Resolving Needs - What Your Employees Wish For!

For your people, they want to do a great job - no, really, despite your experiences, they do. And what might seem to 'the management' the important things, just don't stack in the day-to-day reality of the workplace.

Here's why.

Your people want to focus on looking after their customers, yet there are many things, often just little things, that get in their way. Removing these little things they are having to tolerate, allows them to deliver the very best service to their customers. Yet they are reluctant to get this clear. For some reason.

You need to find out.

So. Ask them!

Yet why is this so difficult for some managers? Partly to do with not wishing to open challenging dialogue; not even thinking there might be issues or to dismissing needs of their people as irrelevant, amongst others. These issues, so vital to the well-being of their people and therefore their relationships with their customers, get missed.

So, how do managers get around this.

Easy

They just ASK. They ask in ways that work, but basically, they just ASK.

There are a many ways to do this. Ongoing dialogue; focus groups; feedback; 360's. But a really simple way to get to the bottom of what is bothering your people is, one-on-one to simply ask them this simple question:-
"If you had three wishes in your job, what would they be?"
So why do we ask for three wishes? Because often there are one or two issues that are 'givens'. Like more staff, more pay etc. Three wishes gives a bit of scope in the replies. If you can, allow your people to personalise the returns, but only if they want to. Once you've got your people being constructive around changes - and you let them tell you, you can respond, often very quickly and make things a lot better.

Understanding the little things, makes a big difference to the people who are vital to your success - who create the business for you. Don't miss the chance.

Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com (Note to editors. This article may be edited for use in your publication or newsletter as long as a live link to the website is included)

...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...

In The News:

---

Check Your Communication Skills

Use this check list to assess your communication skills.Focus* Do... Read More

How To Decrease Profits Without Really Trying

Hurting your sales efforts can be accomplished easily with the... Read More

Identifying Candidates for Leadership

A critical task in the succession planning process of any... Read More

Creative People, Innovative People

The title implies that some people are and others not.This... Read More

Executive Humor at Meetings

I don't encourage managers to wear funny hats, appear in... Read More

Sexual Harassment Policy Guidelines Part I

Sexual Harassment Policy Guidelines ? Part IPermission is hereby granted... Read More

Take This Into Consideration Before You Write Your Mission Statement

What principles should a company keep in mind when developing... Read More

Which ITIL Process Should We Implement First?

The following question is usually debated a lot amongst IT... Read More

Implementing Change

There are different reactions that individuals experience during time of... Read More

Creating A Vision ? Bringing Your Dreams Into Reality

Do you have some goals you want to achieve or... Read More

Romford Accountants: Accountancy Firm Roles and Responsibilities

If you own or operate a business in the UK,... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Reduce the High Cost of Employee Absenteeism

Employers pay a high price for absenteeism, often more than... Read More

Five Problem-Solving Success Tips

The ability to solve complicated problems quickly is more important... Read More

Islam in the Workplace

Suggested practice for HR personnelMuslims now form one of the... Read More

Help Your Employees Prepare for a Performance Appraisal

PREPARING EMPLOYEES FOR THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL INTERVIEWS: Remind employees to... Read More

Employee Discipline: How to Nip Problems in the Bud

Are you uncomfortable with delivering disciplinary action, even involving employees... Read More

Shrinkage Control

What has been your store's shrinkage experience for the last... Read More

Collaboration: 3 Keys to Keeping Your Documents from Getting Lost in the Shuffle

Often, collaborating documents in a team or in a business... Read More

Innovation Management ? Reducing Hierarchy

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Why Business Owners Need Security

The main reason is to stop any potential lawsuits from... Read More

Enhancing the Motivational Climate of Your Workplace

It has been well documented that employees' productivity and job... Read More

Why Would Anyone Do That in My Meeting?

Imagine that you open a meeting by saying, "We need... Read More

The Role of the Machine Metaphor in Mixed-initiative Organizational Leadership

"Can This Marriage be Saved?" So reads the title of... Read More

Is Your Management Style Assisting or Hurting Your Business?

Many times business owners can have significant differences in management... Read More

Business Innovation ? Organizational Structure

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

The Narcissist in the Workplace

To a narcissist-employer, the members of his "staff" are Secondary... Read More

Challenge of ERP Implementation: Q and A with Rick Maurer

Question: ERPs seem like a good idea, so why is... Read More

Better Manager Skills - How to Learn

When you first take over a department, expectations are usually... Read More

Good Idea Generation ? A Process

It seems incongruous that good idea generation can be a... Read More

Power of Pinpointing Accountability

I have always said that if I were to write... Read More

Group Meeting Disrupters

MEETING DISRUPTERS: If two participants are carrying on a personal... Read More

Motivation - You Get What You Reward

There's a programme currently running on BBC Television in the... Read More

Gift Giving for Business a Major Headache

Corporate gifting is a big headache for most business owners;... Read More