Organizations claim they encourage employees to think outside the box. Not everyone practices what they preach. Many leaders become insecure when their subordinates come up with better ideas. Instead of encouraging creativity, they stifle it. But if you feel secure in your position, always ask your employees for their opinions and ideas. If there are better ways to perform tasks, it helps everyone in the organization. New ideas save time and also improve the bottom line. Make it a practice to listen to any new idea. Don’t dismiss it immediately if it hasn’t been tried yet. Be receptive and make comments later after you’ve made a proper study. Build Personal Relationships Get to know your employees better. Spend time with them at cafes, bars and restaurants. In a relaxed environment, you can find out what motivates them and what they enjoy doing. Who knows, you might even discover hidden skills which can be applied at work. Also, when they are comfortable with you, they’re likely to be more honest. Keep in mind you should be honest with them too. Foster friendships at your workplace. If employees work with
people they see as friends, they’re more committed to the team and the organization. They’re bound to strive harder and become more engaging because they want to help their friends. You know this is true as you would always choose to work with people you call friends.
Conscientiously apply the steps above and soon, you will see an improvement in your organization. What was once perhaps a group of indifferent people will now be replaced by highly engaged friends.
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