Goodbye, Command & Control. Hello, Care & Coach.
Once upon a time, there was an Industrial Age, where work was certain and routine. There was one right way to do perform a task and “command and control” management was an effective way to ensure that all workers complied with the desired approach.
Today, success hinges on the type of activities that go above and beyond compliance: creativity, innovation, challenging the status quo, etc. In order to create an environment in which employees are willing to speak up and contribute more than required, we need to inspire commitment rather than seek compliance.
While compliance is demanded of another person, commitment comes from within.
It blazes when embers of internal motivation are ignited by managers who see employees’ potential and invest in their growth.
In contrast to “command and control” managers who tell employees what to do and how to do it, managers who seek commitment coach - they ask insightful questions to help employees find the answers and to create the ownership that drives execution.
Interestingly, a coaching approach alone is not enough at a time when burnout and turnover are high. To strengthen employee resilience and reinforce retention, start with people before addressing tasks.
Demonstrate care by expressing interest in the challenges they are facing, their concerns, professional goals and growth, and their experience as employees of the company. Providing opportunities to share their views shows you care about them as people and builds bonds to keep them engaged. It also can surface employee awareness of details and interconnections that may not even be on your radar. You can’t address what you don’t know!
How to shift from “command and control” to “care and coach”
Shift from being all business to balance: Value spending time talking about “personal stuff.” Some balance between tasks and relationships is instrumental to driving performance and outcomes. If you need to, make “check-in” a task on your meeting agendas!
Shift from telling to asking: Resist the urge to tell employees how to do their jobs and elicit solutions instead. Even if you believe you have the perfect solution, their good idea delivered with commitment is likely to achieve better outcomes than your great idea delivered begrudging with compliance.
Shift from listening to respond to listening to connect: When employees are talking, whether it’s personal or professional, listen actively. Feeling heard and genuinely valued will inoculate your employees against recruitment efforts. Your undivided attention and interest will deepen your understanding of their views, abilities and aspirations, and enhance your ability to assign meaningful work, coach and inspire.
You can direct people to meet expectations because they have to, or you can inspire them to exceed expectations because they want to. The choice is yours.
Melissa Janis builds management capabilities to create a workplace that's better for your employees and better for your bottom line.