It's always good to see old truths recognised. Otherwise perhaps they just get forgotten. Then we have to start over again and discover them and persuade everyone... Well, the old truth is that "managers not only need to coach their staff and set clear goals, they also need to inspire and motivate them" (in Personnel Today). They even add that "360-degree feedback analysis reveals manager shortcomings" which is probably true the way most organisations do it - looking for problems (and what do you get when you look for problems? Well, more problems! Dictum of Appreciative Inquiry - AI).
We would rather that 360-degree feedback analysis revealed manager opportunities, got them all feeling great and ready to do their best, and pointed by the people they lead towards the priority directions to take.
They go on to say that "Best practice management is not just about giving people the practical tools to do the job - they need to buy in to a shared vision, so it is worrying that managers seem overly focused on their business objectives at the expense of people management.
Hear hear! And they add "Research by the Chartered Management Institute found that less than four in 10 individuals see the management and leadership characteristics they are looking for in the workplace. These included: 'genuine shared vision' (79%) 'real confidence and trust in teams' (77%) and 'respect for employees, colleagues and customers' (73%). It is the relationship between people that results in actions.
"If managers fail to show trust, respect and appreciation for their teams, it will have a negative impact on productivity, no matter how well they are able to delegate.
[more]Labels: Appreciative Inquiry, Culture, Leadership, Vision |
