It hardly needs proving: human beings are complex, and at times even difficult to manage. In a company — a world populated by people — every employee should take a genuine interest in understanding the behaviour of their colleagues. And this applies all the more when that employee is an executive or holds any management role, with men and women under their responsibility. Anyone with subordinates will inevitably face issues that fall under what is commonly called people management.
Managing employees essentially means leading them to carry out the tasks assigned to them efficiently, to the satisfaction of the company that employs them, its clients and the employees themselves. This requires people management to be considered at several levels. On the one hand, it is essential that the employee has the right tools, the skills and the knowledge suited to the tasks expected of them. On the other hand, and this point must not be overlooked, they must also receive the instructions that will enable them to complete their work successfully: beyond precise directives, which are necessary, the employee must above all understand the result expected of them, the purpose of their work. They must see and understand how their task fits into the broader picture. Finally, the manager must not only focus on tasks, but also on the people themselves, on what they expect and on the satisfaction they can derive from their work. Anyone who does a job properly expects, consciously or not, at least some recognition. It is therefore essential that a manager knows how to give positive feedback from time to time — and not only negative feedback, which should be kept to an absolute minimum; in this respect, the manager should always first check that all the points listed above have been satisfactorily addressed on their side. If all these elements are in place, motivation should be at its highest. Only motivated employees can produce quality work.
Among the best-known management theories, the Blake & Mouton model confirms that a manager will achieve better results if they combine two factors: concern for the task at hand and concern for people. Their employees will be motivated, because they will feel they are part of a team. By paying attention to their needs, the manager will secure their commitment to their work and a relationship built on mutual respect and trust. As for Maslow, he established the following hierarchy of individual needs: 1) physiological needs, 2) safety needs, 3) love and social needs, 4) esteem needs, 5) self-actualisation needs. Human beings will first seek to satisfy the lower-level needs. Once these have been at least partly met, they will develop needs at a higher level. This theory was later refined by adding that failure to satisfy the first three levels of needs leads more to dissatisfaction, whereas the opportunity to address the two higher levels fosters motivation.
It is therefore on these latter needs that the informed manager will base their approach to people, without neglecting the first three levels. They will thus pay particular attention to showing esteem for their employees and offering them opportunities for self-fulfilment, even in their approach to simple day-to-day tasks. A compliment, a sign of attention costs little but can yield a great deal: motivated men and women.
So what should you pay attention to in practical terms in order to manage men and women well? A few reference points:
