How Can Managers Be More Receptive to Feedback and Collaboration?

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Last Updated on June 1, 2017 by Work In My Pajamas

The best managers are those who act as leaders instead of bosses. Part of being a leader is keeping an open mind when it comes to working with others. Therefore, it will be necessary to accept feedback and work with others in the department. What are some ways that you can make yourself more available to those who work for you?

Keep Your Ego to a Minimum

You should never assume that you are the smartest person in the room. Not listening to feedback from employees could cause you and your team to miss out on important ideas that could save your business money or make it easier for everyone to work together. Furthermore, not listening to what others have to say can hurt morale and lower productivity.

Your Job is to Develop Others

Collaborating with other people in your department or with other departments can help everyone learn and grow. By working with your employees to get things done, you teach them new skills that they will need if they eventually take over your position. In most cases, you won’t get promoted until and unless there is someone ready to take your spot. Therefore, make it a point to teach your people everything that you know as it will also help to advance your career.

Learn Leadership Skills

If you aren’t sure how to be a good leader in the modern workforce, you may want to go back to school. Getting a master’s in organizational leadership degree can help teach you the skills to learn how to be part of a team while still getting the respect that a manager deserves. When you strike the right balance, it becomes easier to get others to follow you willingly as opposed to by giving orders.

Develop Relationships with People You Trust

It may be easier to accept feedback if you are getting it from people who you trust. For instance, you may develop a leadership council involving employees who have been with the company for many years or others who you respect enough to listen to their opinions.

It is critical that you are open to feedback and working with others. If you fail to recognize others in your group, it is likely that they won’t want to work for or with you. This could make it harder to get things done as your people may be looking to do just the bare minimum or otherwise bide their time until they find a better job.

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