As a manager, you are in the service industry no matter what your industry is. Gone are the days that managing people meant directing them. If this is news to you, now is the time to learn!
Directing people was done from the top down. No-one made decisions except the manager. The only questions asked were those to drill down and find fault.
Service means relationships. We are now more focused on our customers and customer service. However, it’s important to remember that our staff are also our customers. That means we manage through relationships.
If your staff are identified as your customers, ask the following questions:
Do you model good customer relations with them so they can follow your lead in their transactions?
What do they see when you make a mistake? Do you justify your actions with excuses? Is that what you want them to project to your external customers?
Is your focus on the positive or the negative?
Do you practice positive reinforcement of their good responses or do you constantly want them to listen to your “better” way to do things?
Can they ever win your approval?
Serving a customer means listening, asking questions to find out how to better serve the customer and then taking action to improve the customer’s situation.
How can you apply this in your management style?
Write down three things you can do today to improve your relationships with your staff.
Carry these out and watch their reactions.
I am an expert at helping leaders connect with their staff! Email me at lyn@lyncikara.com.