8.6 THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO BE A GREAT BOSS: Keeping Valued Team Members

(EXTRACTION FROM TEAM MANAGEMENT: Rewarding And Engaging People at http://www.mindtools.com)

 

There will be members of your team you would miss if they left tomorrow.  They are valuable because

·        they've been there long enough to know exactly how the organization works

·        Highly competent at what they do

·        They are efficient, organized and with excellent soft skills

·        they know who to talk to in other departments to solve major problems

·        they're the "go to people" whenever things get difficult

·        they set the standard in attitude, behavior and results for everyone else

As a manager, you really want to keep these valued players happy, so that your team continues to benefit from their exceptional performance.  But what if you notice signs that some of your leading people may feel that their futures lie elsewhere?  Understanding how to handle this sort of situation, or even better, being able to avoid it happening in the first place, is critical to keeping valued team members happy, effective and engaged.

APPROACH TO HELP AVOID POTENTIAL PITFALLS

Identify the Warning Signs ·        always be on the look-out for significant changes in the behavior of your members of your team ·        The kind of signs that you might need to be concerned about include: o   Impatience, either with people or tasks. o   Disengagement from the team, perhaps by being "absent" mentally, or using increased sick leave. o   The venting of negative feelings in "water cooler conversations". o   a colleague who used to stay focused on his work, but who begins to chat at colleagues' desks, may be avoiding doing work that he no longer enjoys. o   a team member whose productivity suddenly increases may perhaps see this as a way of impressing a potential new boss in another department, or she may be anxious to leave with a clear desk and conscience.

Understand Possible Problems ·        it can often be difficult to link the symptoms of unhappiness with their underlying causes. ·        several tools that can help you understand o   Herzberg's Motivators and Hygiene Factors §  people become dissatisfied with their jobs when certain "hygiene factors" are not being fully provided. o   Expectancy Theory

Talk to Your Team Member ·        have a friendly chat with your team member to see if anything's troubling ·        listen carefully

Fixing the Issue ·        Work on a plan to improve the situation together ·        find a solution which plays to your valued team member's particular strengths

 

To experience job satisfaction, "motivating factors" need to be in place.  Typical motivators are the content of work itself, recognition of effort, and the availability of growth opportunities.

Remember there are a number of things you should be doing on an on-going basis to keep people engaged, productive and happy, these include:

·        Making sure that you work on building the trust of your team, so that your people feel confident discussing their jobs with you.

·        Helping to create job satisfaction   for individual team members.

·        Rewarding your team in ways that make people feel appreciated and recognized.  This doesn't need to cost anything!