Often, great leadership is about finding the balance between pushing followers to achieve their goals and making sure that they don’t end up overwhelmed and burnt out. Managers are just like anyone else in the workforce when it comes to stress. Although they might be responsible for leading a team, they also have the pressures of performance metrics and expectations to live up to.
While a lot of people assume that leadership can take some of the heat off a professional, the truth is that it’s rarely as simple as it seems. A manager needs to know how to push their employees to continue delivering the best possible results, without poking them to the point of burnout. This means being able to discern the “perfect” pressure point for each employee.
Fortunately, there are some ways that managers can reduce stress while pushing their talent to accomplish more.
Clarity Is Key to Employee Success
It’s always easier for an employee to meet with the expectations of their managers if they understand the goal they’re heading towards. When leaders are struggling with deadlines and constant demands, it can be tempting to simply hand a project over to an employee and leave them to figure it out for themselves. However, it’s a much better idea to sit down for a moment and make sure that the professional knows what they should be doing.
Management can promote frustration-free productivity by providing a level of certainty to staff. Whether it’s talking through a complex part of the task or providing a bullet-pointed list of everything a worker needs to do before their job is complete – the more clarity provided, the better.
Talent Craves Support and Gratitude
Another thing that managers frequently forget about when they’re trying to push their top talent to accomplish more at work, is that a little gratitude can go a long way. It’s important for managers to consistently show appreciation and respect to their staff if they expect those professionals to go above and beyond to deliver exceptional results.
Lack of support and gratitude can breed resentment in employees, which means that they’re more likely to let accuracy slide, or simply coast by on the least possible work. However, a simple thank you could be enough to transform even the most complacent employee into a powerful resource for a business.
Managers Must be Trustworthy
Finally, the promise to reward an employee for hard work can be a wonderful tool for managers who want to encourage better performance from their teams. However, managers should only ever make promises they know that they can keep. If a CEO or leader is unable to come through and stick to their word, then the next time they try to motivate their staff with rewards, it simply won’t work.
There are ways that managers can push their staff to achieve more without overwhelming them. However, to be successful, leaders will need to be clear, authentic, and supportive every step of the way. After all, great business is often about teamwork.
Ronn Torossian is the CEO and Founder of 5W Public Relations.
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