Managing people is probably one the most challenging things a person can do. People come from different backgrounds and cultures, have different views and personalities, and experience the world and their environment differently.
Looking at all the differences above, to be a successful leader is basically a mine field, and the best way to operate in such a diverse environment is to apply situational leadership. We will have to change the way we manage and lead in the modern business environment to fit the diversity of our people.
The best way I have found to achieve this is to be close to the people on “the ground”. To manage via email and IM from your office just does not work and will not work in the future either. You need to interact with people and interact with them on an interpersonal level – there is nothing wrong with understanding and knowing about your people’s mental and physical well-being, and by doing so you will be able to interact with your people the way they would like to be interacted with, and not by managing everyone the same way irrespective of who they are and by really only caring about deadlines and the bottom line.
Gone are the days of working 8:00 to 17:00, gone are the days of staff being office bound, gone are the days of the corner office with the glass windows. It is a new business world and it requires us to change the way we work in it, and also the way we interact with our people. You cannot afford to ignore this change, because you will become extinct like everything before you that refused to adapt to a changing environment, and this environment is changing much quicker than what you think.
What I have had success with and what I feel is a good way to better manage is to have regular one on ones with your people, find out what their met and unmet needs are. Have and show an interest in personal and professional growth by helping them improve themselves be it by mentoring or structured classroom training. To be honest there is no silver bullet in my opinion, but if you are serious about changing the way you lead the answer and way to make it happen will be there without a doubt. Just remember to be true to yourself and your people, and the rest will fall in to place.
If you lead your people the way they want to be led you will see an increase in positive forward movement, more productivity, way more bottom line and a healthier company culture which is what will take your company or business forward.
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