The Leadership Blog by Ann Vanino

Are fun and work mutually exclusive for you? They do not have to be. As a manager, do you value the positive return from having fun – both for yourself and for your team? Do not underestimate the power of fun. Fun is a balance to the pressures and frustrations of work. I found a creative web site, Fun at Work, that promotes fun in the workplace. Check it out. It is filled with ideas, inspiration and creative ways to have fun. Give fun a try for your team. You may be pleasantly surprised with the results.

I came across an interesting article about caring managers by Larrimore C. Crockett.
Crockett says that caring for persons within an organization unleashes a tremendous amount of energy and productivity. Amen. In my early career as a manager, I heard a lot more about being tough than about being caring. There is a path of resistance and a path of flow. Being a caring manager is a path that will create ease as you succeed. Caring does not preclude making hard decisions, asking the most of people and sometimes having to let people go. Caring addresses the fundamental dignity of the individual and motivates your employees by giving them the respect they deserve

As a manager, you face a challenge to be a team player and, at the same time, to maintain your authority. It is a fine line. I learned early on as a manager that I could not be everyone’s friend and get the job done. I had to find a good space that incorporated both collaboration and authority. I found it by keeping my team focused on the job that had to be done, leading the team and being fair by providing clear expectations, guidance and help when needed.

I worked with a coaching client this afternoon who left her job and starts a great new one this week. Over a long period of time she had dealt with a very difficult boss. She was recognized as a high performer, but every time she tried to address the problems she was having with her boss, the door was closed – that of her boss, Human Resources and upper management. So, she left and found a better situation. The day she left her office, the CEO of her company asked “Why?” It was too late. As a manager, providing communication pathways is essential. Employees need to know they can find an open door when they need one.

It’s a huge step when you move from employee to manager. I am coaching with a couple of people who are in their first management positions. They are developing a new kind of leadership. When you are a new manager, all of a sudden your performance is dependent on the performance of others. You are dealing at closer range with various personalities than ever before. How to cope? Take a step at a time. Realize you have to learn how to do this. Seek knowledge and mentors. Try things out. Cut yourself some slack. Find a management style that works for you. Once you take this leap, the future opens up.