New Leadership Management Quick Start Manual

Author: Hou Yuehui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Truly caring about your subordinates' warmth and coldness is leading a team to complete work. Only by caring for your subordinates and winning their loyalty can you truly establish your influence. This principle is well-known to all leaders, but when it comes to implementation, they often fall into. These mistakes include:
(1) Equating caring for subordinates with petty favors Some middle managers believe that since they don’t have the "power of life and death" over salary increases and promotions, they can only rely on petty favors to show their concern for subordinates. Petty favors can only win subordinates’ temporary favor, while many are more concerned about their career development and overall ability improvement. Once you fail to meet their slightly higher needs, subordinates will feel you don’t truly care about them. Moreover, petty favors often come at the expense of the organization’s overall interests, and if exposed, it can also harm you.
(2) Making empty promises Each subordinate has expectations for salary increases and promotions. As a new leader, you naturally want to leverage this demand for motivation. Should you directly tell them you’re working for their raises and promotions, or is it better to stay silent? "Not saying" makes you worry subordinates will think you don’t care. However, the result of making light-headed promises is worse. Mature companies have their own set of rules and procedures for salaries and promotions, which you cannot change arbitrarily. If a promise falls through, you’ll lose credibility in front of your subordinates. This will also give your superiors a bad impression, making them think you’re ambitious and secretly building your own team. Therefore, never make promises lightly. Caring for subordinates is more about actions than words. Let subordinates feel you’re truly working for their expectations and taking action, such as praising them in front of superiors and colleagues, giving them space to showcase their talents, and entrusting them with important tasks. If you’ve made a commitment but circumstances change, making it impossible to fulfill, the best solution is to apologize to your subordinates and honestly explain the reasons for the failure, seeking their understanding.
(3) Confusing caring about subordinates’ work with caring about them Managers pay great attention to subordinates’ work, as it reflects their own performance. However, excessive concern for work can make subordinates, feeling you don’t trust them or doubt their abilities. Moreover, subordinates are living, breathing people with diverse needs. If you only focus on work matters, you might be labeled a "cold-blooded animal."
(4) Misalignment between the content of your concern and subordinates’ actual needs For example, if a young subordinate complains that their work is too exhausting, you might assume they want a raise and try to push the HR department to increase their salary. In reality, the subordinate feels tired because of their uncertain career prospects, a "heart-weariness," and what they truly need is guidance on their career development. This requires managers to deeply understand their subordinates so that their actual concern matches their true needs.
(5) Using the wrong methods to show concern For instance, if you ask a new salesperson in detail how to promote the company’s products and build relationships with clients, you might think you’re helping them discover their shortcomings and providing guidance. However, the subordinate may feel you don’t trust them. Another example is giving business guidance to a senior salesperson in a department meeting, but they might feel you’re embarrassing them rather than caring. In both cases, your concern is misunderstood, failing to achieve the desired effect and even backfiring.
(6) Being unfair to subordinates It’s common in life for leaders to trust some people deeply, treating them as confidants, while being wary of others, even using confidants to monitor them. Subordinates are divided into different categories: confidants are given anything they ask for and are treated exceptionally well; those with lukewarm relationships are either courted with petty favors or ignored; and those who are unruly or difficult are targeted with unfair treatment. Another form of unfairness is not treating male and female subordinates equally, assuming women have lower achievement motivation and prefer stable, comfortable jobs. As a result, their basic needs are over-cared for, while their higher-level needs like career development are neglected. Unfairness inevitably demotivates employees, creates internal friction, and harms organizational unity.
(7) Caring for subordinates means meeting all their demands Human needs are endless—once one is met, another arises. Subordinates’ needs are diverse, some aligning with organizational goals, while others go against them. As a supervisor, you can only try to meet those that align with organizational objectives, while refusing unreasonable demands and even giving harsh criticism. Otherwise, you’ll harm both your subordinates and yourself in the end. P300-301