Presenting

says. "Too often, managers communicate how to do what needs to get done instead of letting people do it the way they want." Good managers also create milestones to monitor progress, Frankel adds. ey also check in regularly with staff members to share feedback. "Everyone needs to feel that his or her unique skills are being used and further developed in a way that contributes to the priorities of the organization." 3. Do you delegate effectively? Delegation is not just about saving a manager's time and fostering operational efficiency ; it's also about preparing employees for promotion. "Step-up assignments are great tools for grooming people into higher levels of responsibility," says William J. Rothwell, Ph.D., professor of Workforce Education and Development at Pennsylvania State University. "And a great way to use them is to systematically delegate a manager's duties." is technique is of particular value for workers who have expressed a desire to get ahead. Rothwell suggests telling such people that the process of delegation is intended to help them step up to more responsible positions. Set reachable goals by delegating one or two items from the manager's job description every year. "Proceeding slowly will allow time to coach the worker on effective techniques for mastering each duty," says Rothwell. 4. Do you challenge employees to set reasonable performance goals? Employees are motivated to perform well when they have taken ownership of their future. Managers must ensure that workers buy into any mandated performance parameters. at process begins with a clearly drawn road map. "If we set expectations that are not clearly understood, manager and employee will operate on different wavelengths," says Randy Goruk, president of e Randall Wade Group/Leaders' Edge 360 in Phoenix, Ariz. "e manager expects X, and the employee thinks, 'I'm going to do Y.' Next thing you know, you have somebody not meeting expectations." Seek assurances that the employee really understands what's expected of him or her, advises Goruk. One way to do that is to invite the individual to restate the expectations you have delineated. It's better to discover any disconnect now than six months down the road. 5. Do you inspire your employees? Inspired employees work with greater enthusiasm and invent creative solutions to workplace problems. But how do you inspire someone? e task seems formidable and abstract. e secret is to look at the big picture. "e way to inspire people is to explain how the business service or product

• Cover