Nobody sets out to be rude or disrespectful at work, but sometimes, our behaviors or actions can come across that way. This can be especially problematic for leaders. If your team members see you as callous or uncaring, it can damage morale and destroy trust.
Ben Brearley, a consultant and certified leadership coach, says even if you consider yourself supportive and kind in the workplace, if other people don’t think so, you’re out of luck. You can make sure you’re not fooling yourself by staying mindful of some actions that can make you seem like you don’t care. We explain Brearley’s thoughts on some ways you might be inadvertently sending the wrong message in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
1. Checking your phone during meetings. This signals to the other person or people that you’re not fully paying attention to them. You’d rather respond to a text or scan your emails. The solution is simple, according to Brearley. Just turn off your phone when you’re in a meeting. If you can’t do that, place it face down on the table or mute the notifications.
2. Rescheduling your one-on-ones. Things sometimes come up, but if you make a habit of bumping your one-on-one meetings, you’re telling other people they’re just not that important to you. This can leave your employees and colleagues with a bad taste in their mouth. Remember that one-on-one meetings provide prime opportunities to connect with others and learn about their ideas or challenges.
3. Not taking others’ feedback seriously. If you’re a leader, it’s crucial that you not only ask your team for their input but that you take their ideas seriously. This can help them feel valued and like they’re helping shape your organization, Brearley says. If you can’t implement their ideas, give them the courtesy of explaining why. This ensures they’ll at least feel heard.
4. Delegating the least-desirable tasks. Delegation is an important leadership skill. However, it shouldn’t be done as a way to unload all the tasks you don’t want to do onto someone else’s plate. When delegating, Brearley says to look for ways to give your employees higher-level tasks that can help them grow in their roles.
5. Being perpetually busy. Are you reachable when your employees or co-workers need you? Being constantly unavailable is one of the most common ways you can appear uncaring at work, Brearley says. The way to overcome this is to say no to things sometimes. You may also want to book slots in your calendar where you’re available for discussions or questions.
Perception is reality. Don’t inadvertently alienate your employees, colleagues or clients by committing the actions above. With some simple tweaks, like placing your phone face down during meetings or blocking off time for conversations with your team members, your actions will match the care you want to show in the workplace.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Ben Brearley, MBA is a consultant and certified leadership coach. He’s the founder of Thoughtful Leader.
