(Black Enterprise) — When it comes to managing a workforce, it’s often the most basic elements of effective leadership that are overlooked. When productivity is stressed and managers struggle to do more with fewer resources in a lean economy, proper management strategies often fall by the wayside in favor of keeping the wheels turning. Scott J. Allen, assistant professor of management at John Carroll University says two-way communication is at the heart of effective management. In The Little Book of Leadership Development: 50 Ways to Bring out the Leader in Every Employee (co-written by Mitchell Kusy, a 2005 Fulbright Scholar and professor in the Ph.D. Program in Leadership & Change at Antioch University), Allen and Kusy highlight effective methods by which employers can get the most out of their workforce, while employees can get the most out of their job. Here are a few of the authors’ recommendations.
Clarify team expectations. “Without clarity, it’s difficult for an employee or team to have a clear understanding of what needs to be prioritized,” says Allen. “Each one of us has 1,000 things coming at us each day.” He says a leader needs to help the group focus its energy and focus its time where it needs to be applied and if priorities change, that also must be made clear.
