You have great people around you in your team. However you view them, you will be surprised at the capabilities they have inside.

If only you could find a key to unlock that door…

We all have potential. Like Tony Robbins says, we have ‘Unlimited Potential’ within each of us.

As a manager of a team of people, it’s going to be a whole lot easier if you are able to make more of the assets that you have, than try to find better out there. Leveraging those you have around you, requires a real application of your own skill – and that is the unlimited potential within you!

The biggest challenge for any manage, is just how to go about unlocking the abilities that their people hide away. They keep their own hopes and possibilities tucked away, because they have had experiences in their lives that put them off sharing themselves openly to others.

They lack trust, because it has sometimes come back to bite them in the past – and like any of us, they don’t want that experience again!

One of the vitally important purposes of creating constructive relationships with your people is all about bringing back that trust they have lost. Because when they trust you more, you will start to glimpse more of what they are about.

By making the time to get to know them well – and they you – slowly and surely every one of your people will trust you better, opening them up to your support, encouragement and yes, providing the challenges they can respond to.

This will take time and particular effort on your part.

Every one of your people will respond differently, because their life experiences will have set defenses at different levels. We defend ourselves against the pain we suffer from the unpleasant experiences we have had and whatever the cause, we put barriers up to avoid that pain again.

Whether it was a parent who criticized us as we grew; a teacher who had no skills to deal with different pupils. Whether is was a mentor who was so self-centered that they failed to appreciate your differing needs or simply a bully-boss who was plain ignorant. People lose trust – and that’s what holds them back.

The purpose of relationships that work is to build trust by listening without judgment; supporting any circumstance (however frustrating that can be!); encouraging even the most despondent.

As we progress our interactions with our people, we will see progress – sometimes slowly – in most of our employees. Gradually taking steps to open the doors to the potential that lies beneath, we see the possibilities and gradually, the self-imposed reins that hold them back start to ease.

The purpose of the relationships we have is to grow our people, leading to success for ourselves through the potential we release; leading to success for those people whose have been hiding their talents.

It’s as simple as that.

Taking the time to create a coaching environment for your workplace can take a bit of effort, especially to start with. There are many benefits to managers to spend time on this work and, without doubt, many benefits for their people too.

When employees work with an organization, they look to provide for their families and loved ones in the first instance. Once that’s settles, they look for more.

In coaching environments, there are many opportunities for employees to shine. Their skills and talents are so often hidden from view, that it takes the work and effort of a good manager with those skills to uncover just how capable they are.

Once a coaching culture is created, there are many benefits for employees, so it becomes a no-brainer. To see why, let’s take a look at just ten of the employee benefits:-

•    Develop their skills – bringing out the latent, yet sometimes hidden capabilities that are their potential
•    Build confidence – with new skills, successfully being used, confidence grows and new opportunities open up
•    Learn by doing – enhances the abilities to work at challenges in real-life situations, building self-esteem
•    Feel fulfilled – once more successful, individuals feel good about themselves, taking this into their lives outside the workplace
•    Enjoy their work – challenges stimulate and enthuse, where coaching supports this development, especially in a safe place to take risk
•    Achieve more – coaching supports ongoing development, overlaying one success on the other, where there are no upper limits
•    Get more personal reward – financial rewards come and whilst valued, are often secondary to the feeling of value they enjoy
•    Enhance their CV – development through coaching support builds careers, even from a base where expectations are minimal
•    Become solution-focused rather than problem-focused – anything’s possible, rather than another difficulty in a sequence of difficulties
•    Are pro-active – coached employees start to see this as a process where they can coach themselves too, without support, so fix problems with their new found confidence
•    Ask less of you – because so often now, they can do it for themselves, contributing constructively, rather than being a burden
•    Succeed – which breeds more confidence, more challenges undertaken and then more success – a virtuous circle
•    Go home each night in a great frame on mind – and share their feelgood with their loved ones, enhancing family life too

So, with that comprehensive list of key benefits from a coaching environment, your employees are likely to be raring to go.

If you were not a manager with a coaching leaning in the past, perhaps you might be encouraged to take a closer look now!

It’s important to be accessible to your people. Being available means that you have the opportunities to bond and be willing to create excellent relationships. And there’s a time to stop as well…

We are sociable animals.

As managers, there is nothing in us that makes us different from the rest of humanity. We like interaction with others and this adds value to the relationships we have, which, in turn, makes us good to have around.

Here’s the rub – we need to be involved with people to make the most of the relationships we need as managers, yet we also need to be able to draw the line as well.

It’s a huge benefit to your relationship building activities to be approachable and available for any of your people who want to drop by. Yet this can be very disruptive when you want to focus on work that you need to do.

Sometimes, you need to close the door on your office and get things done, without being unapproachable. This can seem like quite a paradox, yet it isn’t at all.

By simply having a rule that says, ‘When the door is closed, I’m busy’, you create a message that people understand and will prevent you seeming to be unavailable.

Because, when your door is open, you show you are keen to keep in touch and be there for them as well.

It’s a simple way to set boundaries that your people will ‘get’ when you explain it to them, whilst still retaining the availability that is so vital when you need to be close to them too.

At first your people might find it strange if it has not been your normal practice up to now and, well, they’ll get used to it once you apply it and explain why.

In fact, it might well be a tactic that others adopt, which you will need to honor yourself for them.

Here’s how to make this work for you in the most positive way, whilst setting those boundaries that are all important too.

Just make it clear to all of your people that an open door means you are available and a closed door means that you are only to be disturbed when there’s a fire!

You can apply this to calls and e-mails and virtual contacts as well.

By creating spaces – the right spaces – for your people, they get your attention when you aren’t distracted by the things you have to do and they also learn that there are times when, you know, it’s OK to create space for yourself.

In their own ways of working, they start to integrate this as a discipline for themselves as well.

Hidden in the depths of the evolution of the way that organizations are run is a long held belief. Managers are responsible for the way the interactions with their people progress. That may not be the case…

Through the decades of the modern industrial era, managers have, rightly or wrongly, held roles which are seen to be very directive. A role where the manager’s word is the final one, with their people complying.

Over the last two decades, whilst this has started to change as organizations become more democratic, involving more of their people in decision making as well as including them more in developing strategies and opportunities, there is still a long way to go in the real world to see this positioning change.

There are managers out there at the sharp end who are embracing the potential of more and more of their people, but it is still the norm for what the manager says is the rule.

For the enlightened ones and as a consequence of this, managers have assumed the role of relationship builders in many organizations, seeing it as their job to be the creators of workplace relationships with their people. This is certainly an exception to the rule even then, so there is work still to do.

Sometimes, managers see this activity as their job alone and one where they need to spend time, yet are frustrated with the amount of effort they have to make, in what can often be a very one way workload.

Sad to say – even where creation and nourishment of strong and valuable relationships with their team is seen to be a useful activity in itself – not much time is overtly being devoted to this, partly because managers are so busy with all the regular management ‘stuff’ they get on their desks each day.

So, what needs to change?

The opportunities that good working relationships provide are valuable for both sides of the equation.

For managers, getting the best from their people often depends on their capacity for getting on well enough with them to help the employee feel valued, understood and that they have a useful part to play in the team. this helps organizational results targets be met, thus keeping senior management at bay.

For employees, there is much to value when they have a strong bond with their manager.

Used appropriately, regular, positive interactions with a manager can open new career doors, create development opportunities (both through learning through delegated tasks and also being more in the sightline of a manager looking for those ready for the next step), as well as create a friendly environment in which to spend a chunk of their time.

Where both sides of the manager/employee relationship see that there is a good point to fostering their relationships – for mutual benefit – the pressure to make it work is halved, making the possibilities much more likely to come to fruition.

Changing perceptions and beliefs, many of which are long-held and culture-based, will take some time. The outcomes for all being really worth the effort.

Responsibility is fast becoming a lost art in the business worlds in which we exist today.

When managers take responsibility for creating valuable relationships with their people, there are many opportunities to be had.

But what is responsibility?

Whilst relationships between individuals requires attention on both sides, with managers and employees there is a drive more from the side most likely to benefit – and that is the management side in terms of the business value, whilst it is also in the interests of employees where there are benefits for them too (such as career progression and skills development, as examples).

It is really worth taking some time to understand what ‘accountability’ and responsibility’ are in this manager/employee context, so that a clear picture can be drawn to show what needs to be done.

There are two defining descriptions that need to be addressed here, ‘accountability’ and ‘responsibility’. Whilst these two words might seem to be very similar, there is a difference when managing employees is concerned.

Accountability is for someone – usually a manager in a business or organization – where ‘the buck stops’. As a manager you are the person ultimately ‘accountable’ for all sorts of required outcomes in your part of the organization.

Responsibility is one level lower, where as managers we delegate the ‘responsibility’ for an action to someone else, enabling them to be the person who delivers that part of an overall ‘accountability’.

We are ‘accountable’ for the delivery of something and we delegate parts of this to others who are ‘responsible’ for the activities they need to take to complete their part of the overall ‘something’.

We, as managers, take on accountabilities that the organization requires us to deliver to provide the returns that they, their stockholders and any other stakeholders want and need to be successful. We, in turn, break down these ‘accountabilities’ and let others in our teams take on ‘responsibilities’ that they can deliver to contribute into the whole.

Being responsible for actions is a big learning curve for your people to experience and sometimes they will need help with that. It can be a daunting prospect. It can also be misunderstood, where they don’t recognize that your expectation of them is real and finite. So they may need a nudge to comprehend what that means, especially to start with.

When we are building relationships, whilst we might be accountable for this overall (not least because it’s in our interest to do so), there are responsibilities that can be attributed to both sides to make the relationships start, continue and where appropriate, end effectively.

Understanding the difference between ‘accountable and ‘responsible’ is the first step for many managers in this position and one that they will need to be clear about at the earliest moment.

The iris reader in passport control was out of order at Heathrow this weekend.

When I remarked on it to an official there (with care, as I had been delayed long enough), he smiled and said, ‘Well, it’s usually working 99% of the time’.

Since I’d only recently joined this scheme, designed to more quickly get you through the queues at passport control, I was disappointed.

I then reflected that 1% out of order for them was 100% out of order for me.

It’s about perception. What seemed a small outage for the people at Heathrow was my total experience, so, noticeable and a big thing for me!

In the work we do as managers, there are many issues we engage in with our people.

By its very nature, our perspective is very different from theirs – and here’s where we have to be careful and learn to be good managers.

Our insights into what is very important to them must be given extra focus, because otherwise we will miss things that make the biggest differences to them, small though they might appear to us in our role.

And this is as inherent a part of our job if we want to make a decent fist of management.

Because, frankly, most managers don’t understand that being interested in what’s important to their people, is most likely to be of high value to the team and organizational performance.

Can you see where the 1% view needs to be from the 100% angle?

Managers need help! When you manage others, it’s to ensure that you have the skills around you to deliver the bigger picture.

The results you need will not come from you alone, so you need the best relationships with your team members to achieve all you want to.

We all need support, whatever we do in life. We need it in our home lives; we need it when we enjoy our leisure; and we certainly need it in the workplace.

Whether we are a new-join employee at the bottom of the career ladder, or we are a super-senior executive, we need others to carry on in our lives as we want, to enjoy the experiences we need to make everything worthwhile.

When we have responsibilities in the workplace, we need others onboard at all times, because work outputs cannot be achieved alone.

One of the purposes of the relationships we build with our people is to enable them to better support what we are expected to achieve with our teams. the goals we are set as managers are not for our personal achievement alone. That’s why we have people in our teams.

Spending time creating these relationships shares who we are with our people, such that they kn ow that their contribution is valued. A contribution that can often be some element of the work that we, as their manager, fail to have the skills to deliver.

Our people should have the abilities to do the things we can’t and we provide them with the resources and space to do their own thing, as a contribution to the greater good of the team.

The best managers know this and step back from their own pride to nurture these talents. And they do this by spending time with their people, coaching, training, supporting and encouraging them to be their best.

Getting the relationships with your employees just right to get them creatively contributing as fully as possible is a great achievement for anyone who leads and managers others.

Investing in just a little time using some easy tactics to interact with them costs little (if anything) and makes a manager’s job both more interesting and easier.

Of course a manager needs to step back from the fire-fighting and crisis-solving activities they can so easily get bogged down with. When they take this visionary step, they can be assured of a return that is way beyond the effort they expand – and a return that continues on, with the minimum of maintenance.

Getting the support you need when you are a manager is a must-do. Getting your people to provide it with you is one of the major activities any manager needs to consider valuable.

By focusing on people, for small parts of the day by simply engaging in conversation, there are many benefits that accrue, not least having a willing band of people who are alongside you as you manage effectively to deliver the results needed – and beyond.

There are many tactics managers adopt when they are interacting with their teams.

On a one-to-one basis, nothing is more important than the capacity to take the time to listen effectively.

Getting to know your people well is one of the most important activities for anyone in a management or supervisory position. Armed with good knowledge about your people, you can make effective and often rapid progress.

Taking the time to spend with them, as often as you can and as one-to-one as you can is the first step, but what do you do with that important time?

Whilst many might say that spending the time telling them about your ideas and plans for the future; the way you want them to work for you and what your expectations are would be right, there is one activity that is much more important.

Taking the time to listen to them, closely where possible, is an incredibly important behavior for any manager to demonstrate, as often as they can.

So, why does listening matter as a tool to develop your people? Well, listening is the vital tool that will make you stand out as a great manager.

It has its twists and turns that you need to practice and that will enhance it as a productive skill for you as you evolve, because listening to others creates a partnership that is much more equal than the old command and control management structures.

Within that equality, you are able to leverage the perspectives, skills and talents that cumulatively, your people will bring to your team.

This is so much more than just you.

By listening carefully, you build your relationship and you help them develop. Your people learn that they themselves are powerful contributors and that you value them.

They learn as they speak as they see you listen, because it gives them the time and confidence to process thoughts and ideas as they go.

This works for many people in itself, whilst to be fair, some prefer to consider matters for themselves in their own time, yet with the time you’ve given them and that free space to air their thoughts, they will have a head start when they start to think through issues for themselves.

Listening shows them that you take them seriously and that their contribution makes a difference.

Whilst this might seem pretty much a given, you will be amazed at how many employees feel that they don’t matter and that ‘nobody ever listens’.

Even though you think you might have it right, there’s always scope to expand and learn yourself – as you listen.

There are poor workplace relationships. There are good workplace relationships. Sometimes they are even great. But where does the responsibility lie for creating the best environment for the best work to be done…

There is no doubt that there are times when managers have to depend on the best relationships to get the results they want. As a consequence, there is a real need for a manager to take the lead in the way they interact with their people.

Managers who have any sense at all, will know the onus is on them to drive their own actions to set up relationships that work best – for everyone. The desire here must be such that a bonded team forms, generating creative solutions with the energy that trust and mutual co-operation and focus leads to.

By taking control of their own behaviors, good managers set the ball rolling to ensure that they generate the best relationships possible, to create fruitful opportunities for business, organization and team productivity.

If they don’t know how, they have the means in terms of resources and time to go find out what they need to know, to make sure they have the best of relationships with their people.

So that seems to be that then!

Not quite. You see the responsibilities of employees are vital too, because it takes two to make a great one-to-one relationship. Whilst the manager might well be making the effort, members of their team have a responsibility too.

Because there is value in it for them as well, by having great interactions with their boss, to get a workplace where they feel valued, are excited and interested by opportunities and where learning by doing – and taking risks – is encouraged.

Employees have the opportunity to meet – at least half way – any manager or supervisor who creates the environment to get the relationship off to a great start, by mirroring the behaviors they themselves experience. The supervisor or managers leads the way, which the pro-active employee heeds – and responds to accordingly.

Great relationships come from that mutuality of trust, respect, caring, support, encouragement, coaching and more. The shared resources that two sides use to form lasting and valuable relationships, to ensure success has a better than evens chance as the outcome.

The lead may come from the manager or team leader or supervisor and when developing valuable working relationships with an employee, their support and equal responsibility to take full part, is of critical importance too.

Let’s face it, managers need help too, so working with them as they strive to do invest in the right behaviors for their team, will only enhance the returns that everyone receives in the long-term.

As we manage our people, it’s very easy to get wrapped up in what we are doing.

Understanding whether the directions we are taking is always right can be a challenge.

One of the biggest difficulties that managers have to face is the ‘emperor’s new clothes’ syndrome.

Often quoted, this is the story of the emperor who, caring so much about his clothes, hires two swindlers who promise him the finest suit of clothes from the most beautiful cloth.

This cloth, they tell him, is invisible to anyone who was either stupid or unfit for his position. The Emperor cannot see the (non-existent) cloth, but pretends that he can for fear of appearing stupid; his ministers do the same. When the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they dress him in mime.

The Emperor then goes on a procession through the capital of his country, to show off his new “clothes”. During the course of the procession, a small child cries out, “But he has nothing on!” The crowd realizes the child is telling the truth.

The Emperor, however, holds his head high and continues the procession.

No-one tells you how you are doing, so it must be OK.

Being a manager means that you either have to ensure that others feel so comfortable about working with you that they are prepared to give you the feedback that you might not want to hear – or you have to have sufficient very objective self-awareness of yourself, that you recognize when things need to change – and you have the courage to make it happen.

More, you need to be sufficiently sensitized to the need for change in yourself, as well as your business, that you are able to self-manage yourself.

Getting the right sort of constructive feedback for yourself can be hard to access, but suffice to say that feedback from others is very valuable – and more so because it builds a great relationship between you and the others on the team.

And remember awareness is also the capability to ‘sense’ how things are in others too. By building strong relationships through regular conversations, you will develop your sense of intuition too, which makes a big difference.

Personally developing the quality of self-awareness cannot be overestimated, so spending some time creating this exceptional skill is well worth that little bit of extra effort on your part, whilst cultivating your people to help you out too.

When you have your people on your side as well as developing your own self-awareness skills is a great way forward and, as they see this work for you, they will start to consider carefully and appreciate their own capabilities too.