It’s tough enough managing the people you see every day. The challenges of getting things done from a distance, whether that means different sites or different countries, can cause even the most experienced manager sleepless nights. Geography can be the key enemy of great leadership.
Let’s remind ourselves of some of the ‘stories’ we hear about remote teams.
• They’re not interested in the company
• They TUPE’d over – they didn’t really want to work for us!
• They just want to come to work, do their job, then go home
• They don’t have access to computers, so there’s no point communicating with them
• I can’t manage them from a distance
• Their local manager/supervisor knows what s/he is doing
• I don’t have time to go driving all over the country/flying around the world
• It’s different in the North/Middle East/United States/EMEA etc
• They are too busy for me to go interfering
• I can’t afford to pay for team briefings, training , flights etc
• The client is happy with their performance, so I don’t need to worry about them
How much easier would life be if you were able to manage them more effectively, keep them motivated, reduce churn and increase productivity? You don’t need a magic wand, just some simple, practical tips.
It takes special Leadership skills to successfully manage remote teams.
1. Trust and honesty – trust your local manager/supervisor and their teams – every single one of them. Answer their questions honestly and address tough issues as soon as possible. Don’t be tempted to rely on those based in your building to do the lion’s share of the work, or the most urgent jobs – share the workload fairly. Establish your team-specific “ground rules” - these are the unwritten rules that guide how work gets done in your team. For examples, do you have an open door policy? How are suggestions for improvements to be made? How does communication work amongst team members?
2. Clarity – ensure they all understand their objectives. As far as possible, allocate short-term projects, so you can tell early on if the work is on track. Any change within the team - be it to responsibilities, new ways of working, additions to or loss of staff - may mean that established, well-functioning teams sometimes revert to a stage where their roles, responsibilities and objectives need to be reviewed and re-clarified. As their manager, it is imperative that you take the lead in defining these roles and responsibilities early on.
3. Focus on results. You need to measure the output from individuals and local teams, rather than processes. This also allows you to intervene quickly if you spot the early signs of under-performance. Encourage people to take small actions so they don’t become overwhelmed. Check in regularly with their progress.
4. Communication - understand their styles of communication, learning, managing, motivation – and adapt yours to suit them.
5. Feedback – are you catching them doing things right? Start every contact you have with a simple question ‘what’s been going well?’ and listen actively to their responses.
The keys to giving great feedback are:
• Give praise publicly, give criticism in private
• Be sincere
• Choose your timing carefully – do it as soon as you can after the event
• Ask for self-assessment
• Focus on specifics and don’t mix it with other messages
• Limit feedback to a few important points.
6. Role model – consistently demonstrate the behaviours you want to see in your teams, starting with the ‘T’ word - trust. Do you want them to speak positively about the company, the Client, their work? Then you must, too – all the time, to everyone you interact with.
7. Networking – build relationships with key people who can help you manage – the supervisor/manager, the receptionist, security guards, key communicators within the team. Find common interests at all levels of the wider team and help people work more closely by sharing knowledge. Find yourself a mentor – someone who has been there and done it – and learn both from their successes and the challenges they faced.
8. Use technology – use simple methods of communicating that will make your people feel they are in the same building as you – instant messaging, tele- and video-conferencing, webinars, intranet sites, or shared systems such as SharePoint or Meeting Place. If you are working with an international team, it is useful to have interpreters on hand and to be aware of cultural differences.
Communication is the glue that holds teams together; this is even more relevant when your team is dispersed. Not everyone is comfortable with the ‘virtual world’, so you might need to make yourself available by ‘phone on a regular basis at a time to suit them, or perhaps send them a printed newssheet. When a new person joins the team, make every effort to meet them in person – it will make your life easier later on. Your people will form their impressions not just on the words they read or hear, but also on the tone of the message and non-verbal signals. Don’t assume you know what works best for them – ask. After all, people are not inspired by words they cannot hear.
Speak to Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 01778 561326 for more management solutions for your high performing teams or e-mail your burning questions to coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk for a personal response
Showing posts with label managing clients. Show all posts
Showing posts with label managing clients. Show all posts
Friday, 23 January 2009
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Business nightmares and how to recover from them
Last night I went along to the Entrepreneurs' Masterclass held at the British Library. You would recognise at least one of the speakers - Rachel Elnaugh (Dragons' Den).
The event was publicised like this:
'Are you weighing up the risks of an entrepreneurial future? Do you have concerns that an economic downturn will affect your chances of success?
Starting a business is always a huge test of determination and stamina. In this economic climate, special skills are required. To stand the best chance of success, entrepreneurs must have the resilience to confront and overcome challenges, as well as having the vision for success.
'Business Nightmares@ is a unique chance to hear how a panel of highly successful entrepreneurs survived the toughest times and built business success on the back of the lessons learned.'
And it delivered every part of that!
Here are the key points I took from the event, in terms of avoiding business nightmares:
You need clear management information
Ask for help
It's not ideas that make a business, it's the execution of them
Most entrepreneurs have a psychotic optimisim!
Focus on giving your customer what they really want
Act swiftly
Now is a good time to be in business, remember Disney and Hewlett Packard both started their businesses in the depression
You're at your most vulnerable when you're doing well - this was the 'golden nugget' for me, and I'm sure this applies to every business model.
Many FMs right now are saying 'it's a good time for FM. Client organisations are outsourcing because they need to reduce costs, and that business is coming to us'. But let's not become complacent, remembering what Rachel says 'You're at your most vulnerable when you're doing well'.
Call Liz Kentish The FM Coach today for an assessment of your organisation's capabilities and vulnerabilities 01778 561326 or e-mail coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
The event was publicised like this:
'Are you weighing up the risks of an entrepreneurial future? Do you have concerns that an economic downturn will affect your chances of success?
Starting a business is always a huge test of determination and stamina. In this economic climate, special skills are required. To stand the best chance of success, entrepreneurs must have the resilience to confront and overcome challenges, as well as having the vision for success.
'Business Nightmares@ is a unique chance to hear how a panel of highly successful entrepreneurs survived the toughest times and built business success on the back of the lessons learned.'
And it delivered every part of that!
Here are the key points I took from the event, in terms of avoiding business nightmares:
You need clear management information
Ask for help
It's not ideas that make a business, it's the execution of them
Most entrepreneurs have a psychotic optimisim!
Focus on giving your customer what they really want
Act swiftly
Now is a good time to be in business, remember Disney and Hewlett Packard both started their businesses in the depression
You're at your most vulnerable when you're doing well - this was the 'golden nugget' for me, and I'm sure this applies to every business model.
Many FMs right now are saying 'it's a good time for FM. Client organisations are outsourcing because they need to reduce costs, and that business is coming to us'. But let's not become complacent, remembering what Rachel says 'You're at your most vulnerable when you're doing well'.
Call Liz Kentish The FM Coach today for an assessment of your organisation's capabilities and vulnerabilities 01778 561326 or e-mail coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
Monday, 12 January 2009
How to Build Trust and Develop Relationships with Clients and Employees That Last a Lifetime
When it comes to customer loyalty, nothing is more important than the trust you develop with your customers. Research from Texas A & M University says if customers see you as being trustworthy and reliable ... and if customers see you fulfilling your promises … then they will become enthusiastic customers for life.
The same is true with your co-workers. If your employees see you telling the truth, even when it's not easy or comfortable to do so then you'll build an incredible bond of trust with them. And with that bond of trust will come more cooperation and motivation.
The lesson is clear. If you want your customers to remain loyal, you must earn and keep their trust. If you want a stronger team at work, you have to build a foundation of trust.
So trust is your ultimate competitive advantage.
Now, how do you build or re-build trust?
4 Ways to Build Trust, Gain Loyalty & Retain Employees and Customers for Life
1. Assume the best about your employees and customers
When something goes wrong, or when the other person disappoints you, start by assuming the best. Don't immediately jump into the fray, pound your desk, froth at the mouth, and demand to know why your employees or customers did something so stupid.
Instead, honor the other person. Rather than focus on WHO's to blame for what went wrong, focus on WHAT can be done about it. That takes the focus off the past and off the other person. It puts the focus onto the future where the two of you can work together.
Besides, if you jump in too quickly, blaming someone for what happened, you'll often embarrass yourself. You may find out that you're really the one to blame for the problem that occurred.
2. Stick up for your customers or employees when they're in the right
You build trust when you speak out on someone's behalf, especially when it's not politically popular or interpersonally comfortable. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "In the end we will not remember the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends."
I'll never forget the time I chaired the task force of a charitable organization. Over a period of time, it came to my attention that the organization had misused funds on several occasions. My task force members urged me to confront the Board and document my findings. They would be there to back me up.
I did that, but not one of the task force members backed me up when the top leaders lashed out in defense and aggression. If nothing else, I learned that Dr. King was right. It was the silence of my "friends" that I remember the most today.
3. Refuse to gossip
There's something very alluring, and maybe even a little satisfying, about sharing a negative tidbit. It may make you feel a bit superior, but you've got to fight the urge to add to the gossip and the people bashing that may go on in the company cafeteria or behind a customer's back. You just can't do it.
The reason is simple.
Negative gossip almost always gets back to the person you are discussing. That's just the nature of juicy, negative, sensationalized news. And to make matters worse, the version that gets back to the person you discussed is almost always worse than the version you shared.
4. Keep your promises
Nothing destroys trust faster than failing to keep your promises.
Think about it. No one ever forgets a promise. You tell your child you'll take her to the amusement park, and she'll remind you fifteen times that "you promised."
You tell a colleague that you'll get back to him, and he sees it as a promise. You tell a client, that an assignment will be finished by tomorrow and she sees it as a promise. And it doesn't work to go back to them and say you forgot or you got busy. In their minds, you broke your promise, and the trust between the two of you is damaged.
So, if you want to build trust, the solution is simple. Keep your promises.
A final thought
Don't get discouraged, if you're in the process of building or re-building trust in a relationship. Trust takes time.
Just as it takes more than one block to build a fortress, it takes more than one action to build trust. It takes a lot of blocks, put down … over time … to get the results you want. It works the same way when you're building trust. Go ahead and use the four trust building blocks I've just given you and you will:
- Become a better leader and manager
- Retain your employees – (Don't forget … high employee turn-over = higher costs)
- Keep your customers who want to buy from you over and over again for life
- Achieve more than you ever thought possible
And, it's all because trust is the "ultimate competitive advantage."
Want to get started but not sure how? Call Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 01778 561326 / 07717 787077 for genuine support and advice.
E-mail coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
About the author:
Best-selling author and Hall of Fame professional speaker, Dr.Alan Zimmerman has transformed more than a million people into better managers and leaders in the office and in the marketplace. For even more tips on how to build relationships with employees and customers that last a lifetime go to http://www.DrZimmerman.com and get his free e-book that's filled with his most popular articles.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
The same is true with your co-workers. If your employees see you telling the truth, even when it's not easy or comfortable to do so then you'll build an incredible bond of trust with them. And with that bond of trust will come more cooperation and motivation.
The lesson is clear. If you want your customers to remain loyal, you must earn and keep their trust. If you want a stronger team at work, you have to build a foundation of trust.
So trust is your ultimate competitive advantage.
Now, how do you build or re-build trust?
4 Ways to Build Trust, Gain Loyalty & Retain Employees and Customers for Life
1. Assume the best about your employees and customers
When something goes wrong, or when the other person disappoints you, start by assuming the best. Don't immediately jump into the fray, pound your desk, froth at the mouth, and demand to know why your employees or customers did something so stupid.
Instead, honor the other person. Rather than focus on WHO's to blame for what went wrong, focus on WHAT can be done about it. That takes the focus off the past and off the other person. It puts the focus onto the future where the two of you can work together.
Besides, if you jump in too quickly, blaming someone for what happened, you'll often embarrass yourself. You may find out that you're really the one to blame for the problem that occurred.
2. Stick up for your customers or employees when they're in the right
You build trust when you speak out on someone's behalf, especially when it's not politically popular or interpersonally comfortable. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "In the end we will not remember the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends."
I'll never forget the time I chaired the task force of a charitable organization. Over a period of time, it came to my attention that the organization had misused funds on several occasions. My task force members urged me to confront the Board and document my findings. They would be there to back me up.
I did that, but not one of the task force members backed me up when the top leaders lashed out in defense and aggression. If nothing else, I learned that Dr. King was right. It was the silence of my "friends" that I remember the most today.
3. Refuse to gossip
There's something very alluring, and maybe even a little satisfying, about sharing a negative tidbit. It may make you feel a bit superior, but you've got to fight the urge to add to the gossip and the people bashing that may go on in the company cafeteria or behind a customer's back. You just can't do it.
The reason is simple.
Negative gossip almost always gets back to the person you are discussing. That's just the nature of juicy, negative, sensationalized news. And to make matters worse, the version that gets back to the person you discussed is almost always worse than the version you shared.
4. Keep your promises
Nothing destroys trust faster than failing to keep your promises.
Think about it. No one ever forgets a promise. You tell your child you'll take her to the amusement park, and she'll remind you fifteen times that "you promised."
You tell a colleague that you'll get back to him, and he sees it as a promise. You tell a client, that an assignment will be finished by tomorrow and she sees it as a promise. And it doesn't work to go back to them and say you forgot or you got busy. In their minds, you broke your promise, and the trust between the two of you is damaged.
So, if you want to build trust, the solution is simple. Keep your promises.
A final thought
Don't get discouraged, if you're in the process of building or re-building trust in a relationship. Trust takes time.
Just as it takes more than one block to build a fortress, it takes more than one action to build trust. It takes a lot of blocks, put down … over time … to get the results you want. It works the same way when you're building trust. Go ahead and use the four trust building blocks I've just given you and you will:
- Become a better leader and manager
- Retain your employees – (Don't forget … high employee turn-over = higher costs)
- Keep your customers who want to buy from you over and over again for life
- Achieve more than you ever thought possible
And, it's all because trust is the "ultimate competitive advantage."
Want to get started but not sure how? Call Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 01778 561326 / 07717 787077 for genuine support and advice.
E-mail coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
About the author:
Best-selling author and Hall of Fame professional speaker, Dr.Alan Zimmerman has transformed more than a million people into better managers and leaders in the office and in the marketplace. For even more tips on how to build relationships with employees and customers that last a lifetime go to http://www.DrZimmerman.com and get his free e-book that's filled with his most popular articles.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
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