Why do employees need a coach and not a boss, you ask? We posed this same question some time ago. While the list really is endless, and with a number of years under my belt managing teams, there’s one reason that comes to mind immediately. Respect! Employees need the respect of a coach. Someone who has their back when it counts. Not a micromanager, a dictator, or a Don Draper. They want the real deal, honest, authentic, respect.
Of course, all employees should be respectful of their managers, the company policies and procedures, and also the plans and strategies of the business. But respect is a two-way street. Managers too, need to be respectful of their employees and their ideas, insights and mostly, the knowledge and experience that they've learned throughout their career.
Respect: A Two-Way Street
By showing respect back to your employee, you’re really saying a lot (without actually saying anything at all). Feeling respected can stimulate confidence in those who, perhaps, are more likely to keep quiet in the background. Whether it is because of low self-confidence or the fact that they just don’t like to speak in large groups, having confidence in the workplace can make a world of difference for the employee, both at work and in their personal lives.
The Art of Earning & Giving Trust
Respect also reeks of trust. By trusting your employees you’re empowering them to not only stretch the bounds of their creativity, but it also gives them the opportunity to show they can contribute to the overall success of the business. Trust is a win-win. The employee wins and feels like they are making a difference and the company wins because they’ve just reaped the benefit of their staff's brilliant new idea.
The Multiplying Effect
Respect has the power to breed friendship or at least connect people on a common ground. I’m not talking about the type of friendship where you’re their first person in their speed dial favorites. For the record, that might be weird. I’m talking about the type of friendship or friendliness that shows an interest in their likes or dislikes, their families and friends and what they enjoy most out of life. This creates a bond that will only make it easier for the employee to respect you in return. And when employees do respect their managers, they will, 9 times out of 10, work harder for the betterment of the company.
If you reach this symbiotic respect status, you'll be able to now manage them and their work on an entirely different level. You’ve allowed them to think for themselves, speak up with new ideas and create bonds that might not have been as easy to elicit in the past. And by showing respect for who they are, where they’re from and what they know – you’ve become a coach and a mentor. Not just a boss.
