10 Crucial Deliverables Your People Expect from You As a Leader – Or You’re Toast!!

Time to Read: 2 mins...

This post is based on an actual list of expectations 75 middle managers of a large company asked me to convey to their senior executives. The wording and the order of the 10 items are exactly in their words – I haven’t edited them. Interesting that they didn’t feel it was safe to pass the message on themselves.

Since then I have used this list in workshops over many years. The response I always get is “Yeah, I wish my boss did these things, but they hardly do even one or two of them.” Any manager who understands these 10 things and acts on them will substantially improve their relationship with their team and their team’s performance. How do you stack up?

1
To Understand the Larger Picture
Help us understand how our part fits meaningfully into the whole.
2
To Be Heard
Create two-way communication – not just top-down.
3
To Be Informed
If you can’t release a decision, give us the status.
4
To Be Respected
Show us that our opinions count. Create a safe environment for us to raise questions and take risks.

5
For You To Be Human
Be open, approachable, and flexible – not just focused on the numbers.
6
To Be Recognized
Acknowledge and reward us when we do things right – and quit whacking us when we don’t.
7
To Be Shown the Way
We understand leadership concepts but it’s hard to know how to do them under daily pressures. We need role models.
8
For Vision and Values to Be Real
Let’s move beyond these statements as slogans and bring them alive. Let’s walk the talk.
9
To Be Given Support
Help us be successful – don’t hang us out to dry.
10
For You To Have a Sense of Humor
Lighten up – what we do is important but there’s more to life.

Action Step:

Start anywhere on this list and do something about it today, however small. Just asking your peoples’ opinion about one item, like “when you are successful at something on your job – how do you like to be recognized? In person? In private? With a certificate, a pizza, a round of applause…? What would make you feel appreciated?” Listen to their answer – you are likely to be surprised.

Get your FREE copy of the "10 Crucial Deliverables" which expands on each item in the list and includes specific action steps. Click Here (Downloaded separately).

Charles St.John

P.S. Tell me what you think – add your comments below.

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