What makes your direct reports tick?

The #1 response in my research into the leadership behaviors that make employees feel included (and therefore more likely to go above and beyond, produce great results, stay with the company, be innovative, and attract other top talent) is "my manager remembers something about me". Simple.

As a manager, it's your job to know what (aside from family, loved ones and work) makes your direct report tick. What are they motivated by? What are their values? What or who inspires them? Because NEWSFLASH! They *may not* be living their dream in their day to day job working for you 😁 .

Around 5 years ago I discovered in my very first conversation with a new report, Claire Isenthal, that she was an aspiring author. Over the time we worked together I saw Claire deploy the same discipline, commitment, creativity and energy into her client relationships as she did with her manuscripts when she wasn't working. She let me read a very early draft of her first novel and my admiration for her rocketed even higher. I watched her manage a stressful job, a rotation in London, and latterly becoming a mother of 2, all while working diligently and relentlessly on her book. Today, that book arrived on my doorstep, and tomorrow Lee Child better watch his back, because it's GOOOOOOD!

What makes your direct reports tick? Do they volunteer? Are they active in an employee resource group? Do they coach or mentor? Are they enrolled in a course? Do they write (or act, sing, swim, sew....)? What issues do they care about? What teams do they support? What would their definition of a perfect weekend be? The more you discover the more you can flex your empathy muscles. Always, of course, with empathy for those who prefer not to share.

Or do they know more about YOU than YOU know about THEM? That's never a good sign.

Claire is now a full time author, with her debut novel already climbing the bestseller charts. Here is the link to buy.