Lean
Tip #1931 – Ensure Clear Communication
Whether
utilizing direct or indirect communication, confirm that everyone is on the
same page and does not have any questions. Check to make sure the team received
important emails and that each employee fully understands the intended message.
Try to use email and indirect communication only when absolutely necessary, as
tone and message frequently become muddled when not directly discussed.
Lean
Tip #1932 – Don’t Ignore Struggling Employees
If
you notice an employee is struggling to keep up or not contributing a fair
amount of work to a project, set up a meeting to discuss how to resolve these
issues. A team member may not be aware of subpar performance or may face
personal issues that indirectly cause work to suffer. If problems persist,
consider that the assigned job may not be a good fit for an employee’s talents.
Lean
Tip #1933 – Pitch in and Help
The
project seems to be falling behind schedule, but every team member is
overwhelmed with the workload. If this is happening to your team, discuss how
you can help. While you may be there as a manager, your job is to make sure the
work gets done. Contributing to the work will help build respect for you as a
manager. Conversely, pushing more work onto already full plates fosters anger
and resentment at your disconnect from the project.
Lean
Tip #1934 – Play to Individual Strengths
Each
member brings different skills to the group. The secret to an effective team is
discovering how these individual skills work together in the best way possible.
Think of team members’ abilities as unique “cogs” in your team “machine”. When
these cogs are positioned correctly, the machine runs smoothly. But when they
grind together, the machine comes to a halt. As a manager, your goal is to
build a well-oiled machine that does not break down. Do not be afraid to adjust
individual roles as you go along.
Lean
Tip #1935 – Commemorate Achievements Together
Celebrate
as a whole when the team meets or exceeds goals and expectations. Be sure to
reward good work from individuals and the entire team. Schedule a team party to
commemorate a finished project. Showing you appreciate your team’s hard work
and the effort put into a project adds an incentive to finish projects on time.
Lean
Tip #1936 – Cut Down on Traditional Meetings
Meetings
are the bane of productivity. They take everyone involved out of the workflow,
and the issues can often be addressed in memos or other more brief
communication methods.
Not
every meeting results in a necessary dialogue, and meetings can put a stopper
on breakthroughs and momentum.
When
meetings are absolutely required, standing meetings are preferable. For sedentary
workplaces, holding a brief standing meeting can get everyone into a different
mindset compared to positioning everyone in seats in a less involved
environment. In the end, as long as the same objectives are achieved, it’s best
to take the most productive route to the same goal.
Lean
Tip #1937 – Stop Trying to Multitask
Multitasking
is actually far more counterproductive than you probably realize.
You
actually do two or more tasks slower and less effectively than you could do
one. While it may seem as if you’re saving yourself time and accomplishing
more, trying to multitask has more downsides than positives.
If
you focus 100% on one task, and ensure it’s done correctly, you reduce the time
you need to spend checking over your work or correcting problems later on down
the line. While you may feel that you can do two things at the same time, it’s
best to complete one task fully before moving onto the next.
Lean
Tip #1938 – Set Your Schedule For The Next Day The Night Before You Leave The Office.
Prioritize
which tasks need to be completed. Even if you are interrupted by unexpected
assignments or emergencies, you'll know exactly what needs to be done when you
return to your desk. Not only will a schedule help keep you organized and
focused, you'll get the satisfaction of crossing items off your "to
do" list once you complete them.
Lean
Tip #1939 – Keep Your Workspace Clean And Clear Of Clutter.
As
the old saying goes, "A cluttered desk is a symptom of a cluttered
mind." The time you spend looking for misplaced papers each day is extra
time you could be using to complete your work. Likewise, there are apps to
assist you in categorizing and electronically organizing your email inbox.
Imagine the time you could save by no longer searching for hard-to-find emails!
Lean
Tip #1940 – Prioritize Tasks To Focus On Important Ones
Work
on one task at a time, starting a new one only once the previous one has been
completed. Juggling tasks has been scientifically proven to “decrease the
performance of workers, raising the chances of low output, long duration of
projects and exploding backlogs”.
Having
the resolve to stick with one task is actually not that simple, especially when
people are pestering you to lend a hand with theirs. You have to know when to
say no to colleagues and even your boss.
The
Pareto principle (or the 80/20 rule) observes that most things in life aren’t
distributed evenly. In business terms, this could mean that 80pc of your
revenue comes from 20pc of your customers or that 80pc of your bonus depends on
20pc of your responsibilities.
Decide
which tasks are most important to you and then focus the majority of your
energy on them.
Lean
Tip #1941 – Celebrate Failure
Remember,
most employees are trying to do their best, most of the time. Show appreciation
for the well-intentioned action, even if it led to a failure. Talk about what
the employee did right, then explain the problem. Always focus on strengths,
not weaknesses.
During
your discussion, go over any processes and procedures necessary to get a
procedural task done right the next time. If the failure was more complex, say
a sales meeting didn’t go well, try role-playing to help your employee find
their footing.
Lean
Tip #1942 - Ignore, or Work Around, Minor Mistakes
Perfectionists
take heed! Things don’t always have to be exactly, 100 percent perfect. Some
people learn by experience and no amount of coaching or manual reading will
change that, so be open to letting experiential learners make minor mistakes.
Of
course, this advice does not apply when health and safety are at risk, for
instance in a hospital setting. No one thinks it’s okay for a nurse to make a
minor mistake in giving out medicine.
However,
in an office setting, it is unlikely that someone will die if an email doesn’t
get sent out by the end of the day. By giving employees room to fail in minor
ways you convey that you trust them to get the job done right – eventually.
Just don’t let this laissez faire attitude go too far or you will convey that
you don’t care about quality.
Lean
Tip #1943 - Listen and Empower.
Coaching
requires both encouragement and empowerment. Managers must work with employees
to build one-on-one relationships that result in improved performance.
Your
employees are likely to have a lot of input, questions, and feedback. It’s
important for them to know you care enough to listen to what they have to say,
and encourage them to share their opinions.
Lean
Tip #1944 - Ask Good Questions.
Great
questions lead to great answers, and great answers lead to great conversations.
As a manager or leader, it is critical that you develop strong relationships
with your employees. This will help you determine if your employees are
curious, have the capacity to perform and improve, and have a positive attitude.
Lean
Tip #1945 - Commit to Continuous Learning.
Make
a commitment to improve your own skills and competencies. If you’re not
continuously learning, why should your employees? Lead by example and your team
will follow.
Show
that you are interested in their success (why wouldn’t you be?). Ask questions
about where they see their career going, or how they see their role evolving in
the company. Even if they don’t have a plan laid out yet, these questions will
make them think about their career and what they want to accomplish within the
organization.
Show
your employees that you don’t just want them to do better so you look better,
but that you’re actively interested in their career, accomplishments and
professional success.
