At one place I worked, we had an underground term for trying to pin an incident on a person: blamestorming. Rather than seeing accidents as just that – an accident -, everything was attributed to who should be punished. Instead of bringing challenges to the forefront, we hid issues for fear of reprisal. This was a classic “stick” culture. As far as leadership techniques go, the stick culture is a poor way of handling employees.
I was relieved when the management changed, and we shifted to a “carrot” culture. However, I soon realized this was no better. We were given incentives such as “If you reach your target, you’ll get a 20% bonus.” But, did I really feel like helping customers just because it’s on my scorecard and worth an extra smiley point? Even if it corresponds to more money? The answer is no, I didn’t. The truth is, the natural joy I get from delighting others is a more powerful motivator.
So many managers rely on carrot and stick methods to elicit performance from their employees. It’s easy to understand why – anyone can do carrot and stick management. But it’s just not that effective. Leadership techniques that really work appeal to intrinsic motivation – the internal drive that is specific to each person (e.g. recognition, work-life balance, respect, etc.).
Leadership Techniques
Is it possible for you to benefit from these types of leadership techniques? Absolutely. Consider these five techniques.
Lead By Example
Have you ever arrived at work late but disliked it when your team wasn’t running on time? Does your team need to answer all correspondence promptly but your schedule precludes you of this standard?
Remember that you set the tone for your team and they will follow your example. So, your naturally respectful demeanor (you’re courteous, right?) will luckily manifest in your team and you’ll reap the behaviors you demonstrate.
Compliment The Team On Their Successes
Many people perform their roles without so much as a “thank you” or “job well done” because many employers believe praise comes in the form of the paycheque. There are more pressing matters than complimenting people on what they’re already paid to do, right?
However, to maintain team morale, this is one leadership technique you should not take for granted. You should appeal to your team’s intrinsic motivators and acknowledge when they exert additional effort or create new solutions. People don’t typically resign to leave the tasks; they leave their managers. Without timely acknowledgment, your team may feel you don’t appreciate them.
Be Calm When Handling Corrections
There’s an old saying that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. If you notice an employee accidentally overlooked something that you catch, your reaction will set the tone for how they feel about you.
No matter how stressful your day, try to avoid getting upset and instead calmly discuss the issue. To earn your team’s respect, you’ll need to show them respect even when they’ve made errors.
Listen To Your Employees
Another thing you learn about leadership techniques is how important it is to hear what your team is telling you – and actually listen. Staying silent while they talk only to recant with your personal message doesn’t count. Pay attention to what they’re saying – ask them questions, look into the ideas they have, and consider their suggestions.
Good leaders listen to the team’s suggestions and consider if it’s worth the time, money, and effort to implement.
Do The Job Nobody Wants To Do
Again, you must lead by example. If your goal is to have your employees do something you know they don’t particularly like, try to do it for yourself. While you can assign your employees their tasks, it’s always good to add your name to the list. Employees respect managers who will do something everybody else tries to avoid doing.
Summary
To garner your employees’ respect, improve productivity in your team and create an environment that fosters motivation – without carrots or sticks – consider these leadership techniques. While you’ll still need consequences for performance issues and still need to fairly compensate your employees, you won’t have to bribe them to do their job or trade fear for performance. Lead by example, be respectful and acknowledge your team’s contributions if you want them to follow you.