Managing people is the process of training and motivating others. If you searched on how to effectively manage others, you would see a lot of generic information that is helpful, such as set clear expectations, give feedback regularly, and provide training and development opportunities. Rarely, however, does this generic information get to the root of how to effectively manage others to increase productivity.
With over 30 years coaching leaders, I’ve seen how effectiveness can increase significantly by understanding human wiring. Specifically, the positive changes that occur when a leader understands their human wiring, the wiring of those whom they lead, and the process of leading.
When a leader understands human wiring, that insight can forever change productivity. When one of my CEO clients called me shocked at how one of her employees blew up at her, I asked her to explain objectively what happened. As someone naturally wired lower in patience, she was constantly interrupting her assistant. A thought would pop into her head, and she would interrupt her assistant.
Her assistant who was wired to thrive in a more sequential environment was frustrated by the constant interruptions from her CEO. It finally came to a boiling point. While the assistant was often described at nice and patient, she was frustrated at the constant disturbances.
Manage Others How They Need to be Managed
The CEO never gave it a second thought each interruption significantly impacted the employee’s productivity. The CEO was naturally wired to juggle versus needing a sequential environment. I suggested to the CEO that she needed to manage her assistant differently if she wanted her assistant to be highly effective.
Instead of the CEO constantly interrupting her assistant, we created an accountability process. Each morning, the CEO met with her assistant to identify the priorities of the day and week. If the CEO needed to change direction, she sent an email to her employee to complete what she was working on and to see her.
With this new process in place, the employee had focused time to work on her list, increasing her productivity 40% in 30 days. It’s also important to note that the employee realized that she needs to be fully expressed in communicating what she needs before it comes to a boiling point.
Being mindful of the environment in which someone best thrives is key to increasing employee engagement and productivity. As a leader, what small changes could you make to maximize the productivity in yourself and in others?
Human wiring significantly impacts your company culture, leadership, idea flow, productivity, and engagement. To learn ways to be highly efficient and maximize your team’s natural talents, join us for:
Wired to Win 101: How Are You Hardwired?
Wednesday, March 15, 2023 from 8:30 – 1 pm Eastern Time.
Join us online or onsite.
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