WOW Word-Of-the-Week #503: Attentive
March 26, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #503: Attentive
Attentive – paying attention; listening carefully; observant.
Would you say you are very attentive? Would you say your manager or supervisor is very attentive? Do you give those people close to you your full attention?
This week’s WOW comes from the Expert Advice Column in the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer, written by Jennie Wong and titled “3 MISTAKES EVEN GOOD MANAGERS CAN MAKE.”
This week I will feature the first one. Jennie writes, “If you’re new to managing others, you are undoubtedly on a learning curve of your own. But what if you’ve been doing it for a while? What if you’re actually pretty good at it? Chances are, you’re still making these common mistakes. Good managers inadvertently commit these errors all the time, but once you realize where the stumbling blocks are, you can make a different choice and evolve to the next level of leadership.
Mistake No. 1 – Ignoring Your Top Performers
High-performing employees can create a vicious cycle through their own competence. The better they do their job, the more work they are given. And the more they find a way to get it all done, smoothly and without drama, the less attention they get from the boss.
Why? Because the boss is busy with the “problem children,” the employees who are struggling.
Keep your eyes peeled for this pattern, and look for ways you can reward your best people with both tangibles and intangibles, like your attention.”
This week’s focus is on being attentive. If you are in a leadership position do you think you are a “good manager?” Have you ever thought about how much attention you give your “problem children?” Have you identified your top performers? How do you reward them? If you are a top performer, how much attention do you get?