Bring Out The Best In Your People!

You want your people to perform at their very best, but there are a variety of ways that leaders undermine their people. That leaves them under-performing, and I know you don’t want to do that.

I adore the colorful blooms that show up in my yard in the spring and summer. It’s a time of year that brings me great joy! A simple trip to the mail box delights me – it’s a chance to see what new flowers have arrived on the scene.

Flanking our front door, we have some lovely flower pots. I love the idea of my guests being welcomed by a colorful profusion of blooms as they come to my door. Since my flower boxes don’t have the benefit of sprinklers like the rest of my yard, it means that my guests are likely to be greeted with wilted flowers, or no flowers at all, if I’m not consistently caring for them.

In order to flourish, the flowers in my pots need attention, especially since my porch is covered. Not just any attention– they demand the appropriate amount of sunlight, consistent watering, regular weeding, deadheading, and feeding to give them the best chance of success. And they depend on me to do that for them – OK, not the sunshine!

The people on your team are a lot like the flowers on my porch. The level of care they get from you makes a difference in whether or not they flourish. Mind you, not just any kind of attention, but attention in some specific ways. More on that – keep reading!

The Challenges

One of the challenges I bump into with the pots on my porch is my full schedule. I bet your schedule is full too! Unless you are intentional, the needs of your team will slip to the bottom of your priority list.

Reality is that the world keeps spinning when the flowers on my porch have wilted or, even worse, died. Sadly, the cost of neglecting your team is significantly higher! Did you know that according A Gallup Poll on Employee Retention & Attraction the top three reasons people voluntarily left their company in 2023 was the…

1. Pay/Benefits
2. Advancement, development, or career opportunities
3. Direct supervision/manager or senior leadership

Being aware of how your people feel about their compensation is key – even if you are limited in what you are able to offer!

It’s also crucial to understand the goals, dreams, and desires of your people and how they want to progress in their careers. They will be more motivated to excel when what they are doing work that aligns with their goals and dreams.

A less than wonderful relationship with you not only hampers their performance, but the odds are good that they will move on just as soon as they are able.

Losing talented people isn’t cheap!

Everything Trickles Down From You

As the leader, you set the tone. You drive the culture. The question is: are you leading in a way that brings out the best in your people?

Start bringing out the best in your people by…

1. Creating a Positive and Safe Culture

What culture consists of is hard to nail down, yet when the culture is negative everyone knows it. The same rings true when it’s positive. When it comes to culture, the feeling is rarely neutral.

Some people describe culture as the essence or spirit of an organization. Others as the vibe, glue, or DNA of an organization. Perhaps a more tangible way of thinking about culture is in terms of the morale of the organization.

It’s not the organization’s values, but rather the sum of the employees, their attitude and interactions, and the physical environment that all add up to culture.

Bottom line, culture is the way you treat each other, and that starts with you, the leader. You set the tone that trickles down throughout the organization.

What kind of culture are YOU creating?

2. Identifying Strengths & Talents

It makes no sense for me to repeatedly buy sun-loving perennials and then plant them in the shade. If I want the perennials I plant to come back year after year and flourish, I need to be sure it’s planted in the right spot.

The same is true for your people. If you want them to thrive and excel at what they do, be sure that their strengths and talents are suited for the opportunities you give them. When your people are in the right spot AND able to do what they do best, they are happier, more creative, and a greater asset to the organization.

How are you identifying your people’s strengths and providing opportunities for them to use those strengths?

3. Resisting the Urge to Micromanage

Most people do their best work, when given structure (clear expectations) and the freedom necessary for them to complete the task they’ve been given. They may not go about it the way you would, but if they are able to meet your expectations, all is well.

Tucked into the container of each plant purchased at the nursery is a plastic stake that lays out the ideal conditions for that plant to thrive including how far apart to space them and how much light and water they need. They even mention when to expect blooms! It’s all fantastic information that if followed leads to optimal results.

Wouldn’t it be handy if people came with those handy plastic tags too? Unfortunately, they don’t! However, people, just like plants, thrive best when they have a little space and freedom along with the right amount of light and water.

What do I mean by space and freedom when it comes to your people? They need the space to make mistakes, learn from them, and grow. After all, people learn best by doing unless they are too afraid to try.

Similarly, light and water are your words of encouragement and the resources to get the job done not your criticism, jumping in to save the day, or looking over their shoulder.

Every person has different needs and desires, just like the various plants in my garden. The best way to discover what those needs and desires are is to ask!

How are you managing your people?

4. Implementing Systems

The life of a leader is demanding. It’s easy to put off meeting with and investing in your people. That’s why it’s necessary to put plan in place to help you to invest regularly invest in your people. Consider setting calendar reminders to meet one-on-one with your people like you would systematically weed, feed, and water your plants.

What other systems do you need to implement to better care for your people?

5. Communicating, Communicating, Communicating!

Having poor communication skills has a negative impact on your ability to lead. Being an excellent communicator, on the other hand, makes a powerful difference!

Communication is a big bucket. It includes the ability to consistently convey:

• • • Vision
    • Values
    • Expectations
    • Feedback
    • Change
    • Trust

Here are some questions to ponder:

• • • When do I communicate best: in person or in writing? How might I improve in the area I’m weaker?
    • How skilled am I at adjusting to different personalities when I’m communicating?
    • What changes do I need to make to appeal to all four thinking preferences?
    • Do I know the personal values and goals of my people and keep them in mind when I‘m communicating with them?
    • How well do I listen? Listening is a critical part of communicating!
    • Do I spend more time “telling” or asking questions?
    • When communicating with my people am I clear, concise, and do I check for understanding?
    • How would your people rate your communication skills?

These are some important questions to consider.

6. Applauding Their Achievements

Being stingy with your praise and generous with your criticism creates an atmosphere that’s tough for your people to succeed in. Be sure to give recognition and credit where it’s due.

How consistently do you recognize and celebrate the efforts of your people?

7. Encouraging Collaboration Over Competition

Competition may seem like a wonderful way to motivate your people, however, by fostering a collaborative environment instead, you not only encourage the individuals on the team to be better, but you also benefit from the synergy and the unique ideas that result. Even better, the collective sum of the team adds up to so much more than competition achieves.

When you intentionally follow the previous steps I’ve outlined, collaboration is more likely to happen! And guess what blooms? Trust!

Where on the continuum of competition versus collaboration does your team fall?

When I’m giving the plants on my porch the attention they need, they thrive! When they are wilted and sad it means that I’m the one neglecting them. The health of my plants depends on the sunshine that God provides plus the care that I give them. While I may be too preoccupied to notice when my garden is languishing, it’s not hard for my neighbors to tell!

Investing time and effort in your people pays off! You’ll end up with a happy, healthy, and successful team!

How are you bringing out the best in your people?