What is your best managing people advice?

[Womble]

If you're going to bang your underlings remember to rubber up and not get caught.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Give clear directions and timelines, trust them to complete the work, and hold them accountable if they don't. Micromanaging will destroy a team faster than anything. When your are disappointed with a result from the team, hold those accountable that didn't pull their weight, not the entire team. Many times, words of encouragement and hand written notes of thank you mean more than extra money, although if it's available, pay it to those that deserve it. Last, tell your folks it's your job to try to prepare them to be promoted. It's a win win as your team gets better so does your opportunities to advance.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief

Last, tell your folks it's your job to try to prepare them to be promoted. It's a win win as your team gets better so does your opportunities to advance.

Had a mentor give me this piece of advice...

Always train your team so that any one of them is prepared to take your place.

And keep reinventing yourself to ensure your value.

[Chiefshrink]

Lead by example and get into the trenches with your troops and work along side of them when the situation calls for it. Don't ever ask your troops to do something that you would never do. After a period of time of consistency with this approach they will realize you are not a "lip service poser" and are the "real deal" because this IS WHO YOU ARE IN CHARACTER. At this point, the majority will bust through the wall for you when the chips are down and you need them to step it up and they will.

[RedandGold]

Don’t act like what you think a “boss” is supposed to act like. Be genuine in your approach with your employees and actively listen when they are speaking. Your ultimate goal is to facilitate their growth and success within the company.

If you have someone that’s underperforming, only speak about the performance, and don’t deviate.

[BWillie]

Be genuinely interested in their lives

Thank them often

[493rd]

Spent years on various teams over my professional career. Best leaders I worked with were those who embraced the strengths and weaknesses of their people and tailored their leadership style accordingly by honing their focus on maximization of potential. Everyone’s different.

[mlyonsd]

If you manage people that are on an on-call schedule include yourself in the normal rotation. It lets your employees know you want to feel their pain and it keeps you up to speed with what is going on.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

If you manage people that are on an on-call schedule include yourself in the normal rotation. It lets your employees know you want to feel their pain and it keeps you up to speed with what is going on.

Never ask your team to do anything you aren't prepared to do yourself.

[4th and Long]

This ...

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

Had a mentor give me this piece of advice...

Always train your team so that any one of them is prepared to take your place.

And keep reinventing yourself to ensure your value.

and this

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

Never ask your team to do anything you aren't prepared to do yourself.

As a manager, you have to know every working part of every individual's job. You're not only the Captain of this Starship you're also the engineer. Be prepared to step in, at a moment's notice, and seamlessly keep the ship out of dry dock.

[BWillie]

When I was a retail supervisor I ****ed way to many of my cashiers so dont do that either

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by BWillie

When I was a retail supervisor I ****ed way to many of my cashiers so dont do that either

Maybe you didn’t **** enough of them?

[ChiliConCarnage]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Be genuinely interested in their lives

Thank them often

Originally Posted by BWillie

When I was a retail supervisor I ****ed way to many of my cashiers so dont do that either

Well, that's showing an interest in their lives.

[Bearcat]

Decisions are made by those who show up.

The worst managers IMO are the ones who don't show up to meetings or respond to emails or are engaged in shit, then get pissy or act like everyone should have already known their expectations or ways of doing something.

And that goes for policy/expectations/etc. If you haven't shown up in terms of setting expectations, your folks are going to decide for you. If there's no policy, decisions will be made by those who show up and do the work.

Empower your people by showing you always have their back

If shit hits the fan, be quick to take the blame. Hell, if someone has a hard time telling someone else no, tell them to blame it on you.

Set expectations, be engaged where needed, and then trust your people to do the right thing.

Learn to move on (if you've been directly promoted to managing what you once did)

Let go of your previous responsibilities... make a clean cut when needed. People generally work at least one level below their title (another way of describing the Peter Principle) and if anything, should be striving to work above it. If you aren't supposed to be in the weeds, then find ways to stay out of them.