When you manage a team, it’s inevitable that you’ll oversee different kinds of people, each with their own unique skills, levels of experience, career aspirations, receptiveness to feedback, and personalities. You may have a team member who’s a total extravert and constantly takes the lead in group meetings, while another member of your team may be a more quiet contributor who does critical execution work behind the scenes.
Effectively managing different kinds of people is no easy feat. However, to be a strong leader, you need to know how to adjust your management style according to the needs of your team members. Doing so ensures you can harness the strengths of each contributor, understand how to drive engagement, and help your team perform at its best.
So, how do you do this? After speaking with several of his team members who raved about his management methods, we sat down with Diego Villa, a beloved and experienced Sales Manager at monday.com, to understand how he navigates different employee needs. Keep reading to learn some of his tips.
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5 tips to manage the different needs of your team members
1. Understand desired growth paths
Sit down with each of your team members early on in your working relationship to really understand their individual career goals. Ask them what they believe their strengths and weaknesses are, how they see themselves growing, and what they need from you to get there. You’d be amazed at how much you can learn simply by taking the time to ask. Make sure to take notes,so that you can refer to and add to them over the course of your working relationship.
2. Consistently check back in
Before your one-on-one syncs, take a few minutes to reference your notes on the respective employee so you can guide your feedback to match their desired areas of growth and development. Be sure to update your notes after every conversation so that you can track their progress and adjust their personal aspirations accordingly.
3. Tailor your feedback methods
Recognize that your team members may have distinct needs when it comes to how they should receive feedback. Some may prefer you to be extremely direct and honest, while others may need a bit of sugarcoating in order not to take your critiques too personally. While it often takes some trial and error to determine the best methods for each individual, be sure to intentionally experiment with it, ask the employee what they prefer, and document experiences as you work to identify the most effective way to connect with your team members and help them improve.
4. Seek out relevant growth opportunities
Find ways for your team members to learn, develop, and advance based on their individual interests, experience levels, and needs. Recent research from Cornell University shows that those who have moved internally within an organization tend to be high performers and are more likely to stay with the company over time. In fact, the study notes that many employees are not even seeking promotions — instead, they want new challenges and the chance to explore something different. So, when growth opportunities present, really think about who on your team would benefit and why. And when you share these opportunities, be sure to emphasize how it addresses their personal career aspirations to make it clear that you always have their growth in mind.
5. Offer multiple channels of communication
As a leader, you likely manage people with different communication styles, which is why it’s so important to offer multiple channels to share feedback and thoughts. Some more outspoken employees may feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feedback in larger settings, while others may prefer providing their input anonymously or in a one-on-one conversation. So, be sure to have multiple feedback channels for employees to contribute their ideas and take each channel seriously.
Build a high performing team with a Work OS
The secret to delivering your best work? Keeping the entire team in sync.
A Work OS like monday.com can help you get everyone on the same page, so your team members will always know what’s expected from them and how their work ladders up to the bigger picture. Get in touch with our team of experts today to learn how we can support your goals.