Coaching employees is a skill a good manager has in their toolbox.   This tool is about working to improve, enhance and help the employee to be their best.  Use it with new hires, employees taking on new responsibilities and for early intervention for a person who has dropped in performance.    Coaching can be your foundational tool when interacting with your team members

“Collaborate for effective employee coaching” by The Manager’s Intelligence Report on Managebetter.biz.

Good coaches know they can’t just wing it when working with employees on improvement. You don’t have to follow a detailed, in-depth script with every word and gesture spelled out, but you should be prepared. Here’s some advice:

Employees want to trust their manager because it allows them to grow and contribute to the success of the company.   Stephen Covey expresses the importance of an “emotional bank account.”  Either your account is loaded or barely meeting the minimum.   A well-funded emotional bank account allows you to be human and make mistakes because you have built trust with your staff.

There are other skills you need to manage employees, though your employee’s trust is a key component to your success as a manager.

“Top Tips for Managing People” on Australian Institute of Management’s website, provides 5 steps to the “art of people management.”

It’s important to find your own foundation of truths in managing employees.   Take that foundation and bond it to the company’s values and the combination will guide you to a successful team.

“Jean Pierre Kopp:  A cultural approach toward managing people” by Sudibya M. Wiradji in TheJakatapost.com.   The post shares his experience in learning a new culture, though throughout the article is his foundation of truth around managing employees.

Learning Indonesian culture is the strategic ingredient that Kopp applies, which runs parallel with the company’s five values: respect for people, respect for consumers, respect for shareholders, respect for the environment and respect for facts

Being positive in any life situation brings about the best results.   Viewing employees with a positive orientation adds value to the bottomline.    Yet, why are so many managers frustrated and negative towards employees?  Why do managers fear giving positive feedback to employees?

“5 Quick Ways You Can Bring Positive Psychology To Your Workplace” by Alexa Thompson on Forbes.com.

According to many reports, employees who feel satisfied, valued, and happy at work typically do far better than those who feel disgruntled or overlooked. These findings have led many corporate officers to implement “positive psychology” techniques in their workplaces. Some of these techniques require professional expertise to carry out, but the majority can be done by anyone, in any type of office setting.

I know that sounds like a trick question…of course, employees are important because they do the work.   Yet, are they the center of your organization or do you believe they are there to do a job and should be happy to have one.   In this economy, it’s tempting to let the employees know they should be grateful to have a job.    Keep in mind, how you treat your employees is how they treat the customers.