Hardest Part of Management

I was asked yesterday what the most difficult aspect of management is and how do I handle it.  I responded that the most difficult is not the financials or meetings or company expectations.  The most difficult part is being tuned in to each member of the team so you can instantly spot when that employee is struggling...or when his/her behavior is having a negative impact on the rest of the team.  I view it like I would a weed in my flowerbed.  Sometimes I first have to figure out if it's a weed or simply some kind of flower that I didn't recognize at first.  Sometimes one of my flowers starts taking over the whole flowerbed and I have to trim it back to fit only it's own spot once again.  When it's in it's own spot; it's beautiful.  But left to take over the whole garden; not pretty anymore, but has become an ugly annoyance and chokes the life out of the other plants.  I stay tuned in to the personalities in my employee garden.  Is one trying to take over the department?  I have to ask myself why?  Do they sense a lack of leadership and feel they have to take over to get things done?  Do they need more responsibilities/tasks to hold their interest and help them feel vested?  Or are they a true weed and they need to be pulled from the garden?  Tune in to each of your employees and you're entire flowergarden will blossom..each with his/her own beauty and purpose.  Have a backbone and don't allow your employees to run the department - step up and be the leader you need to be...not with an iron fist, but rather with a firm assurance. 

Rewards

Although you may be tempted to buy your staff pizza when they get stressed; gift cards when they go the extra mile; prizes for this or that.  I would challenge you to think differently and create an atmosphere in your team of having each other's backs.  An atmosphere where one team member is thanking their peer for taking up their slack.  Thank your employee and be sincere - some of the things my employees do for each other AMAZES me and I let them know that it amazed me.  I do everything I can do everyday to make my employee's work lives easier and each employee knows that I will work just as hard as they do and I'll do anything I can for them.  This sets the example that they then carry out with each other.  An atmosphere of "service".  Service for our customers and service to each other.  Instead of worrying about what everyone can do for them...they focus on what they can do for everyone around them and we all win.  Team stressed?  Instead of buying them pizza or something else lame...figure out why their stressed and fix it as fast as possible.  When they know you actually and sincerely care - that's when you're team will come together.

Correcting Unacceptable Behavior

Haven't been on my blog in awhile due to a move across the country to return to my former company.  Am very excited to be back with Independence Rehab.  On the subject above - be quick to correct and quick to praise.  Random comments of praise make random moments of correction much easier.  I'm fast when I correct inappropriate or unprofessional behavior.  I do it either in public or in private depending on the subject matter.  If I see someone sitting on a walker and smacking their gum while treating a patient - that's something I have to correct immediately so I'll whisper in their ear as I'm walking by "Off the walker and lose the gum" and continue walking.  I don't elaborate and I don't spend a lot of time dwelling on it.  I don't make a big issue of it.  They will feel angry/embarrassed etc but they'll get over it quickly if the correction is quick and you move on with your duties.  Now if that's all I ever did was keep correcting - that's very damaging because I'm not supporting them at all and not helping them grow professionally.  Essentially I'd be a babysitter instead of a mentor.  Be a leader - be someone your team can respect.  Don't allow things that are unacceptable to slide by - they won't go away; they'll only get worse and more people will start up on those poor behaviors as well.  Then you'll really have a mess.  Correct the problem consistently and quickly.