Marcia's Leadership Q and As: What Workers Want

Q. As a manager, I sometimes struggle with my teams. How can I improve so we can achieve our goals?

A. The principles that you as a manager need to apply are not complicated. But in a business and on teams, complexity and dysfunctional behaviors may have crept into your workplace. The barriers that deter you from achieving a smooth workflow in a healthy environment that serves customers, need to be identified and removed. 

Your staff wants to come to work and take pride in their work. They want a clear aim. They want to learn and work together to accomplish meaningful work. People want to contribute. 

Management’s job is to create the environment where people can work together to serve your customers. What direction, training, and resources do they need to do the work? Provide it. Then let them do the work. As a manager, you are a resource and facilitator, not a babysitter or micromanager. 

Employees today want some input, want to contribute ideas, and want more flexibility than past generations. Think about what needs to be accomplished for a healthy team and business, and work together to communicate how to make that happen.