Ways to Avoid Intimidating Your Employees
You might not notice it, but you have the tendency to be intimidating to your employees. They won’t even tell you how they feel because they fear your possible reaction. You might think that it’s a good thing for them to respect and follow you. However, when they start to feel intimidated, it’s a different story. It could affect their work quality and productivity. Therefore, as soon as you realize that you tend to be intimidating, you need to do something about it.
Always wear a smile
It doesn’t hurt to wear a smile even under stressful conditions. Your employees will see it as a sign of optimism. If everyone is already stressed out, and you still managed to put on a huge smile on your face, you can inspire your employees to do the same. Besides, when you already face a tough situation, frowning doesn’t help. You would rather smile through these difficult situations.
Carefully choose your words
You also need to be cautious with how you say things. There are times when you mean well, but your employees take it negatively. They think that you’re angry. They also think that you’re always disappointed about their performance. It helps if you choose appropriate words depending on the results that you expect from your employees. Even when you’re already filled with hatred and anger, you still need to be tactful.
Spend time with your employees
You also need to form a bond with the people you work with. You don’t have to be friends with all of them, but it helps if you try your best to know them. It’s also a way of introducing yourself to them. When your employees realize that you’re not as scary as they thought you are, they will feel less intimidated. Crack jokes when you’re around them, and don’t be afraid to reveal your true personality. You can still be lovable and respected even when you show who you are.
Never look down on anyone
Yes, there’s hierarchy in the workplace. Some employees have a higher post than the others. However, it doesn’t give you the right to look down on those whom you think are not on your level. Even the people cleaning the workplace deserve your respect. Make sure that you give everyone the respect they deserve. When giving commands, you need to be respectful. You also have to say instructions in an understandable and respectful manner.
Be willing to listen
When you conduct meetings, you have to ensure that everyone gets the chance to speak. Even if you already have ideas on what you want to happen, it doesn’t mean that you will already disregard other people’s ideas. You should be willing to listen and show to everyone that you’re open-minded. You’re only making things worse when you insist on what you want, and disregard everyone else.
Try your best to avoid intimidating your employees because you want to earn their trust. You also want them to feel that you care about them.
Photo Attribution:
1st and featured image from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/thmb/af0-BzvoP61mGyvmIeyjhMrzzG4=/3436×2577/smart/filters:no_upscale()/no-to-non-professionalism-952427574-5ba7b3e946e0fb00254a9fc6.jpg
2nd image from https://www.classy.org/blog/3-tips-prevent-employee-burnout/
