In 2021 I ran a series of blog posts from guest contributors focused on maintaining our mental health. Following feedback in my Facebook group, I decided that my blog theme for this year’s guest contributors would be “taking our businesses to the next level”. This post is the penultimate of this 2022 series, and comes from HR Consultant Kathryn Rodgers.
You can read the other posts in the series here:
5 Ways To Grow Your B2B Business Using Social Media
Personal branding: taking your business to the next level
How to create a 2-page marketing strategy
Making your business a tough nut to crack
Profit First: Next Level Cash Management
You Don’t Have To Do This Alone
Kathryn makes business owners’ lives less stressful by becoming your trusted HR partner and providing tailored solutions to your people issues. Whether you’re taking on your first employee, handling a performance issue or reviewing your structure, Kathryn will work with you – in person and at the end of the phone as needed – to achieve the right outcome for your business and your people.
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There’s no doubt about it, managing people is HARD – and when you’re doing it alongside keeping everything else in your business going too, it can feel almost impossible!
That being said, good people management isn’t rocket science. As with the other relationships in our lives, it mainly boils down to communication. One of the great things about running your own business is cutting out the corporate red tape and so, with that in mind, I wanted to share my five simple rules of thumb for being a great manager:
1) You can always have a conversation
I’ve lost count of the number of client calls that start with “so is it OK for me to talk to them about that” – and my answer is always YES! It’s far, far better to have an open and honest conversation about any workplace issue that’s cropped up than to ignore it and hope it will go away (spoiler alert – it won’t).
There are obviously some issues that need to be approached sensitively, and your starting point should be to seek to understand the individual’s point of view before deciding what to do next. If you’re not sure what your options are, or if the issues raised have put you totally out of your comfort zone, there is absolutely no shame in getting some expert guidance before going ahead.
2) Trust that people will do the right thing
Ah, trust – such a little word for such a huge gift to give!
By the time we hire someone, we’ve worked really hard to grow our business. We’ve built up client relationships and information, we’ve figured out the best way to do things and we know how long it takes us to do them. Handing those reins over to someone else is really scary – but if you don’t hand them over, you’re wasting your teams’ time as well as your own.
I believe that everyone wants to do a good job, and to go home at the end of the day/week/month with a sense of achievement. They might not get there in exactly the same way as you; however, as long as they’re achieving the right results, let them get on with it. If any concerns come up, see (1)
3) Be willing to give things a try
Change is a fundamental part of life – and the way we manage our team should evolve with those changes.
Someone without caring responsibilities is going to have very different needs at work to a parent. A fit, healthy person will have different needs to someone with a chronic condition. However, in the right environment, any of those people could be a great asset to your business with some tweaks to working hours, location or arrangements.
As a small business owner, you’re not expected to move heaven and Earth to accommodate people, but you are expected to give it a reasonable go. Stepping away from the way you usually do things can be uncomfortable; however, the loyalty and engagement that a bit flexibility can generate will pay your efforts back in spades.
4) When something goes wrong, give people a chance to put it right
It would be lovely if working relationships ran smoothly all the time – and they might, if we just dealt with machines! However, as emotional, irrational human beings, it’s just a matter of time before a disciplinary or grievance crops up.
When it’s your business, it can be really tempting to react in the moment and decide that you can’t work with someone any more. Sometimes, that might be where you end up. However, before either party reaches that conclusion or decides what to do next, take some time to identify what’s gone wrong and to understand the other person’s perspective. You’re not just being fair and ethical, you’re protecting your business from legal action too.
And, last but not least…
5) If something feels really wrong and uncomfortable, it’s probably illegal too
I’m a big believer in gut instinct. If your stomach is churning and every fibre of your being is screaming “don’t do it” when considering a particular course of action with an employee, LISTEN – or at the very least, give me a call first.
Kathryn Rodgers
face2faceHR Newcastle
November 2022
Find Kathryn on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and via her website.