No one yells at starving people, they feed them. What are your employees hungry for?
We joke about the saying “you are what you eat” but frequently fail to take note of what we feed those we lead. Are you giving them the supplements, vitamins, a balanced diet, and the nutrients they need? With a tongue in cheek approach, take a look at the daily diet of those you’re focused on developing.
Do you give them…
Supplements? These are the resources, tools, books, learning classes, coaching efforts or mentors that serve as guides on the side in addition to your leadership. What are you supplementing your efforts with and how often? Leadership is not a solo show and you can coordinate all that is needed for those you lead, while also recognizing that adults need to hear something about six times before they get it and the more people they hear it from the faster. Supplements help!
Vita-Mins? This is a play on words for vital minutes. Do you spend those important minutes first thing in the morning or on their shift or the moment something went wrong, that set the tone, correct the course, or let them know you’ve got their back? The appropriate dose of “vita-mins” will increase employees’ immunity to down days, calling out sick, or hiding information from you because they are afraid your reaction.
Balanced Diet? No one survives on sugar alone and a diet of all the stuff you hate isn’t usually maintained for long. Balance out the praise and punishment, the feedback and focus on their failures, and the development you deliver of delegated tasks they may not enjoy. They say variety is the spice of life. The same could be said of the workplace.
Nutrients? You wouldn’t deprive someone of water and oxygen or a baby of valuable nutrients, would you? Then why withhold the vital needs of each personality type and the information they need from you to be successful. Give those you lead the clarity of your expectations so they know what you want. Learn what they need from you based on who they are and their dominant personality type. Nurture their success by giving them a boost in skills with training or development. No one yells at starving people. They feed them.
Are your employees starving and undernourished?
