Become a Better Manager by People Watching

Being a good manager is hard work. It’s one thing to get your team in alignment on a task or project at hand to meet a deadline, but it’s a whole other thing to help your team members grow and develop as individuals within your organization. And unfortunately, that’s where many managers and leaders fall short. We are so caught up in our to-do lists and our day-to-day lives, that we rarely ever look up to notice what others are going through around us. Which can make it really difficult to react to and coach your team for growth and development. So today I want to discuss a simple exercise that you can incorporate into your day-to-day routine that will help you grow as a leader and manager. 

People Watching

Part of being a good manager is the ability to be curious about your own emotions as well as that of those you manage. I call this exercise people watching or name that feeling. This simple exercise is something that you most likely did a lot as a small child, without even knowing it. But as we grow older, our ability to connect and recognize others’ emotions becomes less and less of a priority. This is where a lot of us fall short as managers and leaders. This is why I often suggest that our business coaching clients do an exercise in people watching often to sharpen their skills.

How does it work? In your everyday life, start watching those around you in the office and out in the world. Why did Linda react the way she did when she made that mistake on the monthly report? Why does George react that way when he receives praise during the weekly meeting? Why did your neighbor react the way that they did when you offered to help them shovel their walkway last week? Why was your spouse upset when you missed dinner tonight? Everyone has a reason and an emotion behind their actions, both verbally and unspoken and the more you pay attention to those around you the more skilled you will get at recognizing the reason behind those actions. 

And at the same time, the more you begin to understand what makes others behave the way that they do, you will start to notice similar patterns in your own behavior and can start to take steps to change the way you react to certain stimuli. This will make you an even better leader for your team. 

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence plays a huge role in your ability to lead your team. And it’s a skill that needs to be exercised and practiced often on a conscious level. So take the time to understand those around you, invest in understanding what makes your team members thrive, and use that to grow together as a team. And encourage your leadership to do the same with their direct reports. Your business will be much stronger because of it.