How to understand that a manager is doing their job
with care for the employees? There are a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes
about how a leader should interact with their employees. Some think that a leader
should be cold-blooded towards employees, and some believe that they are better
to be friendly, staying on the same page with everyone. Indeed, there are
several leadership models each of which can be tailored to the specific
organizational culture but there are also seven points that show that the
leader cares about others. And that matters.
Show
of Empathy
Many people believe that leaders should have a cool
head and sobriety without any feelings. But when working with people, it can
negatively affect relationships with colleagues. The ability to show empathy
and understanding is something that every successful leader should have.
The feeling of empathy from the manager works as a
psychological defense for employees. This creates an understanding that in case
of any troubles you can share this with the leader and not stay awake for a
week waiting for the verdict.
Balance
in Relationships
When working with people, it is very difficult to keep
the line between personal and professional relationships. Leaders must be
rational and interact with their employees in a humane manner but be fair in a
professional context.
For example, if an employee's children are ill, and
they cannot do their job properly for some time, then the leader shouldn’t
close his eyes to this. The caring manager will give an employee time to take
care of the children, but at the same time delegate the responsibilities to
another specialist so that the activities of the entire company are not
affected.
Ability
to Refuse
The ability to say no is also a characteristic of a
leader who cares about their employees. The word “No” said firmly but politely
can be the key to the success of the entire team. For example, when the
management sets tight deadlines or in the case when there are important tasks
but the team asks for a corporate weekend, the word “No” followed by “Yes” for
some other perks for the team would be wise.
A rational approach and the ability to refuse is also
a guarantee of personal success. Leaders are often faced with the fact that
they have to work with people with whom they cannot connect or with those who
do not do their job properly. Just one employee can hinder the effectiveness of
the entire team and the personal success of the leader. Therefore, the ability
to say no is a skill that plays a role not only in caring for the team but also
in the personal growth of a leader as a specialist. Those who cannot say no
cannot be leaders.
Providing
Opportunities to Develop
If we are talking about leaders who put care in the
foreground, then they always create development opportunities for their
employees. Leaders must help their employees move up the career ladder, gain
new knowledge, and do their job better.
This approach inspires confidence among colleagues and
understanding that you can get rewards and new opportunities is a good
motivation. If the leader in every possible way prevents the employee from
developing professionally, then it will be difficult for such a leader to
fulfill all the set business tasks and create an effective team.
Listening
Skills
Often, the experience of leaders allows them to
anticipate the questions of their subordinates even before the question is
asked. This forces leaders to interrupt colleagues or turn a “deaf ear”. But
the leader who takes care always listens to what their employees say.
But this does not mean that during working hours
colleagues can tell them about how they spent the weekend. There is a crucial
need for keeping a balance and encouraging effective communication practices in
the team in order to avoid time waste.
Equal
Relationship
Leaders need to communicate with the team with an
equal approach to everyone. The care of leaders is manifested in respect for
all members of the company, from crucial departments to employees in the service
department.
Such leaders have the same attitude and observance of
subordination with all members of the company. To build relationships, they do
not need to demonstrate their status, position, and merit. Unfortunately, many
leaders can go too far in relationships, and very often this pushes employees
away from them. It is enough to behave in such a way with one employee, as it
can affect the attitude of the whole team due to gossip. It works something
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Participation
in the Life of the Team
Leaders who care about their employees will not close
their eyes to conflicts. The manifestation of care from leaders is that they
respond to everything that happens in the team. If conflicts arise, then the
leader strives to eliminate them. Leaders observe what is happening in the team
and try to organize work so that employees are effective and do not waste time
sorting out the relationship.
Leaders also respond to the problems of their
employees. For example, a real leader will not pass by when they see that an employee
asks to borrow money from colleagues to pay for something urgent, like a
healthcare service for a close one. If an employee gets sick, the leader will
help ensure that they get help from the company.
The
Bottom Line
Use these 7 points to check if you are a caring leader
or if your manager really cares about their team. If you are a leader then such
points can be your plan of improvement in a professional context and building
strong relations within your team. Showing you care is key to creating a healthy
environment in the workplace and inspire your team to follow you on the way to
business growth.
Author Bio:
Nancy P. Howard has been working as a journalist at the online magazine in London for a year. She is also a professional writer in such topics as blogging, SEO and marketing.
