The people who have worked with us for several years know enough about us to know the climate they would find themselves in at any particular time. Our newer employees do not.
A friend told me recently that his counterparts would call him to find out the “weather report” on their boss before reporting on sensitive topics. He was seen as the encyclopedia on the boss.
Successful leaders have the knack or skill of being very open and transparent, even about negative things about themselves, without diminishing their standing as a leader. They have the ability to be understood more than feared in stressful situations.
There is a way for all your employees to know how to approach you or what to expect of you. It is by creating a “user manual” about you.
Here are some ideas to include in your user manual
- Your expectations for work hours and commitment
- Habits you value, for example speed, accuracy and attention to detail
- What to expect from you when you handle conflict
- The best way to approach you when having made a mistake
- How you advocate for people on your team
- Weaknesses would you want your team to help you improve on
- Any pet peeves or idiosyncrasies you can reveal that might help with understanding your standards and expectations
Have fun this week thinking about your own leadership user manual, then, create it to help new employees to succeed on your team.
Email me if want help making your employees feel at home under your leadership.