As a leader/manager, it is easy to overlook the fact that your teams are made of adults.
Adults are not children we are responsible for. It takes a different approach to manage the work and productivity of adults than it does to manage your children or other people's children. Sure, you are responsible for their work product; but that does not mean the same parenting skills you use on children will work on adults to get them to perform better.
Here are some do's and don'ts when it comes to the management of adults:
1)
Do: Trust them up front - it is theirs to keep or break, not yours to earn. The slogan "trust is earned, not given" is not the best approach to leadership. This may sound counterintuitive, as you do not truly trust someone until you get to know them better. But I am not asking you to blatantly trust them carte blanche - I am asking you to shift your thinking from having to make your employees earn your trust versus giving them the trust up front to do their jobs.
Remember, you hired them because you felt they either a) were capable of doing the job or b) held the potential to learn to do the job. Trust that they can have the autonomy to do their job up front - and if they fall short of the expectations, you handle it from there. Adults typically do better when they are trusted to do what they say they will do, and end up being happier employees as well.
Don't: Micromanage them. The polar opposite of trusting your employees is micromanaging them. After all, how could you possibly trust them if you feel you have to see and hear everything they do? Children may need to be micromanaged, as they have not fully developed physically and mentally to handle daily aspects of life. However, adults typically do not need to be micromanaged in order to perform better.
Are there exceptions to this? Of course. But the vast majority of adults in the industry do not need nor want your lack of trust in them to be manifested into a constant looking over their shoulder. A lack of trust in your employees tends to produce a lack of trust in you as a manager, which may lead to more problems down the road (ex. lying, hiding mistakes, confrontation, water cooler negativity talk, etc).
2)
Do: Treat them with respect. This seems like an obvious point, but it deserves to be stated anyway. Adults look for respect from others as a means to operate and function properly. Nobody wants to work for someone they do not respect, and it is just as hard to work for someone who does not respect you. Basic respect for your employee as an adult and human being goes a long way toward building a good working relationship.
One note I would add to respecting your employees would be to remember that they are just as valuable to the organization as you are. You may make more money and hold a higher title, but keep this in mind; you are only effective as a manager when your employees perform well. Having respect for them as equally valuable assets that bring a unique gift to your team and organization can also go a long way!
Don't: Talk down to them - they are still adults. Again this seems obvious, but it does merit restating; do not talk down to your employees! They are not your children. They are not lesser beings than you are. Most importantly, they will likely not perform any better when you do talk down to them. They will likely respect you less, and treat the working relationship as transactional ... or worse they may dread it.
Adults do not handle being talked down to very well and have earned the right to not be talked down to as professionals and mature human beings.
3)
Do: Invest in them - Provide Opportunities for Growth professionally. Most adults want to develop themselves - both personally and professionally. We may have "grown up" into adulthood from being a child, but that does not mean we stop developing. Adults need something to strive for, something to be excited about, and something to aspire to.
As managers and leaders, you have the responsibility to help them develop professionally. You are stewards to your team's success, and that means you have some responsibility for opening doors for your employees to build and develop their professional skills. This does not mean you have to help your employees walk through the doors you help open for them, as that is their responsibility. But your share of the work still is an important piece to their success.
Don't: Assume you know what’s best for them - let them tell you their development and career path themselves. One major mistake, often with good intentions behind it, is assuming you know what is best for your employees' professional development. You may think your employee would benefit from taking a public speaking class, or get better with Microsoft Excel. However, they may not be ready for it or even interested in doing it.
Again, your responsibility to help open the doors for your employees, not pick which doors to open and help walk through them together. Only your employees can decide when and what is right for them to pursue for professional development.
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