You can consult this job aid when you have a question about how fair you are, or if an employee complains about your fairness.
How do you set goals, policies, and procedures in a way that allows people equal opportunities for success?
How do you communicate the expected level of performance in a way your direct reports will understand?
| Strategy | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Communicate inclusively | Be open |
Proactive preparation enhances leaders' abilities to use team members' strengths and avoid their weaknesses, getting the most out of their teams. Preparation is especially important when you have a diverse team, with team members who may have very different perspectives, work styles, and communication skills.
Think about a great manager who's really motivated you in the past. What comes to mind? Many people describe such managers as fair, respectful, encouraging, objective, clear, and good listeners. The key in a diverse work environment is to be this way with everyone, and not only with the employees you feel comfortable with. Managing a diverse team requires a commitment to demonstrate these kinds of behaviors with everyone on the team.
A diverse team gives you a wide pool of skills and ideas from different perspectives. This can lead to enhanced creativity and better team decisions. But you need a proactive management approach to achieve these benefits, including planning for and committing to diversity as a core strength. Preparation can help your team achieve synergy, where the team is greater than the sum of the individual members.
If you were to ask a room full of people to each define the term "diversity," how many different answers do you think you'd get? You'd probably get as many definitions of the term as there are people in the room. That's because diversity isn't just about how people look or where they come from. It's about differences, but not just differences in gender, race, or class. Diversity encompasses other differences as well – for example, in abilities or values and beliefs.
Difficult behavior must be confronted quickly and firmly. Otherwise, it can affect team unity, creativity, and productivity. It can also have a negative effect on your credibility as the manager. Employees look to you to provide a safe and harmonious environment. If you fail to do so, they can lose respect for you.
A typical workplace is home to all different kinds of people. As a manager, you probably deal with varied personalities and a wide spectrum of behaviors every day. Sometimes, a person's behavior affects the performance and productivity of others. When this happens, it's important that you confront the person quickly and firmly.
Being able to recognize difficult behavior is the first step to resolving any problems it may cause.
Difficult behavior is present in every workplace. During your career, you may encounter instances of bullying, controlling, backstabbing, gossiping, complaining, rudeness, lack of motivation, passive aggressiveness, and uncooperative behavior. It's your job as a manager to deal with difficult behavior and maintain a productive environment.
Use this planner to list the tasks you believe can be delegated, and then assign them to particular people. Include the information you'll need to convey to ensure success.
