Tag: Managing people
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Prevention is better than cure!
Prevention is better than cure! Michael* comes to me with some concerns: “Carlo* has been working in my team for several years. He’s always got on very well with his colleagues and produced excellent work. But recently, I’ve noticed that he’s been interacting less with the rest of the team and he’s started not turning
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The importance of being present
The importance of being present Maria* has fallen behind schedule on her project and meets with her supervisor Jan* to keep him informed. But the meeting sadly didn’t live up to her expectations. “To start with, Jan arrived late. I went to his office, but I found the door closed and no-one there to greet
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Abrasive managers: inevitability or opportunity?
Abrasive managers: inevitability or opportunity? “The best times are when Bjorn* is absent. Only then do we get a break from having to walk on eggshells all the time.” Bjorn is what we call an abrasive manager. Whenever his predecessor Isabella* thought that her team wasn’t at the top of its game, she analysed the
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Empathy – a manager’s key to empowerment
Empathy – a manager’s key to empowerment Empathy, or ‘the ability to understand and share the feelings of another’ is a key ingredient of the emotional intelligence that characterises a good manager. It is all about seeing things from others’ point of view, taking into account their thoughts, views and feelings, and being able to
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The gift of feedback (part 2)
The gift of feedback (part 2) “When feedback is specific and timely, and also accompanied by a genuinely positive intention, it may be considered to be a gift”. This was the concluding message of the article in the last Bulletin. But how can negative feedback be perceived as an appreciated and useful gift? As discussed
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The gift of feedback
The gift of feedback Dealing with feedback is an essential part of any learning process. Taking into account other people’s perceptions of what we do or say can be a very valuable insight into ways in which we can develop and improve our performance. However, knowing how to give feedback does not come naturally, and
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“It’s not fair…”
“It’s not fair…” The perception of unfair treatment in the workplace can often lead to conflict and a sense of demotivation, which ultimately leaves us feeling discouraged and helpless. What are some of the strategies that would allow managers to prevent or limit the risk of allowing these situations to develop or, on the other
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Sowing the seeds of trust… continued
Sowing the seeds of trust… continued Are you able to assign tasks to your staff and then let them get on with them… or do you tend to hover over them to check on their progress? Observing and controlling supervisees too closely can be counterproductive, as it is often perceived as micromanagement and results in
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Sowing the seeds of trust…
Sowing the seeds of trust… As a boss, do you unconditionally stand by your line management when they are involved in potential conflicts with their supervisees or do you take a stand and look into the issue yourself? Marc goes to see Anna, his Group Leader, because he feels his team is being treated unfairly
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Boss, where are you?
Boss, where are you? Sometimes bosses seem to wear Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak: always caught in meetings, away on duty travel, overwhelmed with technical duties… the time they have left to spend with their teams can drop down to almost zero. But their people need them… “Oh no, he is too busy.” “I can’t go