At times, managers can harm team morale without realizing it. Fast Company consulted with CEOs and leadership experts who shared the following tips for managers to help them avoid accidentally destroying morale.
- Shift from micromanagement to autonomy. Micromanagement stifles creativity and makes employees feel they are not trusted. The key is to provide clear objectives and support but step back enough that people feel ownership of their work. For example, rather than daily check-ins with team members, have weekly project reviews.
- Acknowledge challenges and avoid forced optimism. Managers sometimes want to gloss over challenges to boost morale, but this makes employees feel invalidated and question their leader’s judgment. Try restating the problem and inviting corrections so team members believe they are heard.
- Know how to prioritize. Some managers treat every task as equally critical and urgent, which burns out teams and dilutes actual priorities. Implement the “Priority Pause,” which involves taking 60 seconds before any request to ask: “Does this truly need immediate attention, and what is the cost of interruption to my team?”
- Give proper credit for the team’s work. When managers are new to leading people, they sometimes want to prove their own value and may unintentionally fail to give team members proper credit, which leads to employees feeling undervalued. Regular moments of recognition for team members can build trust and morale.
- Avoid inconsistent decision-making. Making decisions without transparency or consistency harms trust and can lead to employee disengagement. Involve team members in decision-making whenever possible and be transparent about the reasoning behind decisions.
- Foster active listening and engagement. Morale can be significantly affected when employees feel their voices are not heard. This could involve failing to ask for feedback or dismissing concerns. Offer feedback sessions that can lead to tangible changes, with managers following up regarding issues raised.
- Develop emotional intelligence and self-awareness. Managers who lack emotional intelligence and self-awareness often react impulsively without regard for the emotional effect on the team. This can lead to team members not feeling comfortable enough to speak up or contribute new ideas. Managers should prioritize developing emotional intelligence and seek feedback from trusted peers, mentors or even team members to uncover blind spots that are negatively affecting their effectiveness as leaders.
