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Secrets of communication with "difficult" colleagues. Seven rules for communicating with subordinates

Communication with subordinates plays an important role in the career of a leader. Be informal with employees or keep a distance? Managers often ask this question. About why it is necessary to think over in advance the organization of communication with subordinates and what approach to this is most appropriate - in our article.

In this article you will read:

  • Why is it important to communicate well with subordinates?
  • How should a leader communicate with subordinates?
  • What is the best approach to boss/subordinate communication?
  • How to build informal communication between a leader and a subordinate

Communication with subordinates is a difficult, but feasible work for every leader. The task of the general director is to make sure that he is respected and not feared, then the instructions will not only be heard, but also carried out. Business communication etiquette is important with subordinates of any rank - from a courier to a top manager.

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If you do everything yourself, employees will not learn how to work. Subordinates will not immediately cope with the tasks that you delegate, but without delegation, you are doomed to time pressure.

We published in the article a delegation algorithm that will help you get rid of the routine and stop working around the clock. You will learn who can and cannot be entrusted with work, how to give the task correctly so that it is completed, and how to control staff.

Why is it important to communicate effectively with subordinates?

Every leader needs, first of all, the ability to communicate with his subordinates. The effectiveness of communication depends on the ability to speak with subordinates in the language of leadership, including whole line verbal and non-verbal communication methods. Including the leader is required to control their gestures, facial expressions.

A manager must be able to communicate in the language of business, the main thing in which is to start from such concepts as time and money. When communicating with employees, use the terms “money earned”, “money spent”, “time saved”, “time spent” more often. 10 principles can be identified, which should become the basis for communication between the leader and subordinates:

- A responsibility. You can not start the project until the person responsible for the implementation is determined.

- Cooperation. To achieve the goals set by the team, teamwork of employees is necessary.

- Making decisions. Leaders have to make tough decisions every day - that's the essence of the job.

– Business ethics. People who do not want to meet ethical standards have no place in business.

- Quality of work. You should encourage your subordinates to do quality work.

- Education. We need to teach people to draw conclusions and find lessons from their experience. It is imperative to emphasize that they have to “learn”, “find out” and “figure out” something.

- Mission. Employees with a clear understanding of common purpose organizations should be more responsible for the implementation of specific tasks.

– Productivity. You should encourage your subordinates to professional development.

– Perfection. If the company does not strive to achieve excellence in work, then there is no need to talk about serious prospects.

The relationship of a leader with a subordinate is a relationship of two clients

Alexey Sukhenko, CEO Russian representative office of Trout & Partners, Moscow

The relationship between a leader and a subordinate is like a relationship between 2 clients. The subordinate depends on the leader. But does the CEO depend on the employee? Usually, yes, it depends. Sometimes a lot depends on the office cleaner. And she sometimes acts as a client in relation to the director of the enterprise. Therefore, communication in this format should be client-oriented, and relationships should be partnerships.

  • The structure of the sales department: instructions for the head

In dealing with subordinates, I adhere to the rule - I never allow myself to order and indicate. Always ask for something, remembering to say "please" and for gratitude after the commitment. For criticism, I prefer a form that is not offensive to employees. If we talk about the differentiation of communication according to the principle “office - out of the office”, then the only difference is that in the office we talk about business with employees, but not at the holiday.

I also support the position of supporters of the concept of emotional intelligence. The business world is ruled by tolerance, the desire to understand another person, with the expression of this in correct, adequate speech forms. This approach more effective than the authoritarian option, because it allows you to achieve better business results.

Types of subordinates and communication styles with each of them

You should look closely at your subordinates to notice that their behavior in different situations may be different. Knowing in advance how a person behaves, it is possible to build optimal communication with subordinates, based on an understanding of strengths and weaknesses this employee.

    "Universal". Such an employee feels “indispensable”. He is ready to replace, replace, represent. Usually engaged in the performance of other than his work, including overtime. Proud to be able to do anything. You don’t have to ask him twice - he adheres to the “need” setting. Ready to understand you perfectly, even to act ahead of the curve.

    "Narcissistic". Puts "I" first. He starts to take up the case in order to show his own "I". He enjoys community service. Such an employee must be kept within limits. Can do any job out of vanity.

    "Business". Strong in its practicality. The end result can be achieved by any means. Everything subordinates to the benefit, but cannot correlate the goals of its site and the goals common work. In his opinion, abstract thinking is philosophizing. Does not need special control. Be sure to set goals and explain them. It should cultivate the habit of looking forward, looking back and looking around.

    "Interested in". It is characterized by a developed interest in activities. You can only work when you enjoy your work. However, it has an unstable interest, quickly lighting up and cooling down just as quickly. Such employees need periodic shake-up. “Listen carefully, the work is entrusted to you, only you are responsible for its implementation. Report performance. Otherwise, you will be in trouble."

    "Vigorous". For such an employee, self-designation is important, not work. Rarely on site. All in public affairs, in a constant hurry, calls someone, meets, etc. It is pleasant for such an employee to represent his department in contacts with others. For such an employee, a special approach is required. It is important that he solves not only official duties, but also conducts social work. Responds well to the phrase “Do not spare yourself. Completely wrapped up. Both there and here. But you look good. Would you be willing to help us a little?"

    "Moralist". Adheres to imperious behavior, likes to teach everyone. Such an employee does not need to be educated - care is needed with him, it is better to involve him as a consultant. He should be treated with the utmost respect. The words “Be kind, tell us how best to do this work, how to properly distribute? Your great experience...».

    "Bureaucrat". Everything will be done according to the instructions. You should contact such an employee regarding ambiguities in the documents, trust their execution. It is advisable not to entrust anything new, since everything will “dry in the bud”. You can safely trust him folders with documents. His work takes on meaning and scope. Otherwise, you will not feel necessary. Optimal words - “These documents are asking for you. Work with them, please, so that no one makes claims against us.”

    "Doubting". The execution of any task begins after 2-3 reminders. Sees no point in doing the job. Does not need a special approach. Not looking for feedback.

    "Creator". Such an employee is interested in everything, works beautifully, smartly, strives to do everything faster, better and more. Quite vulnerable and vulnerable, does not want and does not know how to adapt to the surrounding order, respects honesty, openness in relationships. He needs benevolent support, recognition. He needs to be warned against a certain naivety, mistakes, to establish close creative interaction.

Why is the emotional intelligence of the leader important in communicating with subordinates

Irina Denisova, trainer-consultant, expert in the field of business culture

Today, the emotional intelligence of leaders is of great importance. Emotional intelligence is called by experts the ability of leaders to manage themselves, relationships with others, with the direction of other people's emotions in the right direction. The presence of emotional intelligence implies the following qualities of a person:

  • good self-awareness;
  • self confidence;
  • accurate self-assessment;
  • the ability to control emotions;
  • the ability to manage relationships, with the regulation of conflicts;
  • openness, responsiveness, adaptability.

The Emotional Leader Influences psychological climate in a team. He perceives the thoughts and aspirations of the group better than others.

Games played by subordinates

Psychological games most often interfere with establishing good relations people, impeding the development and strengthening of the common cause, with a deterioration in the effectiveness of collective efforts. However, people continue to use them to maintain self-respect, sometimes for the sake of the right for irresponsibility.

"Kazan orphan". This method involves several ways to make your life easier. Among them, the subordinate avoids the employer. If necessary, he will be able to claim that he was abandoned, not led. Or the employee provokes the manager to rudeness, illegal actions, and then takes offense. Often complains to higher management about his immediate superior.

"I'm being torn to pieces." The desire to receive as many social loads as possible, without thinking about their ability to cope with them. Given the overload of work, they get the opportunity to refuse difficult tasks, referring to employment.

"Holy simplicity". Reflection for his surroundings of naivety, inability to complete the work begun. This game designed for the desire of others to help, eventually shifting their own responsibility to others.

"Disabled Chief". The employee refuses to lead a group of workers, which was created for a while in order to solve episodic tasks. He argues his refusal by the lack of the right to punish people who are temporarily subordinate - and arguing that it is impossible to lead effectively without this.

"Clown". Clowns strive to demonstrate, as if out of this world, science and work are difficult, and not needed. Entertains the others, laughs, because of which he gains confidence and stops full-time work - he finds his positive and satisfaction in the joyful emotions of his colleagues.

"Oh, how good I am." To raise the authority, respect of others, an employee can resort to various variations of this game. Including the casually said phrase about progress or talking about loved ones famous personalities. Often such an employee talks about his broad awareness.

It is important to identify in which area the employee will be stronger than his colleagues - demonstrating respect and recognition for the results achieved.

Worth remembering psychological advice To influence others, you need to say what they want. After all, self-expression becomes the dominant need of human nature. For example, maintain sympathetic communication with the “Kazan orphan”, convince the employee that he will cope with this assignment.

How to achieve clarity in communication with subordinates

In written or oral communication with employees, it is necessary to speak clearly, clearly, indicating the essence. Emphasis should be placed on common values ​​with the employee, awakening his interest. When an employee is required to provide certain information, you need to specify what data you need, in what time frame. When instructing employees, keep in mind that in all cases, answers to 5 questions are required: who, what, when, where and why.

Employees will perform better when using the expressions “we will discuss together”, “I will support you”, “let's think together”. The conversation when assigning a task to employees should be structured like this:

– detailed description the goal set;

– talk about the benefits that the company will achieve if the goal is met;

- Describe how this goal is consistent with the strategy of the organization;

- tell us about the list of tasks that must be completed to achieve the goal;

- these tasks are divided into individual tasks;

– assigning these tasks to individual employees;

Explain what and when to complete each task.

Form a system of indicators on the basis of which the implementation of each task will be monitored. Be specific when planning your work schedule.

"Forbidden" phrases in communication with subordinates

To maintain confident communication with employees, try not to use certain phrases and expressions in your speech:

1) "We've always done it this way." It will be better to give convincing arguments for your position. No need to put pressure on a subordinate authority.

2) "Deal with it yourself (herself)." When a subordinate turns to a manager for help, he has probably already tried all the methods known to himself.

3) "Your predecessor worked better."

4) "You're lucky you were hired at all."

5) "I don't need your explanations." Even with strong anger and unwillingness to communicate with an employee, you need to find the strength to listen to him calmly, without emotions. After all, it is dialogue that leads to compromise.

6) "I watch you all the time." The boss is not a teacher kindergarten, which needs to control every step of the worker. Give employees the freedom to keep them motivated to be productive.

7) "That's a stupid idea." Even if the idea is really stupid, you don't need to say so. It is better to say "Keep working in this direction."

8) "I knew you couldn't do it." Try not to aggravate the situation, but to support the subordinate.

9) "I told you."

10) "Just do what you're told." Be sure to explain your position, give arguments in its favor.

    If an employee has not fulfilled his duties, make a comment. If this oversight is left without attention, then insufficiently responsible work will continue further.

    Actions should be criticized, not individuals.

    The personal life of an employee should not be a hindrance to work. You don't need to give advice.

    Respect comes to those who know how to maintain self-control in difficult situations. Don't lose control.

    Stick to justice in everything. The reward must be on merit.

    It is necessary to praise the team even in situations where the entire success of the business depends on the leader.

    Strengthen the self-esteem of subordinates. The best solutions for this are praise and a prize.

    Always protect your subordinates. Thanks to this, their faith in the leader is strengthened, efficiency increases.

    Give orders only depending on the situation, the personality of the subordinate.

5 rules of business etiquette in communication with subordinates

    Follow the corporate dress code. If a leader violates the rules of business etiquette in clothing, despite the dress code, the loyalty of employees to him is unlikely to increase.

    Do not forget about the rules of greeting, behavior and presentation.

    Remember the rules of etiquette when communicating by e-mail.

    Compliance with the correct principles of criticism, control and encouragement of employees. When making comments, you need to speak correctly, clearly, respectfully, in compliance with some wishes:

- it is necessary to criticize the committed misconduct, and not the person himself;

- try to use the i-message - "I noticed that you are in recent times often late";

- when criticizing, you need to pay attention to the positive nuances in the work of the employee; tell him what you appreciate;

- express wishes about further activities employee

- Try to ask clarifying questions, seeking a reaction.

It is necessary to control subordinates reasonably, promptly and in a timely manner, but it is not necessary to resort to the most thorough control to the smallest detail.

But it is recommended to encourage, praise and reward an employee in the presence of colleagues.

    Follow the rules of communication on a mobile phone. It is unacceptable for a manager to abuse his position by calling his subordinates during non-working hours. personal number mobile phone. Do not forget about the personal life of your employees. If there was no prior agreement on the call, then it is allowed to disturb the employee in personal time only in extreme cases.

Do not insult, do not humiliate, do not criticize in public

Igor Bitkov, General Director of CJSC North-Western Timber Company, St. Petersburg

Sticking enough simple rules when communicating with employees, I avoid humiliation, insults, do not forget to praise in private or in public, but to scold only without the presence of strangers, trying to maintain objectivity in any situation. If there are contradictions in relation to one of the employees or in relations between him and other people, I always try to solve problems by open communication, without hushing up the situation - after all, in this case, everything will only get worse.

If there are conflict situations, I strive to understand the cause of the problem - only after that a decision will be made. I try to make decisions in the interests of the company.

What distance to keep in communication with subordinates

The first tip is to avoid being too close. This will prevent you from telling employees about shortcomings.

The second tip is to avoid premature intimacy. Initially, it is better to remain somewhat distant, gradually approaching.

The third tip is to be responsible. Even with closeness to subordinates, the leader needs to keep the brand.

The fourth tip is don't move away when intimacy is appropriate. Leaders are often seen as detached from the company, which makes it impossible to understand what is happening in the organization. Yes, such detachment is quite seductive, but it does not justify itself.

The fifth advice - when finding a successful technique, you need to know the measure, do not go too far. After all, sometimes you can go too far, losing influence on the team.

Why subordinates do not follow orders

Among the reasons for the unsatisfactory performance of the established discipline by employees, it should be noted:

– low qualification of managers;

- low qualification of performers;

- unsatisfactory quality of preparation of a decision on the part of the head, according to which the task for the employee will be set;

– insufficient interest of the employee in this task;

– vagueness of task setting;

- poor supervision by the manager;

- the rules and traditions in force in the company negatively affect the attitude of employees to their work;

- there are not enough resources to complete the task.

Among the factors high level performance should be noted:

    Selection of employees who are optimally suited for this work.

    A thorough study of the problem is required, which must be solved.

    The manager needs to receive confirmation from the employee that he understood the order.

    Ensuring proper motivation of the performer. Positive incentives should outweigh negative ones.

    A clear indication of how control will be carried out, which forms are valid feedback with your immediate supervisor.

Punishment of subordinates within the framework of etiquette

    Criticism and punishment of an employee should not be based on unverified data or suspicions.

    In case of unsatisfactory work of an employee, the manager will have to find out who instructed her, who and how instructed, exercised control. Only then can the degree of guilt of the employee be determined.

    If there are miscalculations in the work due to the fault of the leader, immediate and open recognition is required without attempts to shift the blame to the subordinate.

    Before determining the form of influence on a subordinate, one should objectively evaluate the act, the motivation for the actions taken.

    The manager's dissatisfaction with the act or the quality of the work of a subordinate can be expressed in the form of criticism.

    The grossest violation of official etiquette is public criticism.

    It is necessary that the punishment correspond to the severity of the offense committed.

    An important aspect etiquette is the unity of requirements for all employees.

    According to the rules office etiquette, the leader has no right to complain about subordinates.

    To avoid the destructive consequences of punishment by directing the emotions of a subordinate to an act, and not to the leader, it is necessary to adhere to certain communication tactics.

Is informal communication with subordinates appropriate?

There are 2 approaches to informal relations with a subordinate.

The first one is logical. Informal relationships are natural. It is difficult to fight him. Therefore, it is better to use it for the purposes of the company.

The second one is exactly the opposite. Many large domestic companies resort to it. Full concentration of employees on work processes is assumed, informal communications are regarded as weakening factors that disrupt existing relationships. It is not practiced to hold corporate events, joint holding of non-working hours.

According to surveys of employees, senior and middle managers, it can be argued that informal communication after work strengthens interaction, successful work, exchange of experience and team building. At the same time, newcomers manage to quickly and easily join the team. And if total control and formal communication prevails, workers' sense of self-worth is violated.

Information about authors and companies

Alexey Sukhenko, General Director of the Russian representative office of Trout & Partners, Moscow. The Russian representative office of Trout & Partners has been operating since 2004. The company provides consulting services in the field of marketing, attracting world-class specialists to develop projects, and also organizes and conducts conferences and seminars in accordance with customer requirements.

Igor Bitkov, General Director of CJSC North-Western Timber Company, St. Petersburg. North-Western Timber Company (SZLK) unites a group of Russian industrial enterprises, including the management company (St. Petersburg), Neman Pulp and Paper Mill ( Kaliningrad region), Kamennogorsk offset paper factory ( Leningrad region), trading houses and representative offices in the regions of Russia and the CIS countries. SZLK is the largest manufacturer of paper and paper products and is one of the fifteen most dynamically developing enterprises in the Northwestern Federal District.

Irina Denisova, trainer-consultant, expert in the field of business culture Moscow. She has 13 years of experience in conducting seminars and trainings in the field of business culture (business ethics and etiquette, telephone conversations, work with clients, etc.). Author of articles, participant of TV shows devoted to business culture. Clients: Alfa-Bank, International Moscow Bank (IMB), Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK), Pipe Metallurgical Company (TMK), Adamas, Ascon, Granul, Lukoil, Soyuzkontrakt holdings, OOO Trade House Evrazholding, Denta Klass, Krok, Ligget-Dukat, Mega-F, Moskabelmet, Pan Sportsman, Gedeon Richter. Participated in the development of ethical codes for Watson Telecom (Ukraine), networks travel agencies"1001 tour".

After the contract is signed, all technical papers and a team of workers starts building or repairing, in fact, the most stressful time comes for you. You find yourself in a turbulent ocean of industrial relations (more precisely, struggle) between employees and employers. And here it is very important to delve into the psychology of the enemy. We advise you to read this article especially carefully for those who plan to hire a team "from the street"

Relations "man - master" have deep centuries-old roots. The hero of the novel "Anna Karenina" Levin, beautiful-hearted and clever man, a caring and active owner, at first "feeling delight" from working and communicating with peasants, after a few years "... he clearly saw that the household he ran" was only cruel and stubborn struggle between him and his employees. It was in his interests that each worker worked as hard as possible, while not forgetting, trying not to break winnowing machines, horse rakes, threshers, so that he would think about what he was doing; the worker wanted to work as pleasantly as possible, with rest, and most importantly - carefree and, forgetting, without thinking ... (there is a long list of slovenly actions of workers) .... All this was done not because anyone wished harm to Levin or his household; on the contrary, he knew that he was loved, considered a simple gentleman (which is the highest praise); but this was done only because they wanted to work cheerfully and carelessly, and their interests were not only alien and incomprehensible, but fatally opposed to their most just interests.

Many novice employers try in every possible way to appease employees, to please them, to get closer to them as a human being. They treat them with sandwiches and vodka, tell them jokes, make eyes, or, conversely, talk about their illnesses and failures, become shy, in general, put pressure on pity, naively hoping that if they love or pity them, they will work well. , "as for yourself." Employees, having extensive experience in industrial relations, initially have a huge advantage over you and will not hesitate to realize it (and materialize!) Immediately, as soon as they find some weakness in the owner - incompetence, carelessness, gullibility, mild character, excessive delicacy (well, uncomfortable somehow appear incredulous or petty!). First, “casts” are used - minor violations of discipline or technology. If you didn’t react to it properly (didn’t notice or were too shy to say), the processes begin to develop in a direction that is beneficial for the workers.

Is there really no honest, intelligent and conscientious worker in nature?-you ask. Of course, there are, but when they get into the brigade, they are forced to adapt to the general tasks of the team. And such a person will not be elected as a foreman, because his decency will slow down the work and interfere with the implementation of the main task - to work less, earn more. For this role, objectively, a sociable trickster and a psychologist are more suitable, who knows how to ingratiate himself with the owners, and bargain, and shout at the workers (in front of you, for appearances). This is a reality, it must be understood and taken into account. And why should workers try if the owners themselves have a poor idea of ​​what they want, or are little interested in repairs, are stupid, lazy, etc., and are generally unable to assess the quality of work?

A difficult but reliable way to create a positive work attitude and a desire to do something well is to gain the respect of the team. Cheap tricks like drinking or unreasonable bonuses will not help here, rather, on the contrary, they will consider you a drunkard or a fool (well, would a smart person overspend?).

You need to be well prepared morally, theoretically and financially, monitor the main processes and constantly monitor work, behave benevolently, not make scandals over trifles, politely but firmly insist on eliminating defects, encourage Good work both morally and materially. Keep everything under control. Practice shows that problems can arise almost out of the blue.

We will try to formulate the basic rules that may be useful to you in this situation.

Rule one.

A detailed agreement is the key to success. This is especially true for those who negotiate directly with the team. Please note that before signing the contract, the team is forced to agree to any, even enslaving, according to their concepts, conditions in order not to miss the job. Therefore, the more information you can fix in the contract on the scope, timing and payment of work, the better. Any work that is not included in the text of the contract is likely to cause disputes and demands for additional (and considerable!) Payment. Preliminary verbal agreements are forgotten or remembered with great irritation. This is where the brigade will win back for all its concessions, which it made before signing the contract!
WHAT IS WRITTEN WITH A PEN - YOU CAN'T CUT IT OUT WITH A AX!

Rule Two

If possible, entrust negotiations and control over the execution of work to a man, even if he is not very versed in construction. But at the same time, you need to create the appearance of competence - talk less, listen more with a smart look. In 90% of cases, there will be fewer attempts to cheat the owners.

Rule Three

Try to visit the site as often as possible. The workers must feel your "watchful eye". Learn to use the level and plumb. Feel free to measure verticals, angles and dimensions, as well as material consumption.
This is not pettiness - this is elementary order.
WITHOUT PERMANENT CONTROL, PEOPLE STARTS TO FUCK AND - EVEN STEAL!

Rule Four

Keep your distance! Try to communicate mainly with the foreman, the workers usually suffice with a general greeting and handshake. Keep it simple, cheerful, initially benevolent. Excessive arrogance, as well as flattery, can complicate relationships. Do not allow familiarity either in relations with the workers or with the foreman. In no case do not take part in smoke breaks or tea parties with the team that works for you, do not accept any treats or favors. No need to talk about extraneous topics. This is very relaxing for both them and you.

Rule Five

Under no circumstances should workers be allowed to drink on site, much less treat them yourself. They are not visiting. They work in your apartment, and this is only a place of work, and they should rest and relax elsewhere. If you want to show your kindness and spiritual generosity, arrange a banquet at the end of the work.

Rule six

Hurry up and make people laugh. Do not rely on the quality of the result to concern anyone but you! Don't be lazy! Delve into instructions and technologies, insist on their exact implementation. This is especially true of the terms established for the hardening or drying of materials. Even if the concrete seems to have hardened and the soil has dried up, and the workers are in a hurry to start the next operation (painting, for example), do not follow their lead.
IT IS FREQUENTLY THE LITTLE DEVELOPMENTS FROM TECHNOLOGY LEADING TO THE BIG TROUBLES.

In such a situation, three obvious circumstances must be taken into account:
1. Instructions are not written by fools.
2. Your apartment is not a testing ground for experiments on developing high-speed technologies.
3. Workers are always in a hurry. Time is money!

Rule Seven

If you don't like something, you don't need to make a scandal right away. Do not give in to provocations. Cool down, think, weigh the validity of your claims, and only after that talk to the foreman. "Running" from time to time is useful, but only on business. Extra conflicts will not lead to anything good. If you want to show your dissatisfaction with the work of the brigade, at a meeting, politely greet them, do not shake hands with them, as usual. It usually makes an impression. Can be applied individually.

Rule eight

Do not rush to agree to any changes in the project. First you need to think, weigh everything, consult with someone. The fact is that very often he wants to make changes, since he has this moment there are no specialists of appropriate qualifications, or if you want to reduce labor intensity, and get the same money, etc. In a word, in most cases he acts in his own interests, and not in yours.

Nowadays, working through the Internet has become a very common phenomenon. Performers save time and have the opportunity to choose customers, and customers do not spend money on office rent and pay directly for the completed tasks. Mutual benefits are obvious. However, communication over the Internet is not an analogue of a live conversation: words will not convey the mood in the same way as a person himself will do face to face. But even in these cases there are methods and subtleties.

How to set up a person for quality work without seeing him?

Auditor Style

This is the most popular style of communication. It suggests a calm tone, prudence and handling of facts. Both parties understand the essence of the issue and conscientiously fulfill their obligations. Usually these people have been cooperating for a long time and therefore this style is ideal for everyone: pure pragmatics, nothing superfluous and nothing personal.

big brother style

In this case, thoughts are expressed more emotionally. Thus, the customer shows the contractor that:

  1. This work is more important to him than others;
  2. This performer is more important to him than others.

Moreover, this may not be true, but the convenience of a particular style always fades into the background before its effectiveness. The main thing is motivation, and here each person needs a separate approach.

Cross-examination style

Someone, doing your job, may just earn a living without showing much enthusiasm. If you want to get more, and most importantly, you know that a person is capable of more, this style is for you. It involves the awakening of leadership qualities.

Not properly: "Here's your task, I'm waiting for the result"

Correctly : “You did great, but you can do even better!”

Very correct: "Is it weak?"

Alarmist style

At the moments when the performer, having fallen into a routine or “lost his appetite”, does everything carelessly, there are good reception remind him where he is and what he needs to do. Tell him that the deadlines are burning, that it is a matter of extreme importance, and in case of failure, everyone should not lose their heads. Such an "artificial tantrum" helps in extreme cases, do not use it often, because a person quickly develops "immunity".

Cheerleader Style

Being a cheerleader means supporting and leading. Remember the dancing girls on the sports grounds during breaks in the competition? Sometimes this method is required at work. You need to ignite a person with undisguised enthusiasm and drive and keep him in good shape. This requires certain energy costs, but with the successful completion of the task, it pays off with interest.

Learn to manage

The problem of competent management today is very relevant for office space. The policy of non-interference in the affairs of employees, which sounds like “given a task - and do not interfere”, leads to the failure of deadlines, poor quality work and the deterioration of all indicators. This can be avoided only by constantly communicating with each employee. And remote work via the Internet is no exception.

By the way, one of our subscribers already has experience of remote work on foreign freelance exchanges.

A new position, a separate office, your own staff of subordinates and a “nimbus” of a leader above a proudly raised head ... You acquired all these privileged powers quite recently, having received a place in the administrative department and automatically replenishing the number of the “chosen tower” of your company. But before you had time to move away from the weightless state of euphoria and headache from yesterday's celebration in honor of the promotion, a fly in the ointment literally fell into a barrel of honey in the form of problems with subordinates who launched whole battles in the department, openly or secretly refusing to accept the identity of the new boss .

The "rebels" ignore orders, dispute the information, hinting at its unreliability, criticize management methods, demonstrating their unwillingness to obey with their whole appearance. At first, not all newly minted leaders decide on punitive operations in the form of fines, dismissals and breaking the windows of cars of their subordinates. dark night(this is, of course, an exaggeration, but what the hell is not joking), and the invisible war drags on indefinitely. An unwanted boss rushes for advice to more experienced colleagues or explores the bowels of the Internet in order to find a way and become a worthy leader. Consider what psychologists advise in such cases.

The thin line between twig and gingerbread

The very first and, perhaps, the main rule - whatever the management method, it should not harm either the employee or the workflow. No matter how much you read the literature on the topic, watched training videos, heard plenty of conflicting advice from colleagues during lunch, your management style should not blindly copy the instructions printed in books and voiced by experienced leaders. The psychology of managing people in your interpretation should carry individual imprints of nature, natural character traits, honed by the ability to control your emotions, and your own experience of the path traveled from the bottom to the top of the hierarchical ladder. Your attitude towards subordinates should be exactly what you expected from your boss, sitting in the chair of an ordinary clerk. Try to find a middle ground between a vicious, picky bore who refuses to choke out even the sound of praise, and a soft-spoken slave boss who hesitates to show his displeasure.

"Veto" of the head, or what should not be done

Before you find the desired answer and an effective method of how to subdue your subordinates, you should familiarize yourself with the list of prohibited actions, the violation of which will characterize you as an extremely unpleasant and ill-mannered tyrant boss:

  • Transition to personality. Analysis of the personal, unrelated qualities of an employee is a sure way to turn the team against yourself.
  • Raised tone, turning into a scream. Wild op will not frighten employees and force them to obey, moreover, by such behavior you will demonstrate your weakness and inability to restrain emotions, and therefore manage.
  • Regular self-praise and demonstration of self-importance. A boss who praises only himself and does not miss the opportunity to brag about his successes, to show how significant his figure is for the company, will never be able to arouse respect and support from the team entrusted to him, and even more so admiration.
  • Violation of the working day by the right of entering the number of "masters". If a manager allows himself to do things that are forbidden by him (in the form of endless telephone conversations with his passion, using headphones, surfing the Internet, skype on non-work issues, having a snack in the department), subordinate employees will soon begin to take an example from him, quickly turning official bans into formal ones.
  • Sluggish performance, disinterest in the result, lack of bright ideas and initiatives. Like the boss, like the employees. A leader who does not advocate for his own enterprise will in any case infect the people who follow him with his indifference.

Categories of management, tricks and tricks

Despite the versatility, practical psychology people management is divided into two categories:

  1. The path to success, sitting astride the neck of subordinates, or Techniques of an insensitive leader.
  2. The path to success as a winner is in the hands of subordinates, or the Power of inspiration.

The leader chooses the appropriate tactics - depending on personal qualities, his own experience and attitude towards people in general.

Manipulation

Manipulation as a hidden control implies a deft, cunning, aimed at achieving one's own goals impact on a person. In rare cases, the ultimate goals are good, but manipulation, by its nature, is nothing more than an act of influence on people, imperceptibly forcing them to make unfavorable decisions. Its main difference from voluntary submission is that a person is simply not left with a choice to choose a path other than the one imposed.

In our case, the concept under consideration, depending on the nature of the leader, can be used to achieve their own selfish goals or for the good of the company. Management of subordinates on the principle of manipulation includes skillfully caused resentment, anger, fear, guilt.

Resentment, anger

An unflattering phrase thrown casually or directly by the manager regarding the business qualities of an employee against the backdrop of detailed praise of another subordinate in 9 cases out of 10 reaches the goal, and all thanks to the inherent sense of rivalry in people. The pep talk goes something like this: “Petrov did a great job, but you can’t do that, can you?” or “You are no match for Petrov!”, Or “You are not capable of anything, but Petrov!” The cocktail of explosive feelings that has overwhelmed the employee - anger, resentment, the desire to demonstrate his abilities and prove that he, too, can and can do a lot - pushes the manipulated person to perform a variety of tasks. Without thinking about the nature of their actions, the subordinate, without knowing it, contributes to the embodiment of the ideas of the boss.

Fear

It is impossible to accurately determine the nature of fear of superiors: it can be caused by the authority of a despot leader, the weak will of a subordinate, or intimidation in the form: “For disobedience and failure to complete tasks - dismissal!” A couple of intimidations, ending with the calculation of obstinate workers to confirm the words, will have the desired effect: employees who value their place will follow the lead of the boss. Only in this case, the relationship between the manager and the subordinate will be based not on respect, dedication for the sake of the enterprise, but on the banal fear of losing a job.

Guilt

Hidden management based on guilt includes methods in which the boss announces the deprivation of all employees of the department of bonuses or vacations due to the poor performance of one of them; or one employee is left without a bonus (vacation) due to insufficient zeal of the others. Guilt-based pressure-taking aims to induce motivation to work better so as not to let others down.

The psychology of managing people, based on skillful provocation, can give the intended results, but is applicable in cases where hidden impact necessary for good purposes, and not for their own self-interest, using other people's forces and resources.

Positive influence

To become a good leader, you need to realize that your behavior, actions and relationships with subordinates directly affect the microclimate of the department, the attitude of employees to work and the effectiveness of tasks performed. The leader must be able to take responsibility, inspire his team, infect them with his enthusiasm, set an example and be an ideal for them. A great leader is not the one who causes animal fear in subordinates, suppresses and provokes conflicts. The true leader is the one who, knowing the psychology of each employee, his aspirations, values ​​and desires, directs the flow of energy in the right direction. For him, there are no classes “boss and subordinate”, he gives himself to work so much that he cannot but arouse admiration, he is loved, appreciated, respected by everyone and readily follows him.

Praise, flattery, encouragement

It is no secret that any person needs regular praise, encouragement and approval of their actions. The leader is the one who can give the desired to his subordinates. Deserved praise, a system of rewarding the best employees, recognition of their achievements is an effective tool for gaining trust, respect for the team and inspiring it to even more brilliant results.

An effective method of management is also advance praise, when the boss expresses gratitude to the subordinate in advance, for example: “I decided to entrust this task to you, since only you will be able to cope with it.” Encouraged and grateful employee (or how: “The boss considers me the best, and I just can’t let him down!”) Performs the assignment with redoubled zeal and diligence. In this case, the boss, who clearly understands how to subdue his subordinates, with one shot puts two birds with one stone: he achieves excellent performance of the task and increases the number of people devoted to him.

Art of inspiration

It is important to be able to guide many people with different purposes, varying degrees of efficiency and skills on a single path. To do this, for each team member, you need to find individual approach, to find out his aspirations and motives and, based on this, develop motivation. After all, when the motives are clear, it is easier to move forward, turning a scattered crowd into a strong, friendly team aimed at the final result. The leader must not only be able to inspire, but also maintain a fighting mood, go against the wind, inflating faith in indispensable success when hands involuntarily give up ... In addition, one of the excellent qualities of the boss in his arsenal is the ability to effectively and quickly resolve quarrels between employees without prejudice for both sides. And the conflict "manager-subordinate" in a professional leader happens only once - at the very beginning of a managerial career, and then not always.

Competence

Subordinates often pay attention to how competent their boss is in the area entrusted to him, whether he has the necessary knowledge and skills. You must be prepared for careful evaluation, close interest and detailed analysis their abilities from your wards. Therefore, you just need to know almost everything about your activities, constantly improve and replenish your knowledge base. In the eyes of the team, the leader is the embodiment of perfection, genius and a bright, non-standard mind, otherwise how did he manage to achieve this position? You do not want to disappoint your employees, and even more so feel like an unworthy leader, regularly turning to them for help in matters unfamiliar to you? Study, analyze and constantly learn to become an ace in your field without dumping your own responsibilities on employees, otherwise what is the meaning of the concepts of "leader" and "subordinate"?

Contact by name

Take the advice of the famous psychologist D. Carnegie, who claimed that the name is the sweetest sound for us. Addressing by name increases the importance of a person in one's own eyes and inspires confidence in the interlocutor. Call your subordinates not by their last names, nicknames, but strictly by their first names, and in no case confuse or distort it. This simple technique guarantees you the location and respect of others.

Listening is also an art

Learn to listen carefully to the interlocutor, keeping an expression of polite interest on your face, without a hint of impatience or, even worse, indifference. In the event that you do not agree with his words, do not rush to interrupt the conversation with your arguments. Listen to the employee to the end, note the value of his opinion, and only then express your vision this issue. The ability to listen and reckon with the opinion of subordinates will only raise your authority and win the respect of the team.

By applying the methods and tips described above in your own, you will understand how to subjugate your subordinates, and perhaps become one of best leaders our time.

What do you feel when you are going to report to your leader? Fear? Uncertainty in your abilities?

Communication with the leader is not taught in schools, but in this subject we all have to take an exam when we start our careers. And failing that exam could cost you your career.

Personally, my experience in how to report to my boss came later, when I myself became a leader and realized how clumsy reports are made by subordinates if no one taught them.

And if you are a leader yourself, then simply send your subordinates a link to this article. Even better - collect them, scroll through the slides that you see above, and go through the abstracts from the article. The result will be the establishment of a set between you general rules, the observance of which will make your communication more effective to your mutual satisfaction.

Before talking to the manager

1. Report without reminders

“I can't be everyone's secretary and constantly remind them of deadlines. Sometimes it seems to me that people just ignore the tasks and deadlines that I set for them. ”

your boss thinks.

Don't turn your boss into a living alarm clock. Don't force your manager to go down to the level of micromanagement and remind you of due dates.

If the task is not ready, write to him about it yourself with a brief explanation of the reasons and a new deadline. It is better to show that you did not have time to complete the task than to give him a reason to think that you ignored the task altogether by the lack of a report.

If the task is ready and you have something to brag about, then ask for a meeting and show your results.

2. Don't keep your problems to yourself.

“If I was not informed about the problem in advance, then it does not exist and the task must be completed on time.”

your boss thinks.

When you keep the problem to yourself, you deprive your manager of the opportunity to intervene and help you in time. In addition, if you do not report the problem in time, then you do not need help and you can handle your task on your own.

When should you report a problem? When you realized that she would not let you complete the task on time or in accordance with the set standard. After that, you tried to solve it yourself and you did not succeed. Then, not earlier and not later, go to your boss and ask for help.

3. Don't come unprepared

“When a person cannot answer me a single counter question, doubts arise, but has he delved into the task properly or is he trying to dump me a semi-finished product?”

your boss thinks.

Work through in advance all the questions that you may be asked, all alternative solutions to the problem. Be prepared to explain how the numbers you bring are obtained and why they are correct.

Otherwise, you will irritate the boss and be sent for revision - you will lose your reputation and time.

4. Plan your conversation

It only takes a minute, but it brings a lot of benefits. As a rule, it turns out to get to the head less often than we would like, so several questions accumulate for each conversation, and this list will allow you not to forget anything.

Take a blank sheet of paper and write down what you want from this conversation. There are 4 types of such goals:

  1. Convey the information he wants to know: report on completed tasks, deadline shifts, important news, etc.
  2. Convey the information you want him to know: compliance with the deadlines, your initiatives and proposals, the problems that have arisen and the necessary assistance.
  3. Get information that will be useful to you: clarification of the task, news of subcontractors, statuses of issues important to you.
  4. Get a solution for your issue.

If a question is difficult to understand or you expect it to cause controversy, write down the thesis of the logic of your report on it - your arguments and conclusions.

When reporting to the manager

The usual report algorithm: tell the purpose of the conversation, give data, give conclusions, give solutions, give your recommendation.

5. No preludes

"Is this still 'getting in contact' or do I need to 'get it' on what he's saying?"

your boss thinks.

Immediately say directly what you need: “I want to report on the results”, “there is a problem”, “need to be solved”, “need to agree”, “there is a question”, etc.

The leader must set his mind to the correct mode: “I solve the problem”, “I accept the results”, “I make the decision”, etc. Until he tunes in correctly, he will not be able to effectively perceive your information.

6. He is not Nostradamus

“He didn’t even bother to ask if I was aware of this topic or not. Is this selfishness or incompetence?

your boss thinks.

Think about what your boss knows and doesn't, and bring him up to date. Until he is in the same context with you, you will not be able to effectively communicate.

Do not skip logical links. The "storyline" of your story should be continuous. If something is taken for granted for you, it is not at all a fact that your manager is obliged to guess about the logical connection that you decided to skip.

7. Take out the trash

“Why should I dig through this verbal garbage? Why couldn’t a coherent report be prepared ahead of time?”

your boss thinks.

Remove from your narrative all information that is not relevant. This includes information that is relevant to the case but is unverified or inconclusive. You run the risk of sidetracking the conversation or overcomplicating it.

Determine what decision of the leader you need and exclude from the report that information that does not bring you closer to him. Of course, it is important to know the measure at the same time - it is unacceptable to distort or manipulate information.

8. More numerals, fewer adjectives

“I really want my subordinates to rely on facts, and not on judgments and emotions. To do this, they must get used to communicating in the language of numbers.

your boss thinks.

Statements that are not provided with numbers sound unfounded. Until concrete figures and facts begin to sound in a conversation, people just exchange subjective judgments, not one iota approaching the truth.

If you want to convince your manager of something, the shortest way to this is through the preparation of analytics. The most amazing thing is that the figures obtained can surprise you and change your own judgment on the issue under discussion.

9. Be specific and transparent

“It’s like I have to pull the answers out of employees with pincers in order to achieve a complete understanding of the situation. Are they hiding something or just didn’t go into the details themselves?”

your boss thinks.

In response to the question "when" give the date. To the question "who" - give a name. To the question "how much" - a number: quantity, amount or percentage. The sooner you give specific data, the sooner you will end this protracted conversation.

10. Don't give data without conclusions

“And why do I need this bunch of tables? Did he try to figure them out himself, or does he not care about this issue at all?

your boss thinks.

It's not the numbers that matter, but your ability to draw conclusions from them.

A good employee is an independent employee. After all, if you understand that after receiving the data there will be an analysis stage, and after the analysis - decision-making, then why not try to go through this road yourself?

Throwing off the initial data without conclusions to the boss, then you tell him "now this is your problem." And, of course, no one likes it. A much better approach would be "I understand that this is my problem, and here's how I try to solve it."

11. Don't show up without offers.

“If I now come up with a solution for him, then he will be in my “manual control” all my life. Let him learn to think with his own head.

your boss thinks.

As the proverb says, “If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.” Always come not only with a problem, but also with suggestions for its elimination. Preferably in multiple versions.

Let your manager only have to approve your idea. Let him see that he has a motivated independent employee.

12. Don't leave without a decision

"I'm tired. I do not want to decide anything. I want a bonus."

your boss thinks.

You came to get a solution (see point 4). .

But making decisions is not easy. Your boss will avoid it. Keep your goal in mind and bring the conversation back to the decision.

In case of counter questions from the head

13. Answer the question in your first sentence

“Well, why do I need these jumps and antics? I ask a specific question and want a specific answer. If something is not clear to me, I will ask the next question. No need to waste time trying to answer questions I didn't ask."

your boss thinks.

If the boss asks a question, then, as a rule, he already understands in advance what and in what order he will ask next. He has already built for himself the outline of the conversation and wants to lead the conversation in this way.

No need to try to think out his question for himself and answer the question that he did not ask, but which, as you think, he means. Answer the question literally. All the details, reasons and logical explanations - later. If asked.

14. The truth and nothing but the truth

“Can I, in principle, work with a person who is trying to deceive me? After all, he not only demonstrates his insecurity by trying to lie to me, but also stupidity, hoping that I will not catch him in a lie.

your boss thinks.

No need to invent anything in an attempt to answer complex issue. There is no need to draw reality when there are no facts. You will still be taken to clean water. It's much easier and faster to admit that you don't know or haven't done something and move on.

15. Don't Blame Your Subordinates

“If a person does not understand that he is responsible to me for the actions of his subordinates, then this is a clinical case. We have a hierarchy. I answer to my boss for all my subordinates, and they answer to me for theirs.

your boss thinks.

The task is assigned to you, and you are also responsible for it. You can delegate the task to your subordinates, but this does not relieve you of responsibility for its implementation. Delegation creates an additional relationship of responsibility between you and your subordinate, but your original responsibility to your boss does not disappear.

16. Don't waste time making excuses.

“The more I listen to excuses, the more my subordinates will hope that they can get rid of me. beautiful story with no result."

your boss thinks.

If your boss is result-oriented, then the reasons for his absence (especially those that are revealed only at the time of the report - see paragraph 2) are of little interest to him.

Therefore, do not waste time on excuses - it is better to spend it on completing your task.

When receiving a task

17. Questions at once

If in response to your report you received another task, and something in it is not clear to you, immediately ask questions. It's better to look stupid when you get a task than when you turn it in by doing the wrong thing.

Conclusion

As you can see, the listed rules are quite simple and even somewhat obvious. However, in my experience, there are very few people who systematically perform them - this requires courage and self-discipline. Try to stick to them, and, believe me, the trust and support of the leadership are provided to you.

See also:

  • 18 tips on how to overcome tension and fear in dealing with superiors.
  • Owner and manager: how to avoid conflicts. Manager's advice.

What is the most difficult thing for you in communicating with the leader?

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