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Management skills: how to get employees to work proactively while the boss stays relaxed?

Have you ever assigned a task to an employee and felt like you just handed a knife to a monkey? Exactly! Delegation is not just about assigning responsibility, but it requires a clever strategy for oversight. This article will help you "transform" into a great manager with humorous but practical tips!

1. Foundations of effective management 

Understand the Role of Management 

A good manager is not someone who does everything by themselves but someone who knows how to delegate and supervise effectively. Your role is to guide, support, and ensure everyone is moving towards a common goal. 

Choose attitude over aptitude? 

An employee with great skills but a poor attitude is like a talented chef who always cooks late. 

Solution: Instead of choosing someone highly skilled but with a bad attitude, opt for someone with a positive attitude, even if their skills are not yet perfect. These individuals are more receptive to training, which helps foster a positive company culture. To support their development, establish a clear training plan with specific goals, step-by-step progress evaluations, and continuous encouragement for learning. 

2. The art of assigning asks to the right people 

The importance of assigning tasks to the right people 

Assigning tasks to the right people not only saves time but also optimizes work efficiency. Imagine giving a knife to your own hand, but if not careful, you might cut yourself. 

Tips for effective task delegation 

  • Understand the strengths and weaknesses of employees: First, identify the strengths and weaknesses of each person using methods like performance assessments, real-world observation, or even conversations to understand their expertise. For instance, assign creative tasks to someone good at design and data analysis tasks to someone proficient in Excel. This not only optimizes efficiency but also helps employees feel respected and maximize their potential. 

  • Evaluate through trials: Assign a small task first, then evaluate the outcome based on specific criteria such as completion time, work quality, and problem-solving ability. Then, provide detailed feedback, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement, to help employees learn and improve in future tasks. 

  • Maintain balanced supervision: Nobody likes being micromanaged all day, but being left completely unsupervised is also unwise. 

3. How to get employees to work proactively? 

How to Work Proactively

Work proactively

Motivation from Maslow's hierarchy of needs 

Meet basic needs (salary, benefits) by ensuring fair pay structures, comprehensive benefits like health insurance, social security, and other essential support. Then, advance to higher-level needs by creating achievement recognition programs such as personal honors, regular performance reviews for positive feedback, and opportunities to participate in personal development projects or advanced skills training. 

Methods to encourage proactiveness 

- Listen to employee feedback: Employees are more proactive when they feel their opinions are respected. 

- Assign clear tasks with specific deadlines: Employees need to know exactly what to do and receive clear instructions on how to complete tasks. Break down work into specific steps, explain expectations for outcomes, and set realistic deadlines. This not only helps them stay focused but also reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed by large tasks. 

- Establish a transparent reward and punishment system: Clear salary and reward structures (3P model) and well-defined KPIs give employees direction. Specifically: 

  • Clearly define reward and punishment criteria: ensure all employees understand the requirements and standards for being rewarded or penalized. 

  • Implement transparency: Decisions related to rewards and penalties should be communicated clearly to avoid perceptions of favoritism or ambiguity. 

  • Link rewards to KPIs: Reward based on specific work outcomes, not just subjective impressions. For example, achieving sales KPIs can lead to progressively higher rewards. 

  • Motivate with diverse rewards: Apart from monetary incentives, consider options like vacations, gifts, or promotion opportunities. 

  • Provide immediate feedback: Praise or criticize immediately when an event occurs so that employees can clearly see the link between their actions and the results. 

This not only ensures fairness but also fosters healthy competition and improves work performance. 

4. Handling "talented but difficult" employees 

Establish clear rules 

Talented individuals need an environment to thrive, but rules are rules. Talent cannot justify breaking the rules. 

Establish Clear Rules

Establish clear rules 

The story of "the monkey and the king" 

There is a story about a king who gave a sword to a clever monkey to protect him. The result? The monkey slashed at a fly but ended up cutting off the king's head. Lesson: Create conditions for talented individuals to shine, but maintain strict supervision. 

5. Becoming a great CEO and attracting talent 

Essential soft skills for modern ceos 

- Inspire others:Don’t just talk—act. Specifically, participate directly in critical projects, share practical examples from your own experience, and always display a positive work ethic. An inspirational leader motivates not only through words but by being a role model and helping the team overcome challenges. 

- Build a respected leadership model: Employees won’t leave if they feel this is a place where they can learn and grow. To create this model, leaders need to: 

  • Be a role model: Show professionalism, ethics, and dedication for employees to emulate. 

  • Create a learning environment: Encourage employees to attend training courses, workshops, or challenging projects to develop their skills. 

  • Recognize achievements: Praise and honor contributions, motivating them to continue striving. 

  • Provide clear direction:Present a vision and specific goals so employees understand their role in the bigger picture. 

  • Listen and support: Always be ready to hear feedback, address concerns, and assist employees in overcoming difficulties. 

How to Retain Talent? 

  • Build an ideal corporate culture:Start by clearly defining the company’s core values and communicating them through daily activities. Corporate culture should be built on respect, transparency, and innovation. Maintain this culture by organizing employee meetings, creative reward programs, and providing a space for employees to share ideas or suggest improvements. 

  • Focus on personal development and advancement opportunities: Develop clear career paths, offer opportunities for advanced training, and allow employees to take on more challenging roles. Encourage them to propose initiatives and participate in critical projects, helping not only their personal growth but also the organization’s overall success. 

6. The 6-sigma management model for smes 

Six Key Factors (Sourced) 

  • CEO with clear vision: Know your weaknesses and strengths. 
  • Build strong internal systems: Ensure that the environment, processes, and policies are aligned. 
  • Effective customer care:Strong internal systems lead to satisfied customers. 

  • Create user-friendly experiences (UX): Products and services should be easy to use and convenient. 

  • Quick feedback and adjustments (CS): Always listen and improve. 

  • Focus on your strengths (CX):Don’t try to excel in everything; be outstanding in one area. 

7. Conclusion 

A great manager doesn’t need to do everything but needs to do the right things, in the right way, and with the right people. Be a boss who is both strict and loved by employees to achieve the best results! 

 

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