You can’t say everything in front of everybody. In fact, your team cannot afford to hear your confusion, your complaining or your income. All three will mess with their head and their focus in one way or another.
Your Team Needs a Clear Message
They need an unshakable understanding of their assignment. Your goal — in communicating your expectations — is to deliver the assignment in a way that makes it virtually impossible for them mess up. It’s not about “I told you so,” it’s about impact.
Some messages need to be delivered in writing. Some need to be delivered in small chunks. All messages need a follow up. If you develop a reputation of forgetting what you asked for, in most situations, you’ll nurture a team that doesn’t produce. And that’s not good for business.
Your Team Needs Clear Standards and Consequences
Being direct with your people is not the same as running them down or complaining. If things are not right, as the leader or the manager, it’s your place to say something about it — to enforce the standard. In fact, the clearer the standard, the easier it is to enforce. The more consistent your behavior, the more consistent your team will be.
If the standard is “we don’t hold arguments in front of our clients,” then you have to:
- up hold the standard
- insistent that others do the same
The only way your team understands that you are serious is by your own consistent behavior and consequences. In fact, consistency allows you to be cooler on the outside. After all, actions speak volumes.
They Need to Hear What They Get
Your team needs to know your expectations and their reward. What are they responsible for and what are they paid for solving that problem? Too much information about what you are paid can create distraction and the wrong kind of competition.
But what if they already know what you make? Or it’s easy to figure out? Well, maintain a standard by always paying what you promised, dealing in respect and rewarding the consistent above and beyond behavior from team members.
Being clear and consistent goes a long way in business — and relationships.
Team Photo via Shutterstock
You make a good point that no matter how well you say things, it’s the action that validates/supports those words. If you don’t act on what you said you’ll lose all trust and credibility with your team.
Robinsh
Being a network marketer I know well that before pitching in front of your team you should always check yourself. Never say that you can’t do and want from your team but get their supportive suggestions if you wanna do with their help.