Managers should Build, not Burn, Bridges
Seth Godin, in his recent blog Burning Bridges, talks about people who in their quest to achieve their goals, can burn bridges along the way which not only damages their relationships but also their reputation. How can managers build or repair bridges with their staff?
- Be approachable and encourage your staff to be open and honest with you.
- Ensure that your staff feel safe and supported.
- Recognise the source of conflict when it happens; encourage those involved in the conflict to clarify their perspective of the conflict without judgement from you.
- Manage disagreement or conflict quickly: don’t try and convince staff that you are right; instead bridge the gap between their view and your view.
- Admit your mistakes and learn to say sorry.
If you found this article useful, we recommend the following courses which may be of interest to you:
- Lead with Emotional Intelligence
- Build a Positive Workplace Culture
- Coaching Skills for Managers and Team Leaders
- Conducting Difficult Workplace Conversations