"Cynicism is a cancer that destroys hope, creativity & our sense of adventure. And like cancer, detect it early and eradicate it."

Brad Szollose

As I travel throughout the Midwest speaking on topics of leadership and communication, I am often asked from audience members how they can move from being a babysitter to a manager. These frustrated managers feel like they need to:

• Keep an eye on their staff because they are not always working as hard as they should be
• Referee their staff when they get into petty fights with other employees
• Nag their employees to do work that is most important versus work that is easy
• Answer questions that staff should be able to figure out on their own

So, what is going on here? Why do some managers have these types of employees while some managers would never describe their employees in this way?

To start, there are four questions,I would ask myself, if I was encountering this type of work culture:

• What type of person is being sought after from the job description? It is helpful to list not only the technical skills of a position but also the behavioral needs of the position. For instance, a fast food cashier needs to know how to operate a cash register and a fryer, but must also know how to work under pressure while serving with a great attitude. The last two descriptors of" working under pressure while serving with a great attitude" needs to be sought out in the recruitment and interview of candidates. Once they are hired these behaviors need to be evaluated in the formal evaluation process.

• Does each employee truly understand what is expected of them with tasks prioritized? In addition, allowing each employee to measure their productivity by themselves motivates them to stay on track.

• As a supervisor are you recognizing the positive behaviors as much as the negative behaviors? Make sure you are celebrating the good behaviors so that you get more good behaviors. What you focus on expands.

• Are you able to hold your staff accountable? One of the worst jobs of leading others is holding them to the standards you expect of them. Many managers would rather have a root canal than correct an employee on a behavior issues like 'tattling on others." If their behavior has a negative impact on their co-worker's productivity, they should be given the opportunity to correct that behavior, or shown the door, if that behavior persists.

• Provide great training. Make sure your training processes include the multiple ways that adults learn, i.e., auditory, visual and hands on. Don't assume that because another staff person trained your employees that your employee will now perform flawlessly. Continue to direct them at the early stages of a task and become a supportive coach as they gain confidence and commitment to their tasks.

Question for You:

Do you feel like you need to babysit your staff on a regular basis?

Action for You:

Make certain, as their leader, that you are not the main problem. Some supervisors thrive on being needed so they create chaos amongst their staff by being unclear on expectations, hiring anyone that can fog a mirror and not holding anyone accountable. By following the steps above you will move from babysitter to coach and mentor and you and your employees may actually begin to enjoy your work (again).