On the Job: Listen

Good ideas show up everywhere. Your staff are an essential part of your department. A good supervisor knows to listen when their employees have something to say.

Since your staff are the ones who handle assignments, they see first-hand where changes can occur.When an employee comes to you with an idea, hear them out. While not every idea works out, you should always give constructive input a chance to grow. Who knows - maybe one of your employees figured out a way to do something faster and more accurately. If you don't hear their ideas, you risk losing out on good information.

Additionally, listening to your staff has the added benefit of showing that they are a part of the office. Employees help you achieve your department's mission. Being an active listener promotes innovation and camaraderie in the office. If your staff's input is routinely disregarded, they will be far less likely to come to you with good ideas or let you know when problems arise. If you listen to your employees it shows you care about the contributions they make. Any department requires teamwork - listening shows you are an active player who likes receiving assists.

Give you staff a chance to share their ideas and opinions. Initiate conversations that elicit their opinion on how they can do their job better. I find that staff love to share their views on what they think can be done to make the office more productive.

When your staff speak up, listen.

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