Leadership is a crucial aspect of any organization's success. Managers are integral to achieving the company's goals, and their leadership style significantly influences team performance. Here we examine how the golden rule, which states that you should treat others as you would have them treat you, may be applied to management and how it can lead to better leadership outcomes. This principle has been around for millennia and has applications beyond human relationships. When applied to leadership, the golden rule is a guiding concept for managers to lead their teams effectively. You Should Treat Others Like You Want to be Treated Managers should treat their team members respectfully while in a leadership setting. They may establish a productive and encouraging work atmosphere that inspires and encourages their team by demonstrating empathy and understanding. By treating others as they would like to be treated, managers demonstrate to their team what behavior is acceptable and expected, setting an excellent example for the rest of the team to follow. When managers consistently treat their team members with respect and fairness, they increase trust within the team, leading to improved collaboration and communication. Do Not Ask Your Team to do Anything You Would Not do Yourself One of the most notable advantages of using the golden rule in leadership is that it stops managers from asking their teams to perform things they are not comfortable doing; this leadership style fosters a sense of justice and equality. Managers who lead by example exhibit their dedication to the team's success and build a healthy work environment. Maintain the Same Level of Expectations and Accountability for Yourself The golden rule expects managers to have the same expectation and accountability as the rest of their team. Managers must be willing to accept responsibility for their actions and be accountable for the repercussions of their decisions. The Advantages of Adopting the Golden Rule in Management As a manager, following the golden rule will win your team's respect and establish a positive and harmonious work atmosphere. It will show a culture of trust, honesty, and open communication, leading to increased team morale, work satisfaction, and productivity. This approach encourages your team to reciprocate the conduct, which leads to fewer disagreements and more significant team connections. So, it's not just about being a decent person but also about fostering an excellent work atmosphere that benefits everyone in the long term. The golden rule is a classic notion that has shown to be an exceptional management technique. Middle managers may establish a good and supportive work atmosphere that encourages and inspires their team by adhering to this rule. By setting a high bar for their team and holding themselves accountable, managers may build a culture of responsibility and accountability inside the entity. Thus, the golden rule has proven to be a powerhouse tool to lead teams with finesse and achieve goals like a pro. Nick Anderson has been a student of leadership for 30 years beginning the day he received a novel “Leadership Award” from his U-12 soccer coach. During his 25-year career in banking Anderson led teams through mergers, acquisitions, bank failure, recessions and rapid growth while successfully managing the throes and pitfalls of being a middle manager. As a community volunteer Anderson led nonprofit organizations through periods of significant change as a board member, treasurer, vice president and board chair. Learn more at Chosen-Leader.com.
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Written communication is one of the most essential forms. Effective writing involves careful choice of words and results in greater clarity than verbal instruction. Written communication is necessary for managers when reinforcing their message across the team. Why are Meeting and Agreement Recaps Important? Meeting and agreement recaps are a powerful way to establish credibility and keep teams accountable for project deliverables. When done correctly, this simple strategy will reinforce communication, eliminate misunderstandings or confusion, and increase the likelihood of achieving desirable results. If you are conducting a project meeting, there is a reasonable probability that some decisions are made during that time, including assigning certain duties to different team members. Getting these decisions in writing and sending a copy of those agreements to everyone in attendance helps achieve the following: Ensures accountability and ensures that progress is not lost During a business meeting, someone may volunteer to do something they may forget later. The same is true for decisions: when things are being decided, they can easily be forgotten since this may have just been one of many meetings—documenting these decisions or actions in writing as a permanent means of communication, makes useful where record maintenance is required. (Ever hear of "meeting minutes"?) Moreover, a written record eliminates uncertainty on who is responsible for what and how the project should advance. Most importantly, it allows both the project team and manager to easily keep track of progress relative to goals and know who is responsible for each contribution. Offers alignment and Transparency By writing out the final decisions and forwarding them to the relevant parties, you can ensure that everyone (even the absentees) has visibility into the action items, next steps, and important decisions. Meeting recaps also give team members a clear direction on where the project is headed and how to move forward with it. This comes in handy when a stakeholder or team member does something that doesn't align with the agreements. You can easily discuss the decision by reviewing the written recap. Encourages employee engagement and gives due credit Revisiting the written recap can help managers see which team members achieved what they had initially promised. The results can then be compared, and credit can be given where due. This helps increase motivation and employee engagement, thereby increasing productivity. Eliminates Confusion Recapping meetings and agreements helps create a forum where anyone can raise questions or concerns about the decisions. This helps clear any confusion on the spot and prevents future problems from materializing. How to Create an Effective Agreement Recap? Take notes of expectations you and your team members have from the project and list them in a precise bullet-pointed manner. Email these pointers to the relevant member(s), and highlight the deadline (if you have any). Send a reminder periodically so they can stay on top of their duties. Summing Up It is more than helpful to back up verbal agreements during meetings with written agreements... doing this may just be one of the simplest and most effective actions a manager can take. Nick Anderson has been a student of leadership for 30 years beginning the day he received a novel “Leadership Award” from his U-12 soccer coach. During his 25-year career in banking Anderson led teams through mergers, acquisitions, bank failure, recessions and rapid growth while successfully managing the throes and pitfalls of being a middle manager. As a community volunteer Anderson led nonprofit organizations through periods of significant change as a board member, treasurer, vice president and board chair. Learn more at Chosen-Leader.com. As a leader, you have to make many difficult decisions for your organization and take responsibility for the results. Choice refers to the deliberate act of doing or thinking one thing above another. The leader's choices and decisions carry the additional burden of impacting employees’ careers in the long run, in addition to their own. One decision might hinder or promote career development. Morals and standards play a significant role in our judgments and choices. While the past cannot be changed, we can learn from our mistakes. Take advantage of the present as a gift, and every choice you have ever made will form the basis of your future. Avoid regrets by making the correct decisions today. You have the freedom to do or be anything you wish. How A Manager’s Choice Can Change the Destiny of Employees The decisions you make for your workforce impact myriad outcomes. The law of cause and effect governs what happens after we make a decision and while many see the first-order effects, many often fail to observe the second and third-order effects of a decision. A bad decision always has an unfavorable outcome, somewhere down the line. We must be willing to make hard decisions if we want to enjoy the best possible results of our endeavors. Once we take ownership of how we use our freedom of choice, we can change whatever behaviors or mindsets are required to cultivate our own leadership and drive. How Does Making Good Choices Help Managers? People are constantly making decisions; some are simple and easy to make. However, as a manager, it is simple to feel uncertain and cautious while making big decisions. Learning techniques for making wise choices in challenging or pressured situations is crucial. Indecision alone may negatively affect how you feel. Even if you cannot predict how something will turn out before you decide, find solace in the truth that you have made the most informed decision available at the time - and you can always choose another, better way should one be revealed. Ways to Make Good Choices as a Manager
Summing Up
Nick Anderson has been a student of leadership for 30 years beginning the day he received a novel “Leadership Award” from his U-12 soccer coach. During his 25-year career in banking Anderson led teams through mergers, acquisitions, bank failure, recessions and rapid growth while successfully managing the throes and pitfalls of being a middle manager. As a community volunteer Anderson led nonprofit organizations through periods of significant change as a board member, treasurer, vice president and board chair. Learn more at Chosen-Leader.com. |
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