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Extra Features and Video Online FloristsReview.com R E A D O N L I N E 59 benefits employees, customers and society," Rothman explains. "at will charge workers with the enthusiasm required to perform at peak levels of excellence." Becoming an inspiring leader requires making a special effort to relate the goals of employee and company, Rothman adds. And that means moving beyond the management techniques one has employed in the past. "If you cannot get rid of what you previously used to do, if you cannot move beyond your prior expertise, you will not be an inspiring leader." 6. Do you encourage your employees to contribute ideas? e best ideas come from people on the front lines. Top managers encourage employees to develop and communicate new and productive operational techniques based on their experiences. " You need to tap into the collective wisdom of the team," Frankel advises. "Creating an environment where ideas are appreciated, recognized and rewarded will spark ideas that help the business achieve its priorities." Encouraging worker contributions means going beyond the company suggestion box. "Reinforce at every team meeting that there are no bad ideas," Frankel suggests. "People will speak up only if they understand that they will not be punished for doing so and that the company wants everybody's ideas on the table." When the business comes up with a new goal, says Frankel, throw it out to the employee pool, and invite input. "Many managers are afraid to ask for suggestions because they fear they will receive unworkable ideas." e fact is that employee groups tend to be self- correcting and will reject ideas that are impractical. 7. Do you take a personal interest in your employees? Managers gain the trust of employees by engaging with them on a personal basis. "Any good manager communicates a genuine interest in the well-being of workers," says Rothwell. "Doing so doesn't require a face-to-face structured conversation; it can be a hallway interaction of a minute or less. It can be a brief talk in the break room, the cafeteria, the parking lot or even online through direct messages." Employees who trust their managers will not only work with greater commitment but also share information they might otherwise keep secret because of fear that it could damage their status in the company. Suppose a valued worker is planning to leave for employment elsewhere. If he or she feels secure enough to share such information, the manager can take steps to improve the work position in a way that will keep the person from jumping ship. 8. Do you help employees rebound from performance shortfalls? Effective managers take the initiative quickly when employees fall short in their duties. "If someone is performing poorly, don't surprise them at review time," Goruk instructs. "Have an early two-way conversation." Goruk suggests leading off with an open-ended question such as "How do you feel you're doing?" at provides an opening for the individual to express anything bothering him or her about his/her work experience. e manager can then follow up with a statement such as, " You know what? I've noticed the same thing." e manager should provide specific examples of where the person has fallen short, including dates, times and numbers, where possible. "Ask what you can do to help him or her get back on track," Goruk suggests. "Develop a game plan: What steps can he or she take to resolve the problem? And when will you have a follow-up meeting to assess progress?" 9. Do you resolve conflicts in a productive way? Organizational change often leads to workplace conflict. Dealing effectively with flare-ups is part of the leadership challenge. While most managers would rather avoid the negative emotions that accompany workplace interventions, company profitability requires the maintenance of a smoothly running work environment. "Effective managers need to realize that the ability to address conflict is a core competency that they must develop," says Pete Tosh, MBA, M.S.I.O., founder of e Focus Group, an executive search and management consulting firm in Macon, Ga. Effective managers learn the skills required to help employees deal with disagreements. at means directing

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