Be a Star Manager: 5 more ways to improve your relationships with your people

Developing healthy, productive, rewarding relationships with the people who work with you can pay big dividends—for them and for you. Last week, I listed five suggestions to help you do this. Here are five more:

6. Request feedback for yourself, demonstrate humility
Demonstrate your willingness to grow and change along with them. A critical piece of information for you is to what degree you are helping them get their jobs done…not getting in their way. Ask, and let them know their opinions matter.

7. Establish SMART goals
Whether for their individual job performance or for ongoing project milestones, set goals that are “SMART” (specific,, measurable, achievable, realistic,  timely). SMART goals are critical to delivering quality and successful results.

8. Listen well
Active listening is a valuable skill. Follow the other person’s thinking, and enable them to hear themselves.  Going beyond the words being said to what isn’t said, what is said, and how it is said can offer real insight that impacts performance.

9. Off them the support they need
Insure they have the resources needed (time, people, budget, training) to do their work effectively.

10. Acquire/enhance your coaching skills
Being present, listening well, and asking open-ended questions are critical coaching skills. Incorporating these into your managing style will reflect
your leadership, your investment in your people, and will ensure a strong footing for successful relationships.

What can you share from your own experience that has benefited your relationships with your reports, your peers, your boss?

If you found this post helpful, check out “About the Book” on this blog, and order yourself a copy of “What could happen if you do nothing?” A manager’s handbook for coaching conversations.