As managers and
supervisors, getting the support and respect of your team members, getting the
work done through them and keeping them motivated is a big challenge. You can
enforce rules, read out instructions or give lectures on the way you expect
your colleagues and juniors to behave. However, the best way to manage and lead
is by setting an example. You can never extract good behavior by setting a bad
example.
I have observed
two kinds of behaviour at work. I have worked with someone who was punctual,
polite and diligent. He completed all his work on time, stayed calm, highly
organized and was always ready to help. When there was a problem, he focused on
finding the solution rather than finding out the person to blame for the
problem. He treated everyone including the lowest level of employee with
respect. I have also worked with someone who was tardy, rude and indolent. She
never met the deadlines, was impetuous and disorganized and rarely available
for help. When a problem arose she focused on finding the person to blame
rather than finding the solution. Besides the slackness in work, she was
dominating and disrespectful with other staffs.
What difference
does the behaviour make? Well, it is clearly a case of Professional v/s
Unprofessional. If you’re behaving in a professional way then your colleagues
and team members will respect you and follow you. However, if you’re behaving
unprofessionally then you’ll have almost no support from your team members.
Even when you make a good decision, it will be viewed with an eye of doubt. Even
though your colleagues put up a smile in front of you for the sake of social
convention, behind the back they will not have even a shred of respect for you.
While a professional behaviour will be praised and rewarded, an unprofessional behaviour
including the person who exhibits this kind of behaviour will be ridiculed and
someday penalized.
As Spider Man
says, “Big position demands bigger
responsibilities.” It’s very easy misuse a high level position. You can
order people around and make them do your work. The ones below you may follow
orders out of obligation but will never be ready to help you willingly. To be a
responsible person and a good manager or a supervisor also means being a good
trend-setter. Example is the best advice you can give. Therefore, before you
begin to enforce rules, voice out lectures or read out instructions, you need
to make sure that you’re yourself setting a good example for others to follow.
