I feel I have lost the confidence of my 20-strong workforce and I do not know how to regain it. When I launched my niche company some 15 years ago I was, I confess, one of those 'young Turks' who felt that all employees were rather interchangeable. For some time, my sole aim was to ruthlessly sell enough product to provide me with the lifestyle I aspired to.
The company did fairly well and expanded and I have become more than comfortable. But I have noticed a change amongst my employees, many of whom have worked for me for several years. While everyone works to a high standard, I feel myself being excluded from social events and notice that a silence tends to fall every time I enter a room. What can I do to show that I am part of my team?
I think you first need to understand your own motivation. Is the measure of whether or not you feel part of the team related to you being excluded from social events? It might be entirely appropriate that you are excluded from such events. However, it would worry me if all of my staff went quiet when I walked into a room. That might indicate a bigger problem — the team breaking down, for example.
I do suspect that you have not been communicating properly with your team so I would find an opportunity to get to know them. Invite them for a work event! You sound focused on yourself and I would recommend that you think more about the importance of the team rather than how people are behaving towards you. If you do this, you will automatically gain the respect of your team.
Deborah Meaden is author of Common Sense Rules, £18.99
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