Listen

Listen to your people. You hired them for a reason.

Encourage your team embers to come to you with problems. Even better—encourage them to also come with potential solutions when they bring you those problems. Ask them for suggestions for improvements when you bring them your new idea or new plan.

Give your people your full attention when they come to speak with you. Don’t be looking at your phone or at the notifications popping up on your screen while they are talking. Make them feel respected and valued with your focus.

Don’t pretend to be a “perfect genius.” You may be good. You may be at the top of your field. But you can’t think of everything. You don’t know everything. Be humble and ask people to proofread your work or to “kick the tires” on your idea. If you missed something, be delighted that your team member caught it before the client saw it. Their honesty and competence can help make you look good.

(image source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-f-young/)