Working With New Administrative Staff Submitted By: Dave Lindbeck
Not long ago, one of my clients in the real estate business hired
the perfect person as his office manager and administrative assistant.
She had most of the qualifications he was looking for and a great
personality. But like many business leaders discover, hiring the right
person is one thing, and getting them in step with your expectations
is another. The challenge in working with someone new is - managing
expectations.
What are the priorities? How do you want things done? When do you
want things done? And even more complications arise - like when managers
have difficulty communicating, or delegating tasks they have been
doing themselves for so long. My client was no exception. Frustrated
by this all too familiar dynamic, he asked me to help him develop
strategies to turn this situation into a positive and productive working
relationship. The key to helping this client was to explore what was
working and what wasn't.
What he was doing and how she was reacting. And to get a handle
on what the expectations truly were. From that, I was able to give
him a list of strategies tailored to his particular situation. Instead
of telling you what it was that I suggested to him, I think it would
be more valuable to share what he did that worked. Be patient. Develop
a relationship before you expect high performance Make the goals
clear, and explain why they are important Let them make mistakesDon't
expect them to be at the level you are at Be kind Don't point out
every fault - show what you'd "prefer"Few working relationships
are without some sort of stress or strain along the way.
That's normal. But for situations where things just aren't working,
implementing some strategies for managing expectations and communicating
clearly will go a long way in preventing you from having to start
all over again.About the AuthorDave Lindbeck - Business and Career
Strategist - Founder, InStep Coaching - Success Strategies for Executives
and Entrepreneurs in Financial Services and Real Estate - Learn
more at http://www.instepcoaching.com
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