Good bosses make people 'feel they're part of solution'

Dana Gee, The Province 



So you're lucky to still have your job, right? But how is that job actually going? It's a safe bet that the economic crisis has left its mark on your workplace, both financially and emotionally.

In this the final and -- some may think -- risky Do It Better section, the focus is how bosses can do a better job managing staff during tough economic times.

"It's easy to lead people in successful times," says Gena Armstrong, a vice-president for Robert Half International, the world's largest staffing/consulting service.

"It takes true leadership to lead through rougher waters, to motivate people in tough times." With people uneasy about their job security, experts say now is the time for bosses to look at their approaches and embrace the idea of transparency.

"In lieu of a lack of information, people will seek out their own," warns Armstrong.

"People are feeling insecure about where they stand and where the company stands. Sometimes I think managers think people don't want the truth. That is never the reality." Armstrong suggests ditching blanket e-mails in favour of face-to-face discussions and town-hall-type meetings.

"It's important for the management team to slow down and look at the best way to develop a communication plan," says Armstrong, adding that communication is a key in assuaging feelings of insecurity and, in turn, poor morale.

"It's important to find a way to involve people in the decision- making process, at least in their expertise," says Sandra Robinson, a professor at the University of B.C.'s Sauder School of Business.

"People in the trenches, doing the work, have insight. So people who take part in the decision-making process feel less threatened and it signals that they are valued." "You need to make people feel that they're part of the solution," Armstrong adds.

"Challenge your people to come up with alternative plans. Creativity often comes from times of crisis." And remember, bottom line, most everyone is in the same boat on the same rough waters.

"There is a lot of value in taking time to rethink how we do things," says Robinson. "It can sometimes serve as a common-enemy effect -- you know, let's get together and beat this thing." Go to theprovince.com/life/do-it-better for a list of 30 common mistakes bosses make during an uncertain economy.

Here are two of 6S Marketing's Chris Breikss's and John Blown's tips to being a better boss.

Do: Open your doors. The best ideas often come from our staff. We have an open-door policy and encourage our employees' contributions and thoughts on everything from client accounts to office renovations. Collaboration is a fruitful practice in our business.

Don't: Get too structured. It pains us to see offices that open at exactly 9 a.m. and close at exactly5 p.m. When you work inside that box and according to a schedule that is too rigid, sometimes creativity gets stifled. Flexible working schedules allow us to get out and experience what is going on outside of the walls of our office. We never cease to be amazed.