It’s already started. And it’s likely to keep going for at least a week into the new year.
What is it?
Return season. That trek back to the store to exchange the holiday gift that didn’t fit, wasn’t needed, or was exactly the same as the other three gathering dust in your closet.
Imagine what it would be like if there were a special return season for managers. If there were ia customer service desk just waiting to exchange that unwanted attitude, policy, or concern for something that served you better, what would you want to exchange?
In all our years of coaching, we’ve seen “managers who are struggling” turn into “managers who are succeeding” by making these five simple swaps:
- Give up a fixed mindset and adopt a growth mindset instead. People with a growth mindset believe that their abilities and those of their team can be developed and improved over time, while those with a fixed mindset believe that these abilities are innate and cannot be changed.
- Trade an emphasis on alignment in style for alignment in values. Many managers are looking for people who think and behave exactly as they do. While this can be comfortable, it’s not necessarily productive. It’s more important that everyone on your team shares the same values than that they look, talk, or work the same way.
- Swap keeping communication brief for keeping things understood. Clear, consistent, thorough, and timely communication is essential to keeping a team running smoothly. Don’t be tempted to assume that just because a message has been sent, it has been understood. Check for feedback and confirm that everyone who needs to know knows ALL they need to know.
- Exchange criticism for coaching. It’s inevitable that someone on your team will make a mistake. Instead of just pointing out the error and furnishing the right answer, try having a conversation about what the employee knew and understood about the task and why they chose their solution they did. Ask empowering “what if” questions and offer options that will lead them to better choices next time.
- Switch the word “failure” for the word “feedback.” The term “failure” has a sense of finality to it. Some people even see failure as fatal. But in most cases, errors are rarely final or fatal. They are merely unsuccessful attempts that provide information that can be used to find more successful and productive choices. Team members who fear failure may never take the risk associated with trying something new. Worse, they may stay stuck and not do anything at all. Using the word “feedback” creates a climate that fosters growth and innovation and rewards action.
It’s return season between now and the first of the year. What will you be exchanging so that you and your team are ready for success in 2024?