Team Success and the "L" Word

Shhhhh. Listen. No, really listen.

As a leader or employer it can be challenging to keep your team happy and engaged at work. One of the most common complaints from team members is that they feel unheard and undervalued. This can lead to to a whole host of negative consequences - from decreased productivity, "quiet quitting" or even high turnover rates - which can ultimately hurt your business.

So what can you do to ensure that your employees feel heard and remain happy, healthy and productive? The "L" word is the key: LISTEN. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Go on a "walkabout"

The term walkabout is an Australian aborigine term meaning "a short period of wandering bush life". What I mean by this is get out from behind your desk and walk the floor of your organization. Check in with people. Ask them how their weekend was. Ask about what they are working on. It's important that this comes across as genuine interest and is not done to "check up on" team members. You want your team to look forward to the interactions with you and not fear seeing you coming down the hall.

2. Keep the door open

You want to create an environment where team members feel comfortable coming to you to ask questions, share ideas and raise awareness on potential issues. Make it clear to your team that they are welcome to stop by your office, send you an email, or chat if they have something to discuss. By showing you are available and willing to listen, you can help build a culture of open communication.

3. Provide Regular Feedback and Recognition

I once had a manager who said to me "I don't care what you did yesterday. What are you going to do today?" Oi vey. Not the way to motivate a team member. People want to know that their work is valued and appreciated. This can be done by giving regular, verbal feedback and recognition. Let your team know when they've done a good job and give constructive feedback to help them improve. A great time to do this is on your walkabout.

4. Schedule biweekly coaching

I saved the most powerful idea for last - scheduled 1-2-1 coaching.

One of the easiest ways to ensure your team feels heard is to sit down with them every two weeks for 1-2-1 coaching. Provide them with a template agenda to be filled out each session. The agenda can include items that you want to stay aware of such as Project Status, KPIs and Commitments. Other important items might be Plans for Taking Time Off and Professional Development. The most important topic - and the one that should be addressed first - is What's the Most Important Thing to Talk About. This provides the team member the opportunity to bring up what is most important to them. It could be potential issues they want to make you aware of, innovative ideas, or even challenges they are facing at work.