A couple of weeks ago I was in a forum with Business Owners & Academics with a lot of letters behind their names and someone asked the question;

The academics started giving suggestions about financial incentives and links to people behaviours, the business owners complained about laziness and the difference in work ethic between the ages but never really answered the question and then I asked;

HOW WELL DO ANY OF YOU KNOW YOUR EMPLOYEES?

I must admit I was hesitant to ask the question initially because I thought it was common sense but as Voltaire said:

To get the best out of someone you need to know them to understand them better. When a leader takes the time to invest in team members on a personal level it shows that the leader cares and sees them as people not just a number.

“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.” – Anne M. Mulcahy

You can have a compelling vision, great communication skills and a skilled team, but if people don’t trust you, you will never get the results you want. Trust can’t be built overnight, it takes time to grow but it starts with putting in the time and effort to get to know your employees.

STEPS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER:

· Have lunch with them regularly

· Keep your commitment to them without having to be reminded

· Recognise their achievements

· Support not micromanage

· Find out what motivates them in and outside of work

· Give them your full attention

What steps have you put in place with your team to build a relationship with them?