You want both your workers and your company to succeed. So, how can you help your employees perform at their highest levels? Here’s how to better lead your manufacturing team.
Tips for Leading Your Manufacturing Team
Serve Your Team
The idea of serving your team may sound confusing. After all, aren’t you supposed to be leading? Yes, but as businesswomen Christine Comaford points out, leadership IS about serving. “The more influential you become, the more you are putting yourself at the service of your team.” Highly effective managers don’t sit in their offices and shout orders. They protect their employees, offer guidance, clear roadblocks, and thus, bring out the best in everyone.
Provide Purpose
People want their work to matter. Although purpose may be easier to recognize in fields such as medicine and education, manufacturers have purpose too. They design, create and produce the products that make this world a better place. Showing your team not only what they do but WHY they do it gives their work meaning and significance.
Clarify Goals
Even the best team in the world won’t meet their goals if they’re unsure about what their goals are. Don’t assume your employees know what you want them to do. Clearly communicate and follow up on short and long-term objectives. This may be accomplished through written correspondence, checklists, in-person group meetings and/or individual conversations.
Listen
Your team members have problems. Your team members have suggestions. However, if you don’t listen, you won’t find out what they are. Also, keep in mind, as a leader sometimes YOU must begin the conversation. “You seem down today. Is something wrong?” or “This process doesn’t seem to be working. Do you have any ideas?”
Give Regular Feedback
If you want your employees to improve, they should know what they are doing right AND wrong. Unfortunately limiting this feedback to an annual performance review is seldom useful. Therefore, Patty McCord, former chief talent officer at Netflix, recommends a coaching approach. Instead of waiting until the end of the season/year to evaluate a player/employee, keep them updated. If they’re doing something well, tell them immediately. And if something needs improvement, address the issue sooner rather than later.
Are You Ready to Lead a Better Manufacturing Team?
The expert recruiters at Connectology can match your organization with the employees you need. We place talented manufacturers with top companies in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin and beyond. Contact us to start building a stronger team today!
