting objectives
In most planning sessions the peer bravado of the executive leads them to commit to too
many initiatives.

Too many initiatives is the same as having no initiatives: with a little luck and a lot of
persistence one might actually get two things done in a year.

Choose what seems like too few initiatives and when they are done
Tip 16: Align your leadership behavior. and communication
There is nothing more frustrating than a manager who has not aligned their
communication messages with their behavior., employees are often heard to say “They
say one thing, but do another” a common example is a manager who speaks at staff
meetings about the importance of quality whilst outside of the staff meeting only ever
enquires about productivity.

To ensure that your employees all receive a consistent message you need to align your
communication messages with your actions.
Tip 17: Motivate your people
Motivating your people is about your “leadership life style” it is about all of the things that
you do with your time, the things that you prioritize and the themes of your conversations.
Your employee’s motivation is a consequence of how you live when you are at work
1. Peer pressure is the greatest motivator, you can use peer pressure by setting
stretch team goals and team goals around the adoption of change
2. Be innovative in your reward systems, you can be innovative by asking your people
what reward systems they would like you to adopt. If they choose the reward it is
more likely to be a motivator. (Also ask what recognition your people would like)
3. Spend 50 - 60% of your time directly communicating with your workforce
4. Nothing is more enticing than the feeling of being needed, let your people know that
they are needed and that they are doing valuable work.
Tip 18: The Right Amount of Planning
Planning is an essential part of running your business or your projects. Your challenge, as
the leader, is to find the right balance between too much and too little planning.
1. The old adage “A failure to plan is planning to fail” still remains true, too little planning will result in a poor
outcome for your business or projects.
2. However, you will also find that the absence of over planning will lead to a successful outcome. Over
planning will bog down a new idea and will ensure that the progress of a new project will stall. Requesting
further planning is a great way for managers to avoid committing to an initiative or making a decision.
At the start of all projects or initiatives it is worth spending time to determine the
appropriate level of planning for that project or initiative. Managing people can be very
rewarding.
 Effective goal-setting is a strategic process. The steps outlined below will help employees set
specific goals appropriate to their background, skills, and aspirations.

1. Identify long and short-term goals: Long-term goals typically focus on months or years
ahead, whereas short-term goals focus on the next few days or weeks, serving as stepping-
stones to long-term goals.
2. Set outcome goals and task goals: Outcome goals aim at a result- for example, to increase
production rate by 5 percent. Task goals are tasks that need to be done to achieve outcome
goals- for example, organizing the work area to increase output.
3. Identify what is needed to achieve goals: Make a list of everything that is needed – for
example, training, access to resources, and the cooperation of co-workers.
4. Recognize obstacles: Consider anything that might get in the way of achieving a goal- for
example, poor time management, lack of skills, a negative attitude or fear of failure. Determine
a way to eliminate these obstacles.
5. Write down goals and review them often: Until goals are committed to paper, they’re only
thoughts. Employees should review their list to remain focused.
6. Create a plan of action: Formulate a step-by-step action plan for achieving goals. An action
plan is essential, especially if the goal is broad or if there are several obstacles to overcome.
7. Set a date to achieve the goal: Mark it on the calendar and circle it in red. A target date will
provide motivation to continue moving steadily toward the goal.
8. Take action: Follow the plan and deal with problems as they arise.
9. Evaluate goals: Set specific dates to monitor progress and modify goals as needed.
10. Set new goals: Once a goal is achieved, set a new one, and keep going.

Helping employees to set goals is an important way to encourage employee development and
success in the workplace.

When setting goals, key job expectations and responsibilities should act as the main guide and reference. Goals
should be set that not only address what is expected, but also how it will be achieved. For example, the "what"
covers quality or quantity expected, deadlines to be met, cost to deliver, etc. The "how" refers to the behavior
demonstrated to achieve outcomes, for example, focus on customer service. In addition, some organizations choose
to include competencies within performance expectations, to reinforce the link to business strategy, vision and
mission.

An accepted framework to use to help write effective goals is the "SMART" goal:

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Achievable/Attainable
R - Results oriented/Realistic/Relevant
T - Time bound

The inclusion of the above criteria results in a goal that is understandable and easily visualized and evaluated.
Making a goal specific, measurable, and time bound contributes to the ability to make progress on the goal and
track that progress. Some managers choose to further define goals with a start and finish date with milestones in
between. As we have mentioned, goals must be achievable and realistic. An unachievable goal is just that. An
employee knows when he/she does not stand a chance of reaching it, and their effort to achieve the goal will be
affected. In addition, goals must reflect conditions that are under the employee's control and the R's (results
oriented, realistic and relevant) should definitely consider these conditions. Sometimes the focus on the outcome of
the goals can overshadow the necessary steps to achieve them. Action plans to support each goal can include
documentation of the steps necessary to achieve a goal. By keeping goals relevant, a manager reinforces the
importance of linking to strategic objectives and communicating why the goal is important. Some organizations have
suggested the use of SMARTA, or SMARTR with the additional A standing for aligned and the R standing for
reward.
 Execution is an easy concept to talk about, but it's a hard one to well...execute. The main problem is
that it is a real challenge to measure and manage a concept. However, once you convert concepts
into behaviors, you have something you can observe, measure and manage.

The three components of execution and their specific behaviors to support each one are drawn from
25 years of corporate leadership, business ownership, field research, executive consulting, and
training with many of the world's leading organizations like Fossil, KidKraft, National Motor Club,
FedEx, KPMG, Nestle, Sysco, Johnson Controls, Pier 1 Imports and many more smaller companies
and start-ups.

1. Sharpen your Focus.

Focus provides the clarity necessary to make decisions that support your most important goals. It
results in a clearly-defined pathway to success. A sharp focus answers the "what" question: What do
you need to do to execute your strategy?
Keep it simple:
 Think in threes to simplify strategies, metrics, and actions.
 Apply the 80/20 principle to focus on the 20 percent that are your vital few.

Identify your one thing:

 Decide what is most important--the one activity that most directly helps you execute your plan.

 Align your one thing with the organization's most important

 Ask your team, "What is the most valuable thing you can do right now?"

Know when to say no:

 Create decision hurdles to filter new opportunities.

 Say no to activities, tasks, reports, meetings, and projects that do not directly support your plan.

 Apply the Four Ds: do it, delegate it, defer it, dump it.

2. Build your Competence.

Competence is used here in the broadest sense of the term. It encompasses all the skills, systems,
processes and tools your team uses to achieve its goals. The result is the ability to commit to,
measure and hit your targets. Building competence answers the "how" question: How will you execute
your strategy?
Treasure your talent:
 Select smart--use the 3 x 3 x 3 interview process (3 people interview 3 candidates on 3 separate occasions).
 Treat employee development as a perpetual priority.

 Coach for success with four steps: explain, ask, involve, and appreciate.
Get systematic:
 Create repeatable work systems.

 Collaborate with clear roles. (Lead the team, Do the work, Share the expertise, Get informed)
 Innovate daily--what's the small idea?

Balance your view:

 Seek both dashboard (general) and under-the-hood (detailed) knowledge about your operation.

 Track leading and lagging indicators.

 Keep the score visible with a clear and compelling scoreboard.

 3. Ignite your Passion.
Passion creates a sense of connectedness. It builds a connection between teammates, a connection
to our human need for meaningful work and a connection to each individual's sense of value and
contribution. Igniting passion answers the "why" question: Why are you executing your strategy?
Paint the picture:
 Connect each job to a broader purpose.

 Always answer the fundamental four questions.

Where are we going? (Goals)
What are we doing to get there? (Plans)
How can I contribute? (Roles)
What's in it for me? (Rewards)
To paint a clear picture of your purpose, you'll need to be intentional about answering these questions. Some of
our clients even use the questions as a checklist to ensure that the content of significant communiqués addresses
each one. As a result, the passion in their organizations is palpably higher and their results greater.

Answering the fundamental four creates a bridge that connects today's tasks to the broader team or
organizational purpose. Without purpose, team members may achieve short-term results, but they won't have
the heart to go the distance. With purpose, they naturally will be more passionate about their work and more
motivated to stick with the plan, because they'll clearly understand that they are part of something bigger.
 Communicate proactively to avoid the silence spiral.

Give what you want:

 Show uncommon respect with common courtesy.

 Appreciate performance as well as the person behind it.

 Encourage others with three simple words.

Although it's an ambitious goal to change the world, you might underestimate your singular power to change
the world of those around you. You don't have to be Oprah giving away new cars to positively change
someone's world. You have that same power. You don't even have to do anything! You have only to say three
simple words.
Try one of these three-word, power-packed statements to change someone's world today:
I love you.
I thank you.
You are terrific.
I am sorry.
I trust you.
I promise you. [and keep it!]
God bless you.
I can help.
I understand you.
You are talented.
I believe you.
You will succeed.
You inspire me.
It's no problem.
I forgive you.
You're the best!
 Whether you have a long conversation with a friend or simply place an order at a restaurant, every word makes
a difference. The results of your interactions are rarely neutral; they are almost always positive or negative. Ask
yourself, "Do my words reflect my commitment to helping others, creating win-wins, continuously learning,
embracing change, supporting my team's success?"

Words are the seeds of commitment. You plant the seeds with each movement of your lips. Once they are
spoken, your words either grow in the form of an immediate response or they take time to germinate. Whether
the result becomes apparent sooner or later, you cannot speak words of failure and defeat and expect a life of
success and victory.

Plant the seeds of success in someone's mind and heart today. You'll start a positive ripple effect that can be felt
by many people and many miles away, not to mention the positive effect you will feel inside.

Here is a three-word challenge: Just say it!

Create connections:
 Use meaningful rituals.
Here's a strange but eye-opening exercise: Try pretending that you're a Martian, new to Earth, and take notes on
your business's observable rituals. What do you observe when your team enters their workspace? What happens
after meetings? What happens when the team achieves a goal?

Our rituals create the fabric of our culture, and they are critical for defining connections within our teams, but
once they're established, they often seem like "the way we do things around here." It can be helpful to reflect on
whether that's the best way you could do things around here.

Effective rituals connect our team members to each other, to their leaders, and to our compelling cause. These
might be as simple as bringing in doughnuts to celebrate employee birthdays; hosting regular social events;
creating a photo board of new team members and customers; ringing a bell when a big sale is made; or sharing a
proud moment at the beginning of every staff meeting.
 Be accessible to your team.

 Be who you are and nobody else.

When you consistently sharpen your focus, build your competence and ignite your passion, you plant
the seeds of victory. Initially, you may not see tangible results, but rest assured growth is occurring
under the surface. As you stick with it, momentum builds, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of victory.
Execute today and win tomorrow!