Scott Hoots is the CEO of QC Kinetix, a leader in the regenerative medicine industry.
Like most people in corporate leadership positions, I’ve had decades of experience leading people and, conversely, being led. While moving up the ranks, I made mental notes of certain leadership styles I liked—and others that were epic fails. But the method I came to appreciate and embrace the most is that of putting people first.
People are the most valuable assets.
Corporate America has a new face; workers have a voice like never before, and they use it. What they want is to feel appreciated for the work they do. In a recent study, 81% of employees who responded said they’re “motivated to work harder when their boss shows appreciation for their work.”
Personally, I applaud that. Recognition and pats on the back are important. We as leaders can do more than provide a paycheck for our teams; they should want to come to work and even be excited to do the work. We need to convey to them that they are valued. Based on my experience, here are a few steps you can take to do that.
1. Put the right people in the right positions.
The first step is to carefully analyze hires to ensure someone is the right fit for the position. There is nothing more frustrating than the square peg/round hole issue. Sure, people can be trained, but if they don’t have the right stuff for their position to begin with, it’s often a lesson in futility. Value is realized when someone is working in their wheelhouse and given the chance to grow.
When you conduct interviews, don’t just ask direct questions about their qualifications for the position. Go deeper. Ask about successes the candidate has had in the past—not just professionally but also personally. Ask them to describe an “Aha!” moment they’ve had. This can tell you a lot about whether or not the candidate is on the same page as your company’s mission.
2. Provide training and growth opportunities.
The genesis of the growth component comes from ensuring that the team understands their jobs and that they have the necessary tools and resources to execute their responsibilities successfully. Give the team the opportunity to develop. I often feel like a proud father when I see that my team has taken advantage of professional development training and gained confidence. Let them rise to the occasion—there is value in that.
Development can happen in a number of ways. For example, peer training is a great way to let talent shine. If you have someone on your team with, say, a high-tech skill set, let that team member guide the others on the team through a set of three 30-minute tech talks where folks are comfortable asking questions about new software or computer shortcuts.
3. Communicate and collaborate.
Interacting and communicating with your team, both formally and informally, are vital components of operating like a well-oiled machine. Case in point: This past holiday season, an airline carrier had a colossal systems failure due to winter storms. But as more news surfaced, details revealed that if the higher-ups had listened to the warnings of employees prior to the failure, some of the issues may have been avoided. Those employees in the trenches and their day-to-day experiences provide an important close-up view of your organization’s operations.
Communication is critical. It’s not just about talking to someone; it’s also about listening. Having an open-door policy isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary. Invite conversations with your team. Listen to the problems, challenges and failures. Also, see how the team solves problems. Building trust means developing relationships and building connections so that your team is more apt to approach you and feel comfortable sharing wins and losses. Leaders should advance a culture of empowering their teams to find solutions.
Many companies also incorporate appreciation efforts to motivate their workforce, which, in turn, helps increase productivity. Your team wants and needs to know you see them. For example, you might try personally recognizing birthdays, participating in a quarterly corporate activity like attending a ball game, inviting the team to attend a holiday festival, or sponsoring a catered monthly team lunch. These are casual interactions where you and your team can get to know each other on a more social level, creating a more congenial environment to engage in conversations. These can serve as a barometer to gauge employee satisfaction.
4. Recognize performance.
Last but not least, there’s the matter of publicly recognizing the team for a job well done. A recent Gallup poll showed that employees who were properly recognized were four times more actively engaged at work. Now, this doesn’t mean you hand out participation trophies. I believe public praise should be not just because people showed up, but because they showed out. To me, it’s more meaningful when truly outstanding work is recognized. It elevates standards and motivates the team to strive for more.
For me, this means providing a shout-out—either at a company meeting, in person or on a Zoom call—for a job that went above and beyond. For example, if there has been a successful campaign thanks to someone on the team having an outstanding concept and advancing it, that’s the time to name names.
Consider how your leadership style can become more people-focused. Checking in with your team can be one of the most important things you do as a leader. Collaborative communication is effective, allowing the team to feel empowered to share information and insights from their vantage point. Putting people first means placing them in the right position where they can enjoy personal accomplishments and meet your brand’s goals. Developing their skills by equipping them with tools for growth provides a satisfaction that cultivates engagement. Showing your team they have value through these simple but effective strategies is perhaps the greatest form of employee appreciation there is.
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Read the full article here
