We’ve made it through the season of goodwill, and now we’re in the realm of forced optimism. The start of the year brings with it the inevitable positive resolutions, super-boosted this time around by a whole new decade to look forward to.
But what happens if you’re not resolute, but simply filled with dread at the prospect of more of the same? As a manager, how can you instill hope and confidence in your team if you want to hide under the duvet?
Well, I’m sorry to break it to you, but as a manager you have a responsibility to inspire and develop your people and create a positive working environment. It’s absolutely unacceptable for a manager to behave in a way that’s demotivational by showing people you’re not interested in your job. If you can’t do that, then you shouldn’t be in a managerial position – I’m afraid it’s that simple.
I often hear managers say things like, “This amount of change is ridiculous, we can’t deal with this workload.” You can’t motivate your team if, from the outset, you’re telling them that what you need to achieve isn’t achievable.
When you’re a manager, it doesn’t matter how unmotivated you may be, for whatever reason – you simply don’t take that attitude to work. You wouldn’t allow a frontline worker to be rude to a customer if they were having a bad time at home – you would expect them to talk to their line manager, discuss their issues, see what temporary solutions could be put in place to help or, if necessary, instigate a disciplinary procedure. It’s no different with managers.
If you’re feeling demotivated to the point that you can’t do your job, then you need to examine your own circumstances and identify why that is. If it’s an If issue in the workplace, or a challenging personal situation, then you need to bring it up with your own leader and put measures in place to ensure it doesn’t affect your team. Of course, the wellbeing of every employee at any level is paramount so your leader should ensure that they are supporting you to deal with those issues.
But if it’s simply a case of being a bit bored or fed up, and you’re passing that on to your team, then I’m afraid you’re in the wrong job.
