“No Surprises”
This is a great follow-up to my previous post about great managers. What Great Bosses Know About ‘No Surprises’ by Jill Geisler at the Poynter Institute really hits the nail on the head regarding managers’ relationships with their employees. Are you approachable? Do you handle issues that are raised, and/or are you clear about what you can and will do about information that is raised to you?
While I’ve never had an explicit “no surprise” rule with my employees, it’s very true that I don’t want to be surprised, and would love for my team to be as open with me as possible. If you want your team to be open with you, though, you have to act on their feedback. It is important to note, though, that as managers we have to choose our battles. But at the same time, your team needs to see that they’re not wasting their time by going to you. I’m sure I’ve been guilty of not making it clear to my teams how I’ve addressed problems with the sacred cows, perhaps in an effort to protect my relationship with them. But that may not be best.
A lot to think about.
Comments
Leave a Reply
