There is value in ensuring that the interaction between a manager or supervisor is effective. Both sides have much to gain.

Although this would seem to be a relationship between two individuals, who else might be involved?

When managers work closely with team members, the exciting relationship that builds is value-creating on both sides.

Greater productivity and performance being the most likely outcomes for the manager, whilst career development and a much better working experience for an employee - just two examples for each that can come from working well together.

There are challenges enough for those two to get together productively, with both sides needing to have the intention to succeed in how they interact, as well as being able to work to come closer together to create the right environment.

That said, theirs will not be the only influences that will come to bear, despite this seemingly being a one-to-one relationship. We are all shaped by our whole environment and it's likely that these 'external' influences will need consideration and the working relationship progresses.

So, just who could be implicated in how two people interact, apart from those individuals themselves? Here are some possibilities:-

Family and Friends

This can present some of the most difficult challenges.

In such cases, employees can be influenced into working in certain ways by others who, variously, may not have the full picture; will have had very different work experiences; and ultimately, just be unwilling to go half way to work well with other people, especially managers who are trying hard to make things work better.

Managers need to acknowledge such pressures and ensure that whatever they do to make workplace relationships better, the external influences can be very robust. It's not to give up on at all, indeed these workplace experiences might be a breath of fresh air to the person they are trying to be creative with. It might take time.

Having a consistent approach with all team members will help, so that those facing this particular issue will be encouraged to overcome other prejudices, to dig in and take the risk of trying on better working relationships with supervisors or managers.

Other Colleagues

When two individuals are working together to build a better working relationship, this can be influenced by the shared perceptions of others in the team.

This is usually caused by fear and other emotions, like jealousy or frustration and more.

Managers need to watch for the reluctance of individuals to get more involved. By ensuring that everyone in the team gets the same treatment, this issue usually resolves itself.

Other Line Managers

Managers are frequently encouraged to work in some bizarre ways by their colleagues, who might have experiences that are set in quite different circumstances and with different people and situations involved.

Managers need to understand that they will create relationships best, when they are being at their most authentic with themselves and not feel obliged to 'do it their way'.

Being able to stand up and develop their own strategies takes courage and, from time to time, the occasional failure. this is all part of management self-development and is a very worthwhile exercise!

External Business Contacts

There may be times where the impact of other business contacts can affect the way that managers get on with their team.

Sometimes such extraneous influences can be hard to pick up on and adjust in favor of your own activities.

The key here is to be good at creating good working relationships with all of your people, all of the time, so that anyone affected by external influencers can see that the 'home way' is best and then they are likely to gradually fall in line.

These are a few of the possibilities - and there may be more. The key element here is to remember that whilst two individuals might wish to create a much more positive working relationship, there will be underlying and sometimes even unconscious thought processes that can take time to overcome.

Great working relationships are hugely valuable, not just to a manager who can get more out of their team, but, when working well, to each single individual who is on the other side of the desk, in the personal reward and development, not to mention exciting and motivating work, that they can experience too.

Progressive managers learn to develop themselves by ensuring they continue to grow through their careers.

When they get stuck, the first place they look is within.

All good managers have the innate capability to look inwardly from time to time to understand better how they are doing.

They can be very focused and objective about how they go about their self-assessment, or - which is much more value-creating on a different level - they can ask their team about how they are doing as well.

When you are able to do this, you'll have a far greater knowledge of how you work yourself, which is extraordinarily useful, generating interesting insights as well as offering lots of possibilities too.

One of the reasons people (not just managers), struggle with a better understanding of themselves, is that they are frightened of what they might come up with.

It's a scary place, being your real self – especially when, for a long time – many years even - you have become used to playing an inauthentic role. Truth is, we are all acting a part in our lives, because of the way we have become fashioned through our experiences.

And it can make us both uncomfortable as well as less capable when we are working outside our natural skin.

Once you have taken steps to recognize any areas where you need to fine tune them, you can take steps, often with the support and help from your team, to develop your skills in a much more productive way.

For junior managers, you can start this right from the beginning of your management role. By engaging others in your team with your development through a bit of self-analysis, you will help them see that this is the most valuable way to progress their performance.

For more experienced managers, such openness, whilst relatively rare, has enormous possibilities for you as well as the team itself.

Being open about who you are and how you go about your work, is most revealing - not least in the response you get from your people, which whilst initially may be a little puzzled, is likely, over time, to become fascinated by the internal changes you make and they can learn from too.

Often there will be programs that will be able to help you. Your organization may have one-off training courses you can do. You may have team members or colleagues who have the specific experiences you need if you take the time to look around.

There is nothing like being focused, taking your development into your own hands and creating the opportunities for your own development yourself.

If you sit around waiting for the magic workshop to transform your management development to clear all your shortcomings, you may well have to wait a long time indeed.

Far better to seek out support from an experienced hand that will be able to guide you through 'learning by doing exercises' that will neatly feather into your day-job.

When we hear those dreaded words 'Would you like some feedback?', it can drive fear through our hearts. Yet there are definite benefits to gain, once it's a tactic that everyone gets used to…

Through learning how well we do and where we can get better, in a culture that is supportive and encouraging, the truth is, everyone wins.

All will get valuable returns when they are open enough to accept feedback that is regular, constructive and helps people grow through their learning and appreciation of what they do and how they do it.

On the one hand, by learning that they deliver good performance for significant proportions of the time they work, most people will start to recognize and appreciate the contribution they bring to their role.

This builds their confidence that they are valued as a team member. With greater confidence, people do more; they try more out; they take new risks and they stretch themselves; they share their skills; they prepare themselves for new roles; for bigger career steps.

Confidence and self-awareness are the building blocks of rounded, capable employees, most of whom have much potential hidden just under the surface.

On the other hand, by becoming aware of those areas where even just slightly changing behaviors and actions will make an even more valuable contribution, people get better at their job.

The driver for this is an innate desire by human beings to get things right and see the appreciation of those who measure their performance.

Some people are much more driven in this than others. To an extent, everyone wants to do their job well and be seen as someone who contributes fully and consistently.

Learning in a non-threatening way is the best route to developmental success for everyone. For you; for me; for your boss; for a small child. We all want to get better without feeling too bad about the bits we might have gotten not quite right in the past.

There are others who benefit from feedback, in the bigger picture:-

•    Managers benefit as individuals deliver more closely to the requirements of the business and as they grow into new capabilities for the future
•    Businesses benefit from the gradually improving performance of everyone
•    Stakeholders benefit too. Like customers who get better service. Stockholders who have better returns on their investment. Suppliers who have more informed dealings with your people. Families who have members who are more valued at work and share some of that in their behaviors at home.

Feedback drives improved performance and when we, as managers, take the time to make it a positive activity, our people will grow beyond their and our, wildest dreams.

Management development is a critical activity for all managers to undertake, whatever their levels of expertise.

Noticing what you need to do differently is the vital first step and then taking action without waiting for others to do it for you.

There can be amazing value when you are focused enough to want to develop and grow.

It is pretty obvious that there are many managers out there who are at different starting points in their careers. Knowing where to start as you move your career along can be a bit tricky.

Because what's just right for a new manager, still getting their basics right, will be very different for a seasoned manager who - when being very honest - will know exactly where they have their weaker points that will need attention.

Please remember, wherever you are up the ladder of success, there will always be something that you can develop, regardless of the level of experience you have and the interest you take in your own future growth.

It can be much more challenging when you feel things aren't going as well as they might and then try to pass the blame to anything that will take it. Like your employees; outside influences; the weather even (it has been known!).

Where you are new, you'll look for an experienced hand to guide you quickly to help you make a great start. You will be able to absorb all sorts of information and it will all be very valuable.

You know that it's important to reflect on what you are learning and sense how it is serving you. It is easy to get distracted, of course, and you will need to be choosy. It's also worth taking time out to reflect on your behaviors, to check out whether the 'how' of the ways you do things is the most appropriate and productive.

For those more experienced, you see things in different ways, from a position of 'been there, done that'. Much experience is invaluable for you and the key to check here is whether what you do has served you well - no, really, check it out with your people - so that you can select other options to make the difference going forward.

It just depends on you to take a few minutes out of your week to find what you need to move forward, that’s all. When you find that specific little gem you can improve - even just a little - you really will find that it’s been worth your while.

It's worth noting that the very action you take to improve your performance shows that you are one of the small percentage who are prepared to take their career into their own hands.

With that level of a pro-active spirit, aligned with the activities and learning you can find - often very inexpensively - out there, you have much greater opportunities to be successful than many of your colleagues.

And that is immensely valuable, both financially and for your own fulfillment too, as well as the development and growth of your own people, which you will inevitably begin to support them with as part of your focused development.

Management development is a fascinating activity for managers - of any age or experience - to get involved in and the most valuable and rewarding comes from grasping the nettle and taking personal responsibility for your own growth.

Management is naturally in the moment. Challenges come to managers every day, hour and even less.

Yet there is wisdom in developing a mindset that seeks and effective future for the team too.

From experience, most managers don’t get 'the future' right away – they busy themselves with just today’s issues, which is, to be frank, quite understandable, if a bit short-sighted. Their days fill up with chaos and fire-fighting, because that's where the urgency seems to be.

Crises are seemingly sent to make the day's workload - every day - with only a hope that things will 'get better one day'.

This is no way to exist, yet so often it's a hole that managers get into and find it hard to clamber out of.

So, tactical activities have to be handled and, of course, for some of them, they take a bit of the priority in the day job to start off with.

There is another way to make progress as well. The best managers are able to recognize that it's vital to step up to grasp the future, fitting components of it in whilst delivering what's expected of them for today as well.

Planning for the future opens a lot of doors for you and every member of your team, in ways that can only lead to management and team success.

That success, when it is pitched the right way, will lead to improved opportunities in the future as well as, when leveraged well, making the workplace of today a lot less chaotic too.

Managers often look for short-term tactical solutions, rather than invest a little time in thinking about what their future needs are. yet, with some ability to ask what the future might need, they are able to position the short-term with the business needs for the longer term too.

The alternative is more of the same, which is depressing and demoralizing for all concerned, managers and their teams.

When 'perception' is that they only have time for the fire-fighting actions to get them through the day, rather than value-creating investment time that makes the difference, the struggle of today will be the same tomorrow - and the next day and the day after, disappearing over the horizon into every day.

As a consequence, looking at future needs doesn't ever get started and before they know it that future is tomorrow – and then today.

Strangely, nothing has changed or gotten better – and the cycle continues. By grasping an opportunity to stick a stake in the ground right now and start to see what the future will need, there will be solutions sought and found.

Along the way, today begins to get fixed. And everyone gets happier and more effective too.

As we set out to build relationships with our people, it's vital that there is every opportunity to make progress.

And sometimes, you can be in the driving seat to make that happen.

Managers need the support of their people to build teams that will have positive impacts on the running of the business - and the outcomes that are necessary.

To make the most of this, good managers create valuable one-to-one relationships with as many employees as they can, such that rapport builds and creates win-win opportunities, where both sides get positive benefits from the interactions.

Where there is repair work to do - as new managers often find when they take on an existing team - perhaps where the previous manager has underperformed, the progress to rebuild trust can take a little time.

Employees who have suffered consequences of poor management relationships will by pretty shy when it comes down to exposing themselves to more painful experiences in the future.

So, this is when the manager really starts to earn their crust. Their efforts at this time will really need to demonstrate a changed workplace environment for the better, through the immaculate way they interact with their people.

There are many ways to rebuild relationships. There are ways to start them off too, but the key impact when things haven't gone so well in the past is the white flag of peace to offer. Sometimes this can be enough for those forgiving types in your team.

Others will be less easy to turn around. They may be scarred more badly and will need real evidence of goodwill on your part, to accelerate the healing that will need to take place.

Managers can position themselves to make upfront gestures towards their people to more rapidly progress their collaborative input. Small actions to show their willingness to move relationships forwards are hugely valuable.

Be it a small gesture of thanks; an idea shared to help a learning need; simple trust building activities; remembering the name of an employee's child; recognizing when they need to listen much more than speak.

Taking the first step to enhance a relationship with small gains for your people will quickly start the ball of a bond rolling. Once that happens, there are short-, medium- as well as long-terms gains to be enjoyed, on both sides.

The most interesting aspect of this is that although a manager is offering small gains to their people as a constructive activity to develop the relationship between them, make no doubt about it, this investment is one that will pay off over time for them too.

The key to building effective relationships is that both sides see benefits for themselves, whilst - and this is significant - allowing the outcomes to make the business more effective, efficient and organizationally valuable too.

So there are winners all the way round, just from a manager being prepared to stick their neck out and offer upfront value to a maligned bunch of employees.

And changing their views of the possibilities that can come from good management forever.

One of the biggest challenges for managers, is how they are able to shift their very personal view of their people.

Once that's in hand, they then need to sway and influence the way their people see the world differently too, without intimidating or imposing on them.

We all take a position in the way we live our lives. It isn't something that we consciously do, minute by minute, it's how we evolve as we live through the experiences from our earliest days after our birth.

The things that happen to us day-by-day - every day of our lives - shape who we are. Within this we take positions that impact on our behaviors, in every moment, right now.

So, we all have a perspective on life that we show up with in the things we do. We do as managers; our customers do and we mustn't forget that every single one of our employees has their own story too.

That presents us with a series of problems when we attempt to build relationships with our people:-

About Us

1. We have our own perceptions that shows up in our behaviors
2. We have our own perceptions which judge others
3. Our own behaviors (from our perceptions) cause others to amend their behaviors
4. This can lead to different and even more incorrect perceptions

About Them

1. They have their own perceptions of life and work that show up in their behaviors
2. Their own perceptions amend their behaviors away from what would be real
3. Their perceptions are used to judge others
4. Their own perceptions cause behaviors in them that cause you to adjust your behaviors

…and so on!

So that becomes a challenge when we create relationships with our employees, because we have perceptions about them that can, unless we are careful, be false. Perceptions potentially causing erroneous decisions that can affect our abilities to create win-win outcomes for both sides.

Our experiences lead us to make perceptions of our circumstances. When we're with our people, they can be incorrectly judged because of times when we had similar experiences that we learned from. We then use that experience to be too quick off the mark as we use our perceptions to make decisions.

So it's important when we work with our employees, that we make the effort to set aside perceptions that don't come with actual proof, so that the relationships we build have the chance to develop and grow.

When we are able to set aside the often false perceptions we have of our people - even those we seem to get on well with - the opportunities that fall out of the relationships we have with them, have every chance of being the win-win that we want.

Communication skills are vital in the way we lead and live our lives. The workplace needs effective communication too - and the rewards can be stunning.

For managers in organizations, the use of effective communication skills is the most likely activity to ensure success for their team. It's where a manager needs to spend most of their time, in the conversations they hold, day-in, day-out with each of their people.

Conversely, where a manager is not blessed with the ability to connect particularly well with their people, there's likely to be much damage done. Their people feel isolated, distrusted, demotivated and more.

When you try to evaluate in cold, hard cash terms what good communication skills are worth, it's maybe not quite so easy. The numbers don't tumble so easily out onto the bottom line like the sale of a product or service might.

That said, it's there working for you all the time and possibly the most valuable asset you can have. The biggest margin of any of your products at all.

Still, the challenge is to understand better how you put an absolute value on:-

•    Better relationships - where you interact closely with your people
•    Understanding your people - so that you appreciate how to get the best from them
•    Developing intuition - that helps you sniff out trouble well ahead of time
•    Really listening - to show you care for and value their contribution highly
•    Hearing the unsaid - that gives you inklings of where the conversation can go next
•    Matching language so others understand - to make the most of everyone
•    Clear messages - that they all 'get' and can work with, without frustration
•    Few misunderstandings - so that what's expected of them is what's done, every time
•    Better interpretation - demonstrating that you really know them - and them you

To name but a few, because the values of relationships that come from effective communication so consistently stretch across the whole area of people management, it's hard to be comprehensive.

So then, this is all a bit of a minefield, especially when the bean-counters on the 11th floor want some numbers attached to the value of communication, as an area where you and your people need to develop.

Yet, instinctively, we just know that the best communication skills deliver the best results. It's just a bit tricky to place a value on it.

And, we can all can reflect on experiences in the past, where something was misunderstood costing bottom line profit.

You see, getting communications right is a value-creating exercise, that is tricky to measure absolutely, and all the more important because of that.

Getting the best from workplace relationships is one of the most significant goals for managers.

The truth is, there must be outcomes for both sides that work effectively - and they come in different shapes and sizes.

For workplace relationships to be effective, there has to be a benefit that both sides achieve, or the interaction is always going to be an uphill challenge, with neither side ultimately fully satisfied.

Indeed there is no overall value when one side deems themselves to be the 'winner' and the other side goes away empty handed.

In the one-to-one relationships we have with every one of our people, it's vital to ensure that you as manager achieve the business outcomes you need to deliver.

On the other hand, the individual on the other side of the desk, must go some way to having their needs met too. Often these are needs which are even more valuable than simply their salary check at the end of the month.

In truth, they need more again to be fully motivated and 'turned on' to the relationship that you have between you.

The Win-Win Scenario can sound a bit like a trade-off for a manager. One where there might be a hint of 'giving it away'.

To balance this view a little, let's have a look at five situations where a manager might feel like they are losing out by giving their employee more than they might wish - and then see the positives that can accrue from that.

1. 'I need some time' - by offering some time to sit with, listen and support/coach your employee, you are building the relationship, developing trust and encouraging them to take ownership of their own evolution in their job.

This does NOT mean you are responsible for their 'next steps' - you are careful to pass those back to them - you DO have a role in facilitating their choices.

2. 'I need your help' - could precipitate a groan or two. Yet this is a perfect opportunity to show that you aren't a softie, just prepared to suffer with them. Asking for help is just that, requiring a gentle nudge along the way to get them moving.

This is great for clarifying your role as a support for their chosen actions, as well as providing the opportunity for them to self-enable.

3. 'I need you to understand' - sounds like trouble? Maybe. In fact when you are approached to understand your people better, this is a great moment to savor. It shows that you are approachable and it shows a willingness on the part of your colleague to build a better bridge in the relationship between you.

Of course, it is vital that you pay full attention and take on board what is said, willingly seeking to understand what they want to get across.

4. 'Please listen to me' - means that they need you to appreciate them. It is about them sharing with you that they feel unheard, so it's a warning sign. The important thing here is that they are prepared to ask, so the relationship is not at rock bottom.

There is a willingness to partner with you - and that's a positive sign for the future.

5. 'I'm bored with working here' - isn't that great! If and when you ever hear this, it can be music to your ears, because it shows that there is a desire NOT to be bored.

When you are approached in this way, your 'win' is that you have potential there that is not being fulfilled, so there are options.

This is not a Lose/Win at all, because once you switch them on, their value will soar, providing significantly better performance for you and your progress towards your goals too.

Rarely, where there is a relationship to unfold, will there be Win/Lose or Lose/Win experiences for managers who are prepared to grasp the opportunities that jump out at them.

The key is to ensure that you are open to the possibilities that make each and every interaction a 'Win-Win', because it is available to you, if you want to make the effort to take it.

Managing teams in your organization is a challenging experience.

Finding the right people for the roles you have can be a tricky proposition, yet when you take the time to get to know your people, you might be surprised what you find.

We all want the best people in our team. The demands placed on us to deliver results from our role as managers are unremitting as must our search for the best people.

Surprisingly, there are individuals around who might offer more than you think. Employees that you already have in place can often carry talents that are hidden away, for a variety of reasons, so there are tactics a manager can adopt to ensure that all potential is realized.

Here are a few to get you started…

1. Keep your ears and eyes open - and engage in conversations that are curious about people.

Whatever happens, even if there are few gold nuggets out there, the worst thing is that people see you are interested in them.

There's a zillion managers out there who aren't at all interested in their people much at all, so you will immediately get brownie points at the very least!

2. Know that there's talent out there - that you can bring out.

People have all sorts of skills, experiences and histories that might be of value, if only you knew about it.

You can't find that out unless you get amongst them and find out!

3. Your people will hide their aspirations - because they think you aren't that interested in them.

Sad but true, work experience isn't the best place for people to see the generous nature of managers.

Far from it. In fact their experience will tell them that a manager may well not even care to know their name.

4. You can make it happen for them - when you know about it.

When you do find out about what they are looking for, it's a real big help to you, for them and you and your business.

Your role can be enabling for them, by kick-starting new careers that their capabilities could support.

5. Management is often about joining the dots – that you've discovered.

See where this is going?

As a manager, your prime role is to lead and facilitate the people in your team, not to do everything yourself.

When you are that link, with what you find out, then there's a whole new bunch of opportunities out there.

Listening to your people, letting them spill their hidden talents as well as their hopes for the future, can be a true win-win.

6. Management is about people - not doing stuff, however attractive that might be.

No-one minds a manager giving a hand now and then, it's a choice, not to be depended on. But the role is about people, managing them is the headline, yet it's so much more.

Great managers are there to make the best business decisions and these can easily be the best people decisions too.

In fact, when there is a coming together of business needs matched with individual's possibilities, there can be no better way forward.

Your people are chock-full of potential. Releasing it will help you, help them, to make your team much more successful.