Experience What You Manage

Jun 13, 2023 | Podcast

World at Work episode 36 Experience What You Manage

“Experience what you manage to make better decisions as a leader.”

As a business leader it is incredibly important to build trust with your team. One way to do that is by getting involved in the work that your team does and experience what you manage. This was something I saw firsthand when I worked at Walt Disney World. Managers were often seen on the frontlines interacting with Cast Members and guests. There are so many benefits to leaders being present and experiencing different roles in their organization firsthand.

By getting out of your office and doing the work alongside your team members, you can build trust and improve communication. You will also gain a better understanding of how your decisions affect those working for you. Spend more time walking around and genuinely asking if there is anything you can help with. This will make employees feel valued and more likely to approach you with questions or concerns.

Being present also helps you build a better relationship with your team members. When you do that you will gain a deeper understanding of their unique strengths, challenges, and perspectives. This will enable you to lead with greater empathy and understanding, which in turn will create a more cohesive and successful team. Similarly, you will have a more complete understanding of how the decisions made in the boardroom affect those on the front lines.

Listen to this episode to learn:

how gaining hands-on exposure can level up your management skills
ways of fostering better relationships with your frontline workforce
the art of strategic engagements with field personnel for improved leadership
communication skills to bridge gaps between management and staff
how to use planned site visits into your leadership routines for optimized results

Do you want to create a work environment where your team trusts each other, communicates effectively, and achieves greater success together? If so, it’s not enough to simply manage from the sidelines. To truly build trust and foster communication within your team, it’s essential that you experience what they do on a daily basis by immersing yourself in their work.

“Being on the front line will become a recruitment and retention tool.”