“The workplace can be intimidating, and the ladder can seem endlessly high when you’re just beginning to climb,” Brandon Chreene, VP of people at WhoWhatWear, said.
Yet many managers who have been climbing that ladder for years no longer remember that overwhelming feeling.
Still, successful managers know it’s their job to communicate with their direct reports and help them find their footing. Employees that feel valued and supported are more likely to invest increased energy into the success of the organization, according to a 2017 study by Regent University School of Business and Leadership.
Nathan Strang, a manager at Flexport, likes to have conversations with his employees centered on two things: building value and instilling trust. Value gives juniors purpose in their role, while trust helps them feel capable and supported to carry out their tasks.
“I feel these conversations are vital so that the employee knows they are valued and that we as managers want them to succeed,” Brandon Osborne, a manager at Better.com, said.
Managers across Los Angeles continuously evaluate the best strategies for communicating with junior employees. Turning failures into growth opportunities, creating open-book policies and celebrating wins are just a few ways to make them feel valued so they can one day become successful managers themselves.
At Flexport, Strang documents employee conversations during meetings so employees have a transparent record of their discussion. From there, he works with individuals to set personal goals that can be relayed to the team so everyone can hold each other accountable.
What are the key conversations you should have with every junior employee?
There are two types of conversations I try to have with my junior employees. The first is around building value. It is important for employees to understand their performance, but also understand how their individual tasks contribute value to the company and our clients.
The second is around trust. Trust is about more than delivering on promises, it is about allowing an employee to stretch in their role while adequately supporting them as a manager.
Tying individual goals and performance to team performance drives very strong feedback loops.”
How do you ensure you and your team members get value from these conversations?
I document all of our conversations within our company's personnel management software. By doing so, both the employee and I can have a transparent record of what we have talked about. I also work with my employees to ensure that the goals we set in our individual meetings become part of our goals as a team. By doing this, we all hold each other responsible for our performance. Tying individual goals and performance to team performance drives very strong feedback loops.
Osborne said that for junior employees, there’s no such thing as over-communication. Not only is communication essential to developing trust, it’s also necessary for junior employees understanding the definition and expectations of their role.
What are the key conversations you should have with every junior employee?
Communicating with junior employees is extremely important. Key talking points would include making sure the employee knows what their role is, what their expectations are and ensuring they have the tools and resources to complete their tasks.
These conversations are important for employees to understand how they are progressing, and for managers to have an open dialogue about opportunities for improvement. From a management perspective, I feel these talks are vital for ensuring employees know they are valued and that we as managers want them to succeed. Communication also allows us to get more insight into common concerns among employees.
Communication also allows us to get more insight into common concerns among employees.”
How do you ensure you and your team members get value from these conversations?
I try to set expectations and an agenda of what will be discussed. I let the employee know that the reason for the meeting is to not point out failures, but to work on ways to make them more productive and comfortable in their role. I keep the setting casual. I also try to be personal on my end and have an open-book policy. I will reveal when appropriate personal details and situations in an effort to make employees feel safe. I want them to know I truly care for them as individuals and not just as cogs in the machine.
For junior employees to find success, Chreene said it’s important for them to focus on their personal strengths. At WhoWhatWear, he hosts weekly team meetings where individuals share what they are proud of. This motivates team members to contribute their unique skills to help grow the business.
What are the key conversations you should have with every junior employee?
It’s important to discuss the basics: who are you and why are you doing this? The workplace can be intimidating, and the ladder can seem endlessly high when you’re just beginning to climb.
Many junior professionals find themselves unable to grow when they get lost in trying to be just like everybody else or produce average work. Knowing exactly who you are, who you aren’t and channeling each element of your personality to provide a unique value to your business is what will separate you from everyone else and allow you to grow.
That said, it’s not all about you. Whether your job is to provide information, a product, a service, or an experience, there is always someone that depends on it. Who are they, and does your work prove that you were thinking of them? Talking through these points with yourself, a colleague or your manager will help to ensure that you are always thinking about the next step for yourself while constantly elevating the quality of your work.
We’re always motivated by what we’re proud of.”
How do you ensure you and your team members get value from these conversations?
Our team has a weekly meeting with one portion of our agenda dedicated to each team member talking about something they’re proud of. This ongoing discussion reminds us of our own unique value and takes us right back to the core discussion of “who are you,” which is powerful for the business. We’re always motivated by what we’re proud of. Also, we make sure to take time out of the office to celebrate our reasons for doing the work that we do.
