Things You Probably Just Did that Tick Employees Off

Here at Herd Wisdom, we’re big fans of bringing emotional intelligence into the workplace. Having a heightened awareness of one’s own emotional triggers, as well as those around you, is a powerful tool to hone. Bringing an emphasis on EI into the workplace will often be an eye-opening experience. You will start to look at your routine, or day-to-day interactions in a totally different light.

Some leaders might not realize how their actions affect their workforce on a daily basis, (and some just might not care). Take a moment and reflect on just how much time you spend in the office…together…everyday…for the rest of your lives. Well maybe that got a bit dramatic, but the point is that leaders especially have to become aware of how they affect their workplace.

Stressors, inefficiencies, and communication breakdowns –they are all in the hands of leadership. Are you guilty of the following actions that tick employees off daily?

You’re a terrible communicator and you don’t even know it: After a good amount of time in a company that facilitates an open dialogue between leadership and workers, I have found that breakdowns in communication are almost always at the root of the problem.

The Leadership Communication Monitor reported that a mere 29% of leaders are able to effectively communicate. In any leadership position, you have to keep in mind that you aren’t leading a team of clairvoyants. Expectations have to be clearly communicated, standards must be reinforced, and you must always give the who, what, when, where, why and how.

You’re MIA: Leadership can be stressful, that’s a given, but far too many so-called leaders retreat to their office to get away from it all. They will either physically shut their office door, or shut down communication with their actions and attitudes. Even if the door is open, everything about them says, “Do not disturb…or else.”

Open your eyes; are you hard to approach, intimidating or just plain rude when a worker needs your ear? When you feel yourself shutting down, take inventory of your emotions and learn the triggers that shut all your doors. As previously reported on the Herd Wisdom blog, the magic number in employee engagement is 6 – employees need to spend 6 hours of dedicated time with their direct supervisor weekly in order to experience optimal engagement, motivation and workplace satisfaction.

You tend to lead one-way conversations: That is to say that you talk at employees, rather than with them. The one-way conversation is maddening to employees; they have opinions, feedback and hands-on knowledge about their position.

“Listening goes well beyond being quiet and giving someone your full attention. It requires you to be aware of body language, facial expressions, mood, and natural behavioral tendencies. Listening should be a full-time job when you consider the uncertainty embedded in the workplace and the on-going changes taking place.” - Glenn Llopis, Author on Workplace Innovations

Your mood dictates the office vibe: We have all had at least one of these bosses, the kind who can turn a happy office into a completely bipolar team of workers. They come in like an emotional tornado, dictating not only how your workday will go, but well beyond your 5 o’clock punch out time. You don’t just shake off 8 hours of being in a hostile environment while you’re walking to your car.

Again, leaders have to start taking accountability for the effects that they have on everyone around them. Becoming aware of your own influence is the first step in controlling it. You might also discover that you often empower or motivate employees, but awareness around these actions is just as important so that you can continue the positive behavior.

73% of business leaders surveyed believe that soft skills are more important than job-specific skills. Emotions, in general, were once (not long ago) thought of as a weakness in business, leaving no room for EI. We’re starting to get it though, our emotions are present and active, whether we acknowledge them or not. We have to personally invest in understanding our emotions and the emotions of those around us to craft a healthy work environment.

Want a fast, effective and fun way to get in touch with your workforce? Start today!