Being Liked is Essential for Being Effective
A manager or supervisor who maintains a good relationship with their staff will be about 50% more productive than one who has a poor relationship with their team.
A Forbes magazine article revealed an interesting survey, which concluded that the most important part of being a manager is being liked. Their research on effective managers revealed that only 1 in 2,000 managers who were disliked were effective.
Modeling these values will increase respect and likeability of managers.
- Punctuality is often seen as a sign of reliability and respect for others’ time. In professional settings, it demonstrates professionalism and commitment.
- Show courtesy by greeting others warmly at the beginning of your shift.
- Hearing both sides of a dispute is crucial for achieving clarity and understanding.
- Keeping promises is important for building trust and maintaining strong relationships, whether in personal life or professional settings.
- Consistently adhering to company policies ensures a compliant and efficient work environment.
Ensure feedback on performance is given promptly to support continuous improvement and address issues as they arise.
The FORD likeability acronym stands for Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Dreams. By paying attention to and learning about these needs of a person’s life, managers can build stronger, more meaningful relationships with their team members. Here’s how each component helps:
- Family: Showing genuine interest in an employee’s family life can create a sense of personal connection and trust.
- Occupation: Understanding an employee’s role, challenges, and career aspirations helps managers provide better support and guidance.
- Recreation: Knowing what employees enjoy doing in their free time can foster a more relaxed and friendly work environment.
- Dreams: Learning about an employee’s long-term goals and aspirations can help managers align work opportunities with personal growth, increasing motivation and job satisfaction.
By focusing on these areas, managers can create a more supportive and engaging workplace, leading to higher levels of respect and likability. Do you find this approach helpful in your own management style?
Family: Employees generally value certain universal principles in their managers, which align with the “Golden Rule” of treating others as you would like to be treated. Remembering and mentioning personal details about your employees, like family names and events, can indeed show that you care and can improve their willingness to support you.
Occupation: Learn about their previous experiences with employers including best practices. Also ask them what they need to advance their skills.
Understanding your employees past experiences and best practices can provide valuable insights into what works well and what doesn’t. Additionally, asking them about their needs for skill advancement shows that you are invested in their professional growth.
Recreation is one of the fruits of a person’s labor. The question “what do you do for fun when you are not working” elicits good feelings. Edify whatever they say even if it isn’t something you would like to do. For instance, if your worker friend says, “I like to sky dive,” now is not the time to say you fear heights. Ask them to tell you how it feels to be falling toward earth. Be interested in what they are interested in. Occasionally send them an article or purchase a sky diving magazine subscription when you draw their name for Christmas gifts at work.
Dreams and goals: Showing genuine interest in someone’s dreams and goals can be incredibly motivating and supportive. For example, “If money and time were no object, what would you love to do?” “What is something you’ve always wanted to pursue but haven’t had the chance to yet?” “Looking ahead to the next six months, what goals would you like to achieve?” This attention fosters loyalty.
Reducing turnover and increasing the length of time an employee stays with a company is a profit accelerator. And to think this can happen so easily by educating the manager to be likeable!
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For over 30 years, Jim has provided personal skills management training, coaching, and consulting to a wide variety of businesses and municipalities. People Smart Tools specializes in helping people work well with people. Owners and managers call on us when they know they are not getting the best out of their team.
Contact Jim at 325-642-1116