Welcome to 2011!! I know, I know I’m a wee bit late. The year’s had an interesting start so forgive me.
Anyway, the reason for this post is simple. A young colleague of mine started her own business late 2010 & did SO well she was able to hire an assistant! I helped her select the person she hired & gave her 1 key piece of advice on her new assistant’s 1st day: You are going to give him instructions on how you want something done & he’s NOT going to do exactly as you instructed because he will feel like he can do it BETTER.
Once she finished with the “Humanist Exec says WHAT? ” denial takes, I explained to her why I did NOT see this as as big an issue as you might think.
Having hired probably 450+ personnel in my career & supervising up to 200 on any given day, the one thing that must remain true is that you treat your team as the intelligent individuals you know them to be. They’re going to have ideas about how things should be done & even how things could be done BETTER. You hired them for their talents, the value you felt they could add your company, & the unique brilliance you saw in there somewhere. So let them SHINE. Listen to their thoughts & suggestions. Openly solicit their input. Not only will you reap huge benefits, you will also help them in their own career-based growth.
Now granted you may NOT always implement their ideas or agree with their opinions on how things should be done, and THAT’S OK.
This is Joyll, The Humanist Exec.
Have a fantastically wonderful day!
THE Humanist Exec 