If you want to keep your team members happy, you must listen to them. Although this isn’t breaking news, we think the methods of interacting with associates are changing – for the better. Once upon a time managers primarily used surveys to learn about their people’s ideas and concerns. These days, leaders – including those at Instep Management – are more likely to connect with team members in person. Here are some ways to listen effectively to your associates:
Casual Check-Ins: Informal interaction is more valuable than you may realize. The simple act of asking your colleagues how they’re doing as…
Making small talk, exchanging business cards, and attending cocktail parties are yesterday’s methods of networking. Though they aren’t completely obsolete, our Instep Management team believes there are far more effective (and comfortable) ways to build new relationships:
Be More Deliberate: You may have been advised to find networking opportunities in the unlikeliest and most random places, such as your children’s soccer games or the waiting room at the dentist’s office. Our Instep Management associates have found that these experiences rarely help us move toward our goals, and they often lack follow-up anyway. Before we invest ourselves in new relationships, we’ve learned…
Just as with everything else in the world, the process of work is evolving. More tasks are becoming automated, almost completely eliminating the need for people in certain areas. No matter how pervasive technology becomes, however, our Instep Management team knows that people will always be required for innovation. No machine or device can empathize or think creatively. With this in mind, we present some skills to acquire if you’d like to be an innovative leader.
Being opportunistic is part of being an innovator. You must constantly be on the lookout for new ways of doing things, whether it be fulfilling…