Page 52 - Becoming a Successful Manager

Understanding Each Person in Your Department 43

that managers make such concerted efforts to get to know their
staffs.

“Get to Know You” Questions

When meeting individually with your employees, remember that
your objectives are to get to know your staff and to give them the
opportunity to get to know you. You can accomplish this by ask-
ing direct questions, as you would in an interview, or by posing
a problem or two—preferably real ones—and asking each person
how he or she would deal with them. However you proceed, your
approach should not be intimidating.
To set the stage for positive communication, make sure to
tell your employees beforehand that you want to improve their
work environment, their job satisfaction, and your abilities as a
manager. Create a relaxed, casual environment conducive to open
dialogue, even laughter, if possible.
Following are a few of the questions you may want to ask,
although not necessarily in the form they are given. Always
approach your interactions with your employees in a way that
is natural to you. Disregard any questions with which you are
uncomfortable, and, by all means, generate meaningful questions
of your own.

• When you think about going to work, what do you look
forward to doing? What excites and challenges you in your
job?
• What, if anything, do you dread when you think about going
to work?